Place At The Table
We all start out thinking we can be just like the people who are really great.
Then comes a long season where the greats are up there I’m down here and I suck and I’ll never achieve what they’ve achieved.
Up next is…I’m done with the comparison game I’m just gonna do my thing because what I do can’t be compared to anyone else.
After this, if you’re not careful you’ll loop back to the second stage of…they are the anointed ones I’m not anointed so I’m just screwed.
But if you can truly move past this stage you’ll see this…
There really are people who are more skilled at this than me, which helps me know where I stand…and also reminds me that at one point they passed through my skill level too on the way to where they are. Which leads to,
I’m great at what I do and I can still learn a lot from the others. And they can learn a lot from me. We can compare (and appreciate) our skills and our skill level. I know where my place is at the table and that unlocks a freedom to connect with everyone at the table…and to keep getting better.
Get On The Right Road
What Are Weekends For?
While you’re busy building your career, your life is being built too…even if you don’t notice it.
What do you want your life to look like? might be a better starting place than What do you want your career to look like?
Things like…
What time do you want to wake up in the morning?
Do you want to cook dinner with your family on a regular basis?
What are weekends for?
What do fulfilling relationships look like to you?
Is it more important for you to live where there are sidewalks or forests?
How often do you want to see your parents?
Do you want kids and what are they going to learn by observing you?
How do you refuel?
Do you want to be bumped into more often or have people be surprised to see you?
How do you want the vibe to change when you walk into a room?
When Creativity Is(n't) Called For
We’re not looking for creativity from the guitar tech when it comes to tuning the guitar.
We’re not looking for creativity from the tour manager when it comes to where everyone is gonna meet for bus call.
We’re not looking for creativity from the lead singer about which city sounds fun and interesting to play today.
There are many situations where we need not lean into our creativity and it’s better to stick to the script.
But our relationships, our vision, our offering to the world demands that we dig in and get creative. It’s not about doing something that only you can do…it’s about being you and doing something.
Choose Your Fuel
Fear and jealousy are amazing fuel. People build entire careers with them.
They’re so powerful that I’d argue that if you don’t decide to use a different source, these two might slowly creep in as the default.
There are many motivations that can bring us the optics we desire. But not all of those motivations help us become who we truly want to be.