Trajectory

Musicians can talk about (and make) music for hours. Years. Lifetimes. And never get tired of it.

Music has the power to set trajectory from an early age. There’s enough mystery, enough tension and enough release to stay curious and excited forever.

And while that creative curiosity can be both a blessing and a curse…there are certainly worse curses in the world.

The thrill of it is in finding the others who are on a similar trajectory, a similar warped wave length and diving in together. Whether it’s talking details about 90s grunge music, life on the road, debating John vs. Paul or sitting in a session together…the music keeps us talking, keeps us listening, keeps us making, keeps us connecting.

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Big Wins

For those who have been hanging around here for a while, you know I love March Madness. And for all the upsets, the joy and elation of the big win…all of that joy will eventually turn to heartbreak except for the one team who wins the whole thing.

Is it worth celebrating today if you’re going to lose tomorrow? I think we’d all say yes.

A slightly different angle…

When you have the heartbreak of the loss and you look back on the celebration of the prior win, will you be glad you celebrated? Or does it feel silly to have celebrated like that?

Regardless of what might come next, big wins are worth the celebration. In the long term you’ll always be glad you did.

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You Took The Job

As an artist or any other type of freelancer, no one told you you got the job.

There was no application, no job description, no interview, no call backs and definitely no signing bonus.

You simply took the job. Not from anyone. You saw the opportunity. You decided. Took the responsibility and ran with it.

No one told you you got the job but as one gig leads to another, lots of people are glad you took it.

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OG Jordan 1s and Bands Breaking Up

If you’re in a band…

If the singer is the main songwriter and owns all the songs and therefore shows up in a Mercedes and a pair of OG Jordan 1’s…the band is about to break up.

If money and lifestyle become drastically different across band members, you’re not going to have a band for long.

It’s not that it’s wrong to take one hundred percent of the song ownership if you’re the only one who wrote the song…but multiply that financial differential over the course of a few albums with mild success and it’s going to be really tough to keep it all together. That’s just the way it is.

Everyone wants to know and feel that their contribution is significant, essential and monetarily valuable. And if you can pull off creating a culture like this you’re going to make a lot more money anyway…and have more fun and be more fulfilled.

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The Why

Much has been written about the Why in recent years but it’s worth a short rehash…

When you step up to the mic on stage, in the studio, for the interview or to accept the award…why are you doing this? What’s the point?

And while having a long term fulfilling Why is best…for the short term, just having and knowing your Why is incredibly powerful regardless of what the why is…

Money, fame, prestige, sex, drugs, rebellion, worship, nostalgia, anger, power, joy…

This is your underlying fuel. The ace up your sleeve. The source of energy when energy is low. And knowing your why is a key source of magnetism.

Too many artists get up on stage either not knowing their way or being afraid of it, thereby self imposing a limit on their connection and effectiveness.

»» There is a tendency to over complicate the quest for the Why. But it’s more about peeling back the layers of what you’re already doing than it is coming up with something brand new and unexpected. You are operating out of your Why already.

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Building A Ford. Building The Bulls.

If you’re going to build the 96’ Bulls you’re going to have to be very intentional about building your roster.

You’re going to need some great role players like Ron Harper, Steve Kerr and Bill Wennington. A sharp shooter like Tony Kukoc is a beneficial addition. An edgy rebounder like Dennis Rodman. And underneath all of that you’re going to want elite skill level, vision, competitive drive and determination from one of the best duos in sports…Jordan and Pippen.

It’s really hard to build the 96’ Bulls but when you do…you get the 96’ Bulls. A team that will be remembered and referenced and chased forever.

On the other hand…

If you’re building a Ford…the whole point is that it doesn’t matter who is on the roster. That’s what makes it a Ford. Interchangeable parts. If Bill can’t make it in, Bob will be just fine. And when it comes to a Ford, thank goodness…because if Bill’s quality is way better than Bob’s, no one is going to want Bob’s Ford.

Ford is reliable, steady, unvaried.

The 96’ Bulls are magical, elusive, inspirational and only happen once every twenty or thirty years.

Most of us get caught in the middle, wanting the reliability of Ford but the magic of the Bulls. And in doing so get neither.

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