The valley of disappointment

Learning curves aren't linear. After the first quick gains, there almost always follows a phase where it feels like stagnating or getting worse. From the inside it looks like a standstill — in fact the brain is especially active here: it's consolidating and reorganizing what was learned.

This valley is the most common exit point in learning guitar. Those who give up here leave the process right before the next jump. Knowing about the curve is the strongest protection against it: whoever knows the valley is normal gets through it. What also helps — compare your own recording with day one, not with yesterday; small, measurable goals; and shift the focus from "does it sound good yet" to "does the movement sit."