As a musical instrument, the guitar is one of the most popular and easy to play in the US. What other instrument will you almost always find around the campfire when people are singing, at concerts, and in a kid's bedroom? Because of it's popularity many people try to play it and fail. What they don't realize is that it is very simple and easy to learn. In reality most people start with the impression that they will immediately be able to play their favorite songs. They give themselves a disadvantage from the start with their high and unrealistic expectations.
The people that fail buy a guitar, play it for a week, find they're not progressing as fast as they expected and quit. I've seen several of my friends and family members do this, they didn't give themselves a chance to succeed. Even an experienced musician doesn't pick up and instrument and play it within several days. To play anything a person needs to understand the instrument, understand the music, and get their fingers used to the motions.
When you start playing guitar all you need to know is a few chords. It really is that simple. Pick several easy well known chords and practice them several times a day. You'll be surprised how many popular songs can be played with a few easy chords. If you'll only pick some chords, practice them for a week or two, you'll be able to play many of your favorite songs faster than you thought possible. But one thing you must not do is stress about the strumming pattern and any little riffs or extras you hear in the song. Just pick an easy strumming pattern and use it on all your songs. A good guitar player can play guitar well, a beginner plays beginner songs, you can't jump over the first step to get to the third.
Don't forget singing along with your guitar. For some people this takes a lot of practice, for others it's no sweat. When I was first learning to play guitar my boss at the time was also taking guitar lessons. Our teacher (we took lessons from the same place) started telling us to sing along at the same time. I got the hang of it a lot faster than my boss did. Although I do remember the first time I tried to sing along I went around in circles. And my teacher sat there and watched. :-( But I stuck with it, every time I played I sang along. My boss was a better player than me, but when it came to singing he attempted it half heartedly and I practiced and practiced it.
For anyone playing guitar whether they are talented or seem to have to practice a lot, simplifying and sticking with it is the most important part of playing. And don't try to learn by yourself, other people, books and taking lessons will help you a lot and give you the push you need.
Joe Natt runs a website dedicated to helping aspiring guitar players achieve their dreams. Get more tips and tricks on his website | 
