Depths Of The Struggle

As a creative, a songwriter, a maker of new things…the hardest part isn’t when the creativity is slow and the good ideas seem few and far between.

No. The real hard part is those moments and sessions and seasons when you think everything has already been done. That there are no more ideas. Not even bad ones…just no more ideas at all. The whole idea of having ideas has run its course.

This is part of the deep struggle.

If you can learn to move with and through this, you have a shot at being great.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

The Recorded Version

The recorded version is so good. You got the groove just right, comped a great vocal from a bunch of takes, compressed the low end nice and punchy…it’s really a thing of beauty.

So you start playing it live.

But it never hits quite like the recording. Night after night you’re trying to get it to that level but it never happens.

And then…finally on the perfect night you play it even better than the recording…which is even worse…because now the recording isn’t all that it was cracked up to be.

You see the cycle here.

You want to make sure the recorded version is a good one because that’s the one that gets passed around the most and is going to live on after you’re dead. But the game we sign up for as artists isn’t to surpass the recorded version or the version we played last night…rather, the game is to see what we can do this time.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Sincerity and Consistency

As a professional it’s important to understand why consistency will often be more important than sincerity.

Sincerity is rooted in feelings, which change all the time…So it’s not the most reliable building block for the long term.

Consistency, even though it may not always be as sincere as sincerity, is reliable…and reliability is one of the most important building blocks for the long term.

»» A likely scenario is that (professionally) you will concoct a version of sincerity that you want to present to the world, that is unique to you, that the audience enjoys…and then commit to it. It’s not always sincere but it’s always a part of you.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Sandwich Artist

When someone else makes you a sandwich it always tastes better. Even if you know all the ingredients they used you still get to think there must be some extra special way that they put it together and that’s why it’s so good.

The real magic is in knowing all the ingredients, putting it together yourself and still being amazed and inspired by the outcome. That’s the real sandwich artist...ie. The real artist.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Problems and Complaints

There are going to be problems no matter what.

Trading one set of problems for another, that’s the road to success.

But there doesn’t have to be complaining about the problems no matter what.

If you find yourself complaining beyond the acceptable threshold of complaining, it might be time to go get a new set of problems.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Surfing In Minnesota

If you bring your surf board everyday to the lakes in Minnesota…you’re not a surfer.

Because there isn’t surfing in Minnesota. There could be lots of people who have the gear, love the sport, love talking about the sport and want to surf…but if the whole thing is void of the thing that it’s suppose to be built upon, then the result is something completely different.

The result isn’t surfers. It’s simply people who like surfing.

In a similar way…

It’s fun to show up to Nashville or LA or New York and wear the clothes, go to the meetings, drink the drinks, shake the hands, romanticize your plans, passionately discuss your dreams and do it all again the next day…

But can you sing? Can you play? Do you have songs? Can you connect? Do you take people’s breath away? Are they glad you’re the one on stage, on camera, taking the lead? Can you actually do the things that this whole business is built upon?

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple