Learning Faster

It’s usually only when we get to the end of something we ask “What did you learn?”

But the hope is that we don’t have to get to the end, but while we’re still in flux can begin to answer “What are you learning?”

The hope is that we don’t have to rely on completion of something and looking at it retrospectively in order to glean the lessons.

If you can learn while ‘in the midst’, you’re going to be much more effective sooner.

Learning faster has everything to do with “what am I learning” as opposed to only asking “what did I learn”

***it may be important to note that “what did I learn” is still a really important question and there’s an infinite number of good things that come from asking it.



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

The Problem With No

Last year I got sent a hospital bill for double of what it should have been.  It was already a sizable bill to begin with (which was expected for the services we received) but seeing it doubled on the bill made my eyes cross.  So I definitely needed to get it fixed.

My basic story that I told about a hundred times to probably as many different people was simple “I got charged double and I’d like it to be fixed”.

It took a long time to get it sorted out. About 10 months. And a thousand no’s before finally getting a yes (ie. finally finding someone who was competent enough to look at the bill, hear my story, understand what happened and make the fix).

Here’s the thing…

The problem with the ‘no’ was that it was simply that….a ‘no’.

That’s it: No.

It wasn’t: No, but you only have 999 more no’s to go before getting to your yes.

It wasn’t: No, but you’re doing a great job. Just keep being persistent and you’ll eventually get it.

It wasn’t: No, but I’m only saying no because I don’t really know what I’m doing and you’re probably right but I don’t know what to do with that.

It’s just NO.

(And then I, you, we have to decide what to do with it.)

I heard a lot of no’s pertaining to that hospital bill and zero encouragement or guidance,  but it was worth it to push through.  In fact, I’d already decided from the beginning I was going to push through on this one till I got what I was looking for.  So even before they said no, I knew what I was going to do with it.

What are you going to with no?

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

Talk To Strangers

One of this biggest reasons you/me/we don’t know how to sell, promote, talk about our music or project or idea or story is a carry over from the age old rule of ‘don’t talk to strangers’. 

Because strangers are scary, might hurt you, might poison you, might kidnap you…so stay away from strangers and avoid unfamiliar people.  Strangers = kidnapping and death.

And so by now we got really really good and comfortable with not talking to strangers. 

But what if we could change the baseline to ‘talk to strangers’. What if it was the norm to talk to strangers rather than not talk to them? (It’s almost a crazy enough concept as to be the next great sci-fi movie)

What a different, more fearless, compassionate, relational, successful life and career we’d all experience. 

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

Writing vs. Hiding

Writing for the album is a great place to be until it’s merely a safe hiding place to be.

See, when you’re writing for the album you don’t need to have a smash single (and the confidence that goes along with it). Because in theory you’re on your way to having one, so you get a pass.

You don’t need to have confidence in your songs…you get a pass because you’re in flux.

And since all the social media posts elude to “we’re still writing”, your fans give you a pass.

If you’re still writing for your album, that’s great, keep writing…we want you to release great songs too.

But when “we’re writing for your album” becomes “we’re hiding from our album”, you need a different path.

And I’ll argue that the different path you need involves releasing some music, and as a result your creative mind will ‘move on’ to bigger and better things.

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

New Act Catch 22

The thing about being a young new artist is that you have to do everything. All the jobs are yours.  You’re the manager, label, PR, agent, social media director…

If you stop doing any of those things in order to keep your focus on the songs and music, no one will step in and do those other things that need to be done.

But it’s a catch 22…

Because the only way to get someone to step in and do those things is to get really good at the music and the songs.  The music and songs are what attract the rest of the team.

So do you have to find some kind of balance? Sure.

But remember…no one else can write the songs like you do.

Someone else can book the shows better than you.

Someone else can release an album with a better strategy than you.

If you get really good at the thing that only you can offer, people will come around to offer the thing that only they can offer.

Keep focusing on making the songs great.

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

The Bigger The Act...

The hard work of developing a better live show is not for everyone. 

Because it’s vulnerable, invasive, unusual and no one will bat an eye if, instead, you don’t do anything.

My experience the last few years has been this: the bigger the act the more likely they are to spend time, energy and resources on making their live show even just a little bit better.

Smaller acts think they don’t need help.

You tell me who the smarter group is.

Which group do you want to be a part of? 

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