Oh, you’ve been on the road lately? How have the shows been?
“Pretty good”.
Why is this? Because ‘pretty good’ doesn’t demand any follow up inquiry. The truth is the shows have been going pretty crappy, cause if they were going really well, you’d want to say that instead. Prompting another question as to how they were so great.
(Or there are some who down play that their shows have been going really well because they don’t want to come off arrogant or self righteous. This is also sad.)
The questioner is satisfied when you answer pretty good, it flows in conversation, and maybe they were asking just to be nice anyway. Pretty good gets you off the hook. Pretty good avoids skepticism from the outside. Pretty good is the status quo. Pretty good is safe. Pretty good avoids criticism.
But can’t you realize that all your best stories, and what makes you magnetic, comes from admitting to crappy shows and/or really great ones. Everyone loves extremes. The middle is boring. You say 'pretty good’ and rob yourself of the opportunity to say something interesting.
I truly hope your shows haven’t been just going pretty good. If they really are, lean in harder and either break through or fall apart.
But as for conversation, change the norm of everyone here in Nashville walking around talking about the pretty good shows they’ve been playing.
