Have you ever met someone and been a little jealous or coveting of their art?  The truth is you are probably envious of their ability to “tap in” to themselves in a manner that you haven’t discovered yet.  They seem to control an instinctive ability to create at a higher level than you at that moment, which makes their art seem more valuable in some way; like it’s worth more.

I assure you they are not superior to you and “level of  talent” has very little to do with their success.

They don’t possess some unique exceptional magical gift for creation. They have just worked more than you have at that particular moment; that’s what is upsetting.

They’re farther along in their artistic journey than you right now.

Trust me, you are no different than them. We’re all human beings.

 

They’re presently more vulnerable than you. At least they’re vulnerable enough artistically, to really feel, and therefore act, as if no matter what the outcome the journey was worth it.

 

This mindset creates the artistic courage we all find so intriguing, important, and attractive.

 

 

The good news is that you can learn to access that creative space too.

It’s not magic, man.

 

It’s a methodology, a work ethic, a process if you will.

It’s an internal articulation of what your short time on this Earth is supposed to be about coupled with enough crazy curiosity and pioneering passion to plow through, and ultimately survive, the initial learning curve.

Every learning curve comes with humiliating self-conscious trauma (fear).

How do you deal with this inevitable misery?

Is it debilitating to you or is it an annoying speed bump on your journey?

John Lennon and Paul McCartney admittedly sucked at writing songs for “the first 50 or so” and then found their artistic groove together.

That happened after at LEAST 50 crappy songs.

How many have you written?

 

Another Beatles fact is they embarked on many residencies in Hamburg, Germany at several clubs where they played 7 days a week, 8 hours a night.

 

I don’t care who you are, when you play that much you get better.

You get better at being musicians.

Your live show gets better.

You become professional.

You become a student of the game.

 

 

My version of Hamburg was club tours.  I did it for 7 years of my life. I can tell you a magical “swagger” happens with any act after they string 20 shows back to back.

We see it here in Nashville in the lower Broadway honkytonks.  We have seen many artists transform into consummate professionals in that grind.

 

We literally have told artists who are about to experience their first month long tour that their lives are going to change forever. When they return from that tour they actually walk differently, carry themselves differently, and behave differently.

 

It really is a transformation.

 

They have earned the right to call themselves professionals.

Many of you are making excuses to yourselves right now as to why you can’t do it.

I got news for you, you’re right!

 

Many of you reading this are getting PUMPED UP and motivated to find a way to win because you believe you can do it.

I got news for y’all too, you’re right!

 

Yes it’s a grind.

A necessary adventure in my opinion, because after going through something like that you really earn your perspective.

Most artists, and I really mean MOST artists don’t and won’t work that hard or that much on their careers. They are crippled with the conflict between life-pragmatism, hater’s voices, an understandable need for ROI (Return On Investment initially involving their time and then their money), and their ultimate dream to be a professional artist.

 

If the labor is worth the effort you will naturally work harder simply to satisfy an internal sense of wonder, excitement, or curiosity.

Here’s the key, the work is only worth the effort if you believe that you’re worth it.

 

Ouch.

 

That one stings a little, huh?

 

Henry Ford had an 8^th grade education and went bankrupt multiple times, so what?

 

Abraham Lincoln went bankrupt, so what?

 

Walt Disney went bankrupt too, so what?

 

 They believed their mission was worth all the suffering they had to endure along the journey.

 

 

Don Quixote believed in his heart and soul that the windmills were enemies.  He also truly believed, as crazy as it sounds, that HE was the man worthy enough to defeat them.

 

Artistic curiosity coupled with a consistent work ethic creates an atmosphere where artists discover themselves.

The reality is all your favorite artists were not born into this world being amazing artists.

Some of them had an incredible artistic talent, some of them had very mediocre talent. Some of you are thinking there are popular artists that have no talent; to which I say, “All the greater accomplishment”.

ALL of your favorite artists had to work hard at their art to become artists.

 

They sought and found help because they felt they were worth it.

So should you, and you’re worth it.

They had to develop their lyric writing abilities.

So do you, and you’re worth it.

They had to develop their melodic sensibilities.

So do you, and you’re worth it.

They had to develop their vocal control and instrumental prowess.

So do you, and you’re worth it.

They had to develop their live show.

So do you, and you’re worth it.

They had to develop their business acumen.

So do you, and you’re worth it.

 

So who’s helping you?

Stay In Tune.

 

 

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