Gigs Like This

‘If I just had a bunch more gigs like this one’

When we have a gig with the perfect audience, perfect pay, perfect food and the perfect travel details, it’s easy. Everything goes well and everyone is happy.

If this wonderful of a gig is so easy and smooth then why don’t we just book more like this one…and less of the hard ones.

But at this point we know it rarely works this way. In the world of gigs and freelancers a big part of the job is that big parts of the job have to be solved over and over again. The path of the artist has the unknown built into it at every curve. The more we do it the better we get, we learn how to avoid the pitfalls, how to say no and what the best questions are to ask at the outset.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Max Speed and Recovery

How long until you can sprint how fast again?

Everyone has one sprint in them.

Everyone needs a rest.

Everyone has a pace they could do forever.

And then there’s all of the in-betweens.

If you practice doing all of them sometimes you’ll be able to utilize any mode when you really need it.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Even The Deep Cuts

Every artist (even the big ones) has doubts about their deep cuts (at a minimum). There’s the popular songs on the album, maybe even a hit or two, there’s the songs that get mentioned on social media, the fan favorites at the live show…but then there’s the deep cuts.

The track that gets buried on the album. No one listens to it.

The b-side from the single. No one cares about that.

The exclusive song for the VIP package. No one remembers.

But here’s the thing…you listen to other artists’ deep cuts…and those artists think their deep cuts are getting totally ignored and don’t move anyone. But you listen…so they’re wrong.

Maybe you’re wrong about your doubts too.

Music has a long reach these days. If you’re a professional, if you are doing the work and putting out music don’t be surprised if it’s special to someone. In fact, it most likely is. Even the deep cuts.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

After Your Best Work

At some point you will have done your very best work.

And chances are that point will be before your final breath.

Which means that when you’ve done your best work, you’re going to keep going. And when you keep going, that work isn’t going to be your best work.

So it’s worth asking the question now…why are you working?

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Remembering Guitar Center

When I was a kid walking through Guitar Center I remembered everything I saw. The makes, models, colors, finishes, years, styles, everything.

Whereas my mom or dad or whoever brought me did not.

We saw all the same stuff and spent just as much time at the store. So what’s the difference?

I wanted to remember. I HAD TO remember. It was important and valuable to me. I loved retaining that knowledge. It made me cooler around the people I thought were cool.

You remember because you want to. Not you want to want to. If you truly care and believe it’s important and valuable, you can’t help but remember.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Do You Like The Work?

The work is the set of problems.

It’s pretty easy to like the fun parts of any job or project. So the differentiator is the problems associated with the job or project. Do you like solving this set of problems or would you prefer a different set?

The problems aren’t going away but you most likely have the power to trade one set for another.

If you like the work, aka if you like solving these types of problems…that’s the unique element, the unfair advantage you’ll carry with you as you grow and make change you seek to make.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple