[mtalantikite]

I think anyone that has undertaken an art form of any sort knows that it is all down to practice. There's just different levels of dedication. Charlie Parker famously was thrown out of a jam session in Kansas City as a teenager by Jo Jones (who threw a cymbal at him), and decided to spend the next 3-4 years practicing 12-15 hours per day. There's a retreat called chilla [1] that some South Asian musicians do which is 40 days of isolation and intensive practice. I saw a video of Mike Tyson helping train a young boxer recently and at the beginning he says: "You know, it has nothing to do with styles or size. It's all about the moral of the fighter. How important is it to you? Is it more important than breathing? Is it more important than eating? It's up to the individual."

A great mentor is crucial too. I know for myself having my music teacher listen and force me to not move on from what I'm working on is necessary. Having my Muay Thai trainer throw down his pads and silently demonstrate what I need to embody is invaluable. My meditation teacher pointing out my misunderstandings. Etc.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilla_katna

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmJJK7Ac4Fk&t=20s

[creer]

A teacher might tell you "it's about brush mileage - and I have now told you all that matters".

Dump that teacher. If it's all they could teach you, you are done with them.

[mtalantikite]

Oh for sure, there's a difference between just putting in time and putting in effective time.