I think I would have eventually pushed through the dip, but I ended up badly injuring the elbow on my fretting hand side. This was when I was around 20. It was

I think I would have eventually pushed through the dip, but I ended up badly injuring the elbow on my fretting hand side. This was when I was around 20. It was maybe for the best. I ended up getting into math instead which has lead me down an interesting path. My impression is that real mastery requires periods of flow and periods of deliberate thought. When performing you want to flow, but practice should also incorporate the conscious and deliberate. Having the meta-cognition to reflect on where you are, where you want to be, and having the ability to plan how to get there are very important. I think this holds true beyond music.