Smoke Breaks

There’s the episode of Friends where Rachel’s boss and colleagues all take smoke breaks together during the work day…Rachel doesn’t smoke, so she doesn’t take the break with them…but when they all return there’s all these little unofficially official decisions that were made during the smoke break.

There was a lot of connection happing during the smoke breaks so Rachel decides to become a smoker, and that way she can be a part of these little seeming meaningless but very meaningful moments of the work day.


I’m not suggesting you pick up smoking.

I’m not suggesting you ramp up your fear of missing out.

I’m suggesting that there’s a lot of good stuff in the in-between.  The little conversations between the conversations.  Not so much the quality time, but the garbage time. The garbage time is the good stuff.

I’m also suggesting that you have to be there. Sure you can work remote, but why not physically show up instead.  There’s so much unspoken, unplanned, seemingly random and important interactions that happen when you simply show up.

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

...Of The World

We Are The Champions: Arguably the most epic song of all time.

The song ends with:

No time for losers
Cause we are the champions

He doesn’t sing the ‘Of the world’ at the very end!!!!!!!!!!!!

Growing up I always wanted that last line so badly to complete the phrase and have the song end back on the root chord.


But with the power of the internet…

Freddie would always add the last line when he sang it live!!! HERE.

And when he adds that line it’s such an amazing release.  He doesn’t have to add the line, but he does because it feels so good. It resolves like victory.


So it begs the question…Adding the last line was awesome for everyone in the audience…So why not add it to the recorded song thereby making the song better, thereby causing more people to show up to the show?

Because Freddie doing something he didn’t have to do is what made ‘Of the world’ so special. He added it special. Just for you. Just for me. Every time.

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

Compelling Artists Win

It’s your charisma that wins people over (or loses them) for the long haul.

Because today people WILL experience your charisma.  And there’s a good chance they’ll experience your charisma just as much if not more than your actual music.

Compelling artists win.

They have to.

Because there’s not enough of them…so when the market discovers them, word spreads.

People want to be around them. People want them to be on stage. People want to know what happens next. People want to stream their music forever.

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

I Didn’t Like Him At First

If you don’t like someone to begin with, if you then spend more time with them you’ll discover some things that you do like about them which makes them “better than I thought”.

On the other hand if you really like someone to begin with and then spend more time with them chances are you’ll discover things you don’t like, which makes them “worse than I thought”.  

It turns out where we start is important but where we leave off, even more so.


Said another way…

The party started off kinda lame but then got really fun= good party

When we got to the party it was awesome but then it really fizzled= failed party

Both parties had good parts and bad parts, but the order in which they occur is important for how we ultimately think about and label the party in hindsight.


Said another way…

The movie started really slow, but once you got into it, it’s a classic= good movie

The beginning of the movie was hilarious but then it kinda sucks after that= lame movie


Said another way…

The show started weird but the grand finale was amazing= good show

They came out with a ton of energy but then it just got boring= boring show


Again, it turns out where we start is vitally important but where we leave off, even more so.  Because where we leave off is the most recent interaction with the thing…therefore often times the most memorable and defining.

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

Pressure Washing The Interstate

Pressure washing feels pretty good. It’s even kind of fun. Cleaning the grime off the cement, clearly seeing progress as you go.

So what about bringing your pressure washer on I-65…you could pressure wash and pressure wash and pressure wash…there would be no end to the pressure washing. You could do this work forever.

And sure, people would appreciate a cleaner interstate…

…but I venture to say the interstate doesn’t need to be pressure washed.

It turns out that work which feels good, where there’s tangible progress and people appreciate it…doesn’t necessarily mean it’s something the world needs…and it certainly doesn’t mean it’s your best offering.

So instead the interstate, pressure wash your driveway (literally and/or metaphorically :) and then get back to the real work.

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

More Tools

A few weeks ago Lebron James hit a game winning shotin the NBA playoffs.

It was a weird, off balance, sideways shot.

He didn’t have to shoot that shot, but he thought that was the best shot to take given the situation…and it certainly worked out.

It turns out he’d practiced that weird, off balance, sideways shot before. He told reporters he’d practiced it before, and teammates said the same thing.

Practicing that shot was never a requirement. But he rehearsed it anyway.

Practicing a shot that he didn’t have to practice equipped him with another tool to use when it came time to need a tool like that.


It’s the same way for you. You need more live show tools. Little extra tools, maybe not to be used every night, but to be used when the situation calls for them.

These tools can be acquired by trying things when you don’t need to so that when you see the opportunity later, you will have done it before.

And if you’ve tried it before it’s more likely to be a success next time.

Running the aisles, dancing, standing on the drum kit, doubling the last chorus on the fly, changing the melody, giving a speech during the bridge, thanking the venue staff, talking about the city you’re in…the list goes on.

Try these things when you don’t have to, so when you do have to you’ve done it before.

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