Most of us in the United States have resources beyond the wildest dreams of billions of other people less fortunate in the world. Our technology and relative wealth allow us the time to study music or other arts, to surf the Internet, to speak with friends and loved ones at the touch of a button.

Want to learn more about the best ways to practice? Get an e-mail with a discount code when The Practice of Practice is published (June, 2014). To learn more about the book, check out a sample from The Practice of Practice.

Imagine that musical ability is a kind of resource, a resource that is not somehow either inside of you or not, it’s a resource you can go out and discover, learn how to do, and make for your very own, eventually creating your own music. This isn’t just blowing smoke, it’s true and a lot of recent research supports this notion, the notion that “talent” is merely practice disguised. This is over-simplifying, of course, but talent isn’t the topic of this post.

Consider the following story if you feel you don’t have the music resources of your own, especially if you think “talent” is a resource. The electricity magically appearing from your wall socket that powers your guitar amplifier (or insert favorite gizmo here) is a resource. What would you do if you didn’t have it? The following video might help you rethink what is possible.

My favorite part of the story is that when William began building, people thought he was crazy, but when they realized that what he built meant they would be able to listen to music, they began to support him. We need music in our lives and there are as many paths to getting the “resources” to make music as there are people. What resources and knowledge are around you that you can take advantage of and harness for your own benefit, and the benefit of your friends and family, and for all of us?

The instruments you hear are African. The first instrument you’ll hear is a kalimba, or mbira (which are actually 2 different types of instrument), also known as a thumb piano, very easy to make and fun to play with.

I hope you enjoy the video and it sparks you to make your own opportunities like William did.

The book telling William’s story is called, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (click for an excerpt)

Want to learn more about the best ways to practice? Get an e-mail with a discount code when The Practice of Practice is published (June, 2014). To learn more about the book, check out a sample from The Practice of Practice.