The water doesn’t come to a boil on low. It boils on high and then it can boil on low.
The rocket ship uses most of its fuel during take off. And then flies to the moon.
You can hold the weight for a long time once you get your arms fully extended.
You can’t boil on high forever.…the good news is you don’t have to. But sometimes you’re gonna have to if you want to simmer the way you want to simmer.
When the car runs out of gas we don’t call the car broken. It just needs gas.
Same thing with us…when we’re out of gas we might feel broken but really we just need to be filled up.
The metaphor is easy to understand.
The hard part is knowing what fills you up and having the guts to make time for it.
First Monday of the month, new Hum Love playlist on Spotify and Apple
Basketball would be easier if the hoop was bigger. But that option isn’t on the table…so no players complain to the coach or the referee that the hoop isn’t big enough.
Basketball would also be easier if you were faster. That option is on the table. So if a player complains about not being fast enough there’s plenty of work to be done.
When we decide to engage with a certain path a few things are true…
1. The path isn’t brand new. Someone (or more likely, lots of people) have been down this path before.
2. There are rules and structure to how this path works. So when choosing this path you’re also adopting these boundaries.
3. Along with the boundaries come a set of problems.
Singing along with the singer is fun. In your car, with your earbuds, at the show.
And singing along feels a lot like you’re the singer.
But being the singer is a different thing all together.
The singer is the one giving everyone else the foundation. The notes, the tone, the timing, the inflection and dynamics. All of this is a gift the singer is giving to the listener, who then can easily sing along.
We all start out singing along…but if we want to lead, eventually we have to be the singer.
Often the hardest one to make is the one right after the miss.
Things were going along so well. The process was good. The mechanics were solid. The machine was humming. Lots of makes.
And then there’s a miss.
Now the questions start. Does the whole system need retooled? Whose fault was this? Are we losing our edge?
So you missed. Did something go wrong? Probably. And if you were all-knowing (or dedicated a lot of time to it) you could pin point it and move forward with confidence knowing you fixed the exact problem that caused the miss.
Or you could remember your makes. Remember you’re good. Remember your foundation is real and take another shot.
It’s hard to get a make after a miss because we get mentally rattled…not because we suddenly got worse at what we’re good at.
There’s no secret meeting.
As much as it may seem like it sometimes…The heads of the labels and the agents and the managers don’t all get on a group call and brainstorm ways to keep you down.
If the music biz feels this way you might consider…
What type of risk do others associate with you?
Can others see a way to get credit and glory (for themselves) by working with you?
How do you help their dreams come true?
If they work with you and things don’t go well, what might happen to their job?
Does it seem like you need their help? If not are you willing to ask for it?
How do you excite people?