What's Your Frame Of Reference? - Daredevil Production

By Johnny Dwinell

Whatâ€™s your frame of reference?

Whatâ€™s your frame of reference? Your frame of reference dictates your experiences, perceptions and, subsequently, will dictate your decisions and strategic planning. If you want to be successful in any business (especially the music business) you need to ensure that you have an accurate frame of reference. As human beings (especially in the music business), we develop feelings towards certain viewpoints and perceived situations that are certainly strong but often based on inaccurate information. Once you have an accurate frame of reference, itâ€™s quite amazing how much your thinking process will change, which changes your decision-making process, which changes how people respond to you, which changes your experiences, which determines your level of success.

So letâ€™s demonstrate how MUCH a change in your frame of reference can completely reverse your mood, perception, outlook, and the ensuing action you take to deal with a situation. I have a phenomenal story that will exhibit my point precisely. You should know this never happened to me directly, rather I heard it at a seminar and to make the story work, it must be told in the first person, so allow me to do so now.

Frame of Reference

When I first started my new sales job I put up a vision board to remind me and motivate me towards my long and short term goals. One of the pictures on my awesome vision board was a photo of my dream car, the holy grail on the whole board, a new model cherry red Corvette Z06. For 3 years I tirelessly worked, looking at that vision board every day and day-dreaming about the day I would get my prize, that amazing driving machine. Well, that day came. HOLY CRAP, was I excited!! This was the ultimate trophy of my hard work. Purchasing this car meant that I was a success and I executed my business affairs with precision. I worked hard every day and saved every week to afford this reward. I EARNED THIS CAR! So there I am at the dealership, finalizing the deal, my heart pumping harder and harder in anticipation of getting behind that wheel. Then it happens and I proudly drive off the lot.

My first thought was to take it up to Mulholland Drive on the very top of the Hollywood Hills. The weather was perfect, my windows were down, there was absolutely no traffic, I was CRANKING my premium sound system. You couldnâ€™t possibly knock the smile off my face. I was savoring every second of my victory and the incredible views of the L.A. basin and the San Fernando Valley that Mulholland provides. Then I came around a bend and saw a kid ahead in the distance. It looked like he was holding an object of some sort and he was definitely staring at me. As I drove closer, I could see the object was actually a huge rock. This kid was maybe 15 years old. I was wondering why he had a rock and why was he staring at me? As I drove closer, a minor panic attack set in as I witnessed this punk cock the arm that was holding the huge rock. I was in such a good mood, it just didnâ€™t occur to me that this kid had any bad intentions. I didnâ€™t want to believe it. Yes, his eyes never left my brand new vehicle. What the hell was he doing? Playing with his friends? Trying to toy with me? Trying to scare me? He didnâ€™t look thuggish at all so I still couldnâ€™t connect the dots.

Then it happened. BOOM! That punk ass kid hauled off and LAUNCHED that rock at my brand new cherry red Corvette Z06. Life surreally went into slow motion. There was nothing I could do! I felt so VIOLATED even before the rock hit. He had been tracking me for at least a few hundred yards waiting for me to get close enough to ensure that the rock was going to hit its intended target: my trophy!! It seemed to take forever as I watched the rock fly towards me with a perfect arc. This kid had a good arm! It first hit on the hood of my beloved ride, chipping the paint and skipping off to CRUSH my windshield.

WTF!!! I STOOD on the brakes and pulled the car over. My face was as red as a chili pepper! As I got out of the car I looked at this kid and noticed he wasnâ€™t running or laughing. I turned to my right to survey the damage from the rock. I went from feeling absolutely dumbfounded to unbelievable hostility. I wanted vengeance! At this moment, I turned to my left, my eyes on fire, sweating, breathing heavily and TOTALLY charged up on adrenaline. I was gonna walk across the street and throttle this kid. I was prepared to chase him FOREVER and beat him within inches of his life. This kid knew this, too, but he still wasnâ€™t scared; he still wasnâ€™t moving. Why wasnâ€™t he scared? I walked towards him with a Sasquatch-like gait, my fists clenched so hard I could have turned coal into diamonds from the pressure! I was staring this kid down, blind from rage, he wasnâ€™t moving. All I could think of was how exactly I was going to kill this kid and why the hell wasnâ€™t he scared?

I got right up in this punkâ€™s face and just started screaming at the top of my lungs. â€œWhat the hell is wrong with you? Iâ€™m gonna KILL YOU, YOU *$&%@ SON OF A BITCH!!! I just bought that car!!! Do you have ANY IDEA how much I worked to EARN that car??â€

He responded, â€œYou donâ€™t understand, I think my friend is dying! Heâ€™s definitely injured. He lost control of our car and went over the ledge.â€ He pointed down the steep hill off the side of Mulholland. He enthusiastically continued, â€œI tried to flag people down several different times and nobody would stop. Throwing the rock was the only way I felt I could get your attention, PLEASE HELP US!â€ In those four sentences my frame of reference completely changed from one of rage and violent hostility to absolute compassion as I dialed 911 to help those poor kids.

Wow.

When I heard that story, it blew my mind. This kid tried and failed several times to bring the necessary attention he required to get someone to perform for him in a fashion that would hopefully save his friendâ€™s life.

Do you have accurate information on how the music business really works?