Creativity For Two

You and one other person.

What does this look like?

Writing a song and fully producing it for one other person and only letting them hear it.

Hand making a Christmas card and handwriting the message for one particular friend.

Making (or at least attempting :) a delicious, luxurious dinner for your spouse.

Clipping together a video of you visiting the attractions in your town for your grandma who won’t ever be able to make the trip.


It’s not creativity for the masses.

It’s not creativity for you alone.

It’s special, specific, non-scalable, non-efficient creativity on behalf of one other person.

Try it. It will better inform and breathe life into the journey.

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

Good Thing About Problems

Although it’s been said many times many ways…

The problems you are facing (or that are getting you down) right now exist only as a result of solving the problems that came before them.

What a gift it is to be facing new problems.

New problems mean you’re moving.

So the thought of “we don’t have the answer and what do we do now” is in fact a guide post (although often disguised as anxiety, stress, depression, insecurity).

You’ve reached the set of problems you currently have…Congratulations!

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

Asserting Will

The audience is looking to you to assert your will over them. For your will to be professional and uniquely sculpted and entertaining and inspiring.

If this is you, then asserting your will is a good thing. Not a selfish thing, but an act of service. A welcome thing. Although still a scary responsibility to take on night after night.

We want to know that you know what you’re doing but we don’t need to know what you’re doing. That’s the exciting part.

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

Artist Conversation Cycle

Bragging and complaining. The conversation cycle of many an artist.

(And then sometimes they end up being the same thing.)

If you find yourself in bragging part of the cycle…go back to work.

If you find yourself in the complaining part of the cycle…either quit or go back to work.

And in either case, find something else to talk about.

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

Goodnight Boston

It’s important to remember that two people saying the same thing aren’t saying the same thing.

Not every Goodnight Boston is created equal. Not every Thank You Cleveland is accepted as gratitude.

Presence over technique (the actual words in this case).

Greater presence transforms the same technique into something far beyond the technique itself (i.e. emotional connection)

Powerful presence can make any technique look good.

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

Winning Paper, Rock, Scissors

How to win paper, rock, scissors.

By turning it into a different game while the other person still thinks it’s simply paper, rock scissors.

(Now I’ll tell you this level of insight on this game only came from the hours of boredom on the road years ago with very close friends)

Here’s how…

Just before you do the 1, 2, 3, shoot…tell the person what you’re going to do.

They’ll pause. They’ll wonder. They’ll ask if you’re telling the truth. In short, they’ll react.

And now you’re not playing paper, rock, scissors anymore.

It’s not random anymore. You’re reading and responding, seeing and changing.


It pays to know what game you’re playing. It pays even more to know what game you’re actually playing.

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