Can Slow and Steady Be Trendy?

The quick rise, flash in the pan is great for Instagram and your upcoming family reunion…and just as fleeting.

Slow and steady wasn’t made for Instagram…until the 10 year challenge becomes the trend (the flash in the pan) of the moment.

The people you haven’t heard from in a while are probably the people who are getting things done.

See, the ‘steady’ part doesn’t allow for very much artificial/perceived success. Why take the time to photograph or share fake success when you could be working on the real thing? Steady is concerned with reality, strategy, goals and what the very next step is.

***Something I really love about post-holidays is hearing friends’ stories about being home for the holidays and having to explain to friends and family (yet again) what they’re working on and what they do for a living in a way that sounds like a smart life choice.

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

Next Question Please pt. 2

Another path is that you actually want the same questions asked over and over because repetition or a particular cohesiveness is important to getting your message out across the board.

If that’s what you want, then it’s your job as the artist to answer the questions with just as much vigor as the the first time you were asked them and maybe add some frills and frosting along the way just because.

If we’re listening to an interview for entertainment we want new material.

If we’re listening to an interview to change our minds we need repetition.

As the interviewee, you have a huge hand in deciding what the interview is for.

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

Next Question Please

If you’re getting ready for another round of PR interviews, podcasts, etc, here’s something to consider…

Come up with a list of questions and answers that you’ve answered a lot recently and advance it to your next ten interviews.

It’ll spur the interviewer to come up with better questions. Better questions will lead to better answers.

And with better questions and answers the people who then click on that interview or podcast will be more happy they did.

The audience wants to hear something new. Maybe not necessarily brand new, but a different spin or detail or rabbit trail. And better questions do that.

The idea of the same questions over and over is more noticeable now because we have so much access to so many interviews of our favorite people.

Every time our favorite artist does a Q&A anywhere, we have access to it. And what we’re finding out is it feels like about 90% of each interview is the exact same. It would be more fun to have better interviews.

As an artist you can’t control the interviewer, but you (your team) can send them a sheet of the normal questions (the ones that the fans have heard a hundred times) and ask them to do a little better.

And if you do, we’ll be more excited to listen and tell others.

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

Air Guitar Competition

If you get last place at the air guitar championship it’s unreasonable to complain by saying that you played the solo more correctly than anyone else.

You might be right.

Your fingers might have mimicked the solo perfectly as if it were being playing on a real guitar.

But being better at knowing the solo isn’t what is going to win you first prize.

In music (and in art) we are rarely moved by correctness.

We are moved by connection.

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

Big Favor

When’s the last time you did someone a big favor?

And if your first response is: what do you mean by big favor…you’re already missing the point.

We talk about trading favors, owing someone a favor, someone owes us a favor, but that definition of favor incites keeping score.

I’m talking about the favor that means: an act of kindness beyond what is usual. (not beyond what is due, but beyond usual).

For ‘beyond usual’ there’s no score keeping necessary, but simply our understanding of normal and then choosing to go above and beyond.

Everyone in your world who comes to mind hopes someone will do them a big favor. They’d love it. Maybe you’re the someone.

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

When Things Get Good

When things get good the temptation is to get lazy, undisciplined or take a break.

Celebrate and get back to work.

Isn’t the hope that as good as it is right now will become the new normal?

Incremental breakthroughs come from consistent work.

If you back off when things get good, the incremental breakthrough is relegated to a flash in the pan. One step forward two steps back.

Rather: one step forward, one step forward, one step forward…

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