Goal and Barriers

While I really like the expression, "You can do anything you put your mind to".... no.  Not entirely.  There are real barriers, some we have as a matter of priority and choice while others are unavoidable.  Sometimes what is needed in order to achieve a goal is sacrificing other things that we are just not willing to.  However, without the mindset that a thing can be accomplished, the likelihood that a goal will be reached is automatically diminished.

Often, it will come down to time, place, position and degree, as many things do.

I am a beginner at chess at the age of 50.  My brain is long past the stage at which new pathways can be so easily be created.  As I play, study and learn, I can see that it takes a long time for me to see the patterns of my strategic mistakes.  And yet...

As I write this, I have built my daily rating to 772, gaining 83 points in the last month.  I have done much of this by playing U750 tournaments that I no longer qualify for.
When I started playing I had 2 friends that I turned to, one live and one online and each of them is rated over 1000.  Playing them often felt like an absolute disaster, but they encouraged me, provided me with resources and advice.  It made me start to think about what I need to do to get to 1000. 

For now, I am just going to keep doing what I have been (puzzles, rapid and daily games, analyzing my games - especially my blunders).  While all of this is going on, I have been watching Levy Rozman's efforts to move from IM to GM, and while there is an incomparable difference between what he is doing and what I am doing, It has got me thinking about what things people do to study and improve at this game.

I play every day, but I have a day job, a family and other interests.  So what am I willing to do and how much can I put into it?  I don't have a grand idea at this point, and frankly, I doubt I need one.  I know I am playing at the most rudimentary levels.  There are so many basics to practice and engrain.
Regardless, I am having a good time doing it, and so far I have found some very good people along the way.