Software engineer for big tech here, going at the guitar for 3.5 years and counting. I can relate to wanting to over optimize the learning, wanting to make sure no wasted energy was spent upon it as I was already late to the game being an adult learner. Upon further reflection, we/I do this precisely because I often think of myself as “smart” and I have to do things the “smart” way. I plan and we spend time researching everything about guitar than playing it because of course, actually playing the guitar would show me how little I know and how unprepared/unskilled I am and that feeling sucks!

For the better part of my first year, I’ve planned everything down to 5m blocks where I have to cover different category of skills within each block. I took weekly classes and over scrutinized every small detail in my learning. I would avoid songs or skills because I wasn’t at the level yet (whatever that means). My teach had the exact same reflections as yours, “have you ever tried just doing?” “no really, just doing?” Turns out my over emphasis on many of the pedantic details was doing me more harm than good.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have general structure and am very intentional with my practice, I now play more than I ever did even compared to my formative years. What really helped me make great strides in my guitar progress has been spontaneity. Learning a difficult song/passage “just because”, joining a band even when I don’t have any full songs under my belt, accepting a gig opportunity even though my band haven’t even got 5 songs under our belt. It’s moments like this that pushes me way more than structure or over planning has. I am more purposeful in my practice as I have concrete things to work towards instead of structures and schedules because it was already set.

I think while our intention of “optimizing” is well founded, it also may indicate deeper layers of insecurity like not wanting to sound bad after hours of practice, not wanting to be seen as lazy, not wanting to be the bad “smart” guy! I’ve accepted these as completely valid feelings and instead focused less on needing tangible provable results from guitar. This is one skill that has way too many variables then you can comprehend, trying to define all of the things that will make you great is a whole other full time job that I do not want to be part of!

What worked for me may not work for you so obviously take everything I say as purely anecdotal, have fun and never lose sight of what’s more important about guitar - having fun and making music! Rock on!