Brushing Your Teeth

I hope you brush your teeth once a day.  I think that should be expected.

If you brush twice a day, you’re probably an fully functioning adult with an appropriate amount of self respect.

Now, if you brush three times a day, you are in a completely different league.  That’s impressive.  Going from 2 brushes a day to 3, you are set apart, an exclusive club, you are on a mission.  

There is a giant chasm between 2 brush people and 3 brush people.  They are not just “one” different, they are a million different.

The twice a day brusher thinks they’re close to the triple brusher, but they are far far away.  Because it’s not about the action it’s about the mindset and value system. Alteration and conversion have to happen to be a triple brusher.

It’s kinda like the people who are comfortable on stage vs. those who transform the stage.  The comfortable people think they’re close to the transform people.  But they are far far away.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

One Album vs. Ten Songs

Launching 10 songs might be more beneficial than launching 1 album. With the album you only have one shot to succeed. So the two outcomes are one-for-one or zero-for-one.  Perfect or nothing.

With 10 songs you don’t have to be perfect to be successful.  Ten chances to knock it out of the park.  Even going one-for-ten is a fantastic, meaningful outcome.

There’s still a lot of room for innovation in the way artists release music, the terminology that gets used, the delivery, the frequency, how peoples’ attention is funneled and directed.

But so often artists release an album, and that’s their one shot for that year (or two) to win or lose.  If they win, jackpot.  But if they lose, the attention is lost for all ten songs when each of those songs never actually had the spotlight put on it.

“The way it is” is a giant ship that takes a long time to change course.  You can stay on board, or you can steal a life boat while no one is looking and take off for the new world.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

This Might Not Work

To go from 100 people at the show to 800 people at the show…

To create a website where your fans want to spend time there…

To get on the most played Spotify playlist…

To get a YouTube video with a million plays…

To connect with that person in your band that you don’t connect with…

…you’re going to have to do something that might not work.

“It might not work” is an indication that it might be the exact idea to roll with.

In fact if you come upon an idea that will “definitely work”, it’s probably not going to get you very far in achieving your goal.  Keep digging for something that might NOT work.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Mikey’s Goonie Idea

When someone comes up with an idea and champions it and it doesn’t work, all we usually remember is that here’s a person who’s ideas are bad and don’t work…rather than classifying them in our minds as a person who is willing to push for better, to think outside of the box, to be risky, to be better.

We are all idea people. Some people just have more courage to voice them.  

Here’s a kid influencing his team with an idea to keep pushing further…when they thought he was crazy.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

You Should Quit Now pt. 2

Now that you’ve taken the last couple days to think about quitting, you’ve either decided to quit or you’ve decided to keep going.

But YOU decided.  You had the option and you chose.

So no complaining either way anymore.

If you chose to quit: the next meaningful course of action you take is going to be just as difficult if not more so.  So quitting your current situation very well could have been the right move, but don’t for a second think it’s going to be easier now.

If you chose to proceed: you’re in this now.  You are, in essence, pre-deciding that when things get really awful and difficult that you’re going to keep pushing through. You’ve considered the goal, and the sacrifice and the reason why, and it’s all going to be worth it.

So congratulations, you’ve made a declaration. At least to yourself, in your mind.  The next step is to declare it to someone else. It will become more real that way.

Onward.

 I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

You Should Quit Now

Whatever meaningful journey you choose, whether it’s being a musician, in the entertainment business, a carpenter, a financial advisor, an astronaut, the dark days are coming.

At some point, multiple points, you are going to feel really really bad about everything: what you’re doing, what you’ve done, where you’re heading, the people you’re with, the person you are.

It’s going to get ugly, you should just quit now.

Save yourself the stress and depression. That’s not what you signed up for anyway.

It’s too hard and too lonely to stick with it.

Quit now and at least you’ll have all those stories of what you almost did.

It’s not worth it.  Stop and return to the middle where all your pals are hanging out.

p.s. Go get Seth Godin’s book The Dip. It will make a difference.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com