Cheers to great beginnings!!!

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Albert Einstein said,

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.”

It is said that in order to be a master at something you must first put in 10,000/hrs of work into it. Not sure if I am anywhere near that  number yet, but I sure hope I am becoming a master at something, or somewhat good at my passion.

What I have done is pay some dues in the process though. I’ve traveled 100′s of miles across the country to put on a show and get a slice of pizza for my efforts. I’ve played in bars for a crowd of 5 people, 3 of which were my friends, and 2 were just random attendees and they were too drunk to pay attention. I’ve rehearsed a set list of 15+ songs, 4 days straight to get a muffin and a coke as payment for my work.  I’ve recorded multiple songs and projects  in bad ass studios and have also spent days in studios where the vocal booth was in the bathroom. One of the coolest things I have ever done was recording a full record and giving 100% of the proceeds for a humanitarian effort in Cambodia. That changed my life!

Paying dues is inevitable. It never stops. For every level of success there are dues to pay to keep climbing the ladder.  It’s part of the process of growing as an artist and a professional. Being in a new city comes with newer dues to pay too. It can be frustrating and discouraging  at first, because everyone thinks you started playing music yesterday, when in fact you’ve been on a journey for quite some time with a track record of dues already paid. It comes with the territory my friends. But if you focus and keep doing what you’re doing consistently with integrity and tons of patience, it will happen. Alot of the back story goes unnoticed, but it eventually rises to the top and takes you with. I remember the good ol days of a secure  big job w/benefits, money in the bank to play with, a nice big house, and tons of toys… Now we’re kinda broke, in a small Nashville apartment, with outdated toys…but we’re getting closer to our dreams and we’re excited in the process.  I wouldn’t change a thing!!!  If you’re in similar shoes, keep  your chin up  and keep on! Every Due you’re paying is accounted for upstairs and it will pay off in the long run.

Have you put in 10,000 hrs yet? Tell me about it!

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Here’s what he said,

Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Church in Atlanta, GA opened Catalyst 2011. He’s an exceptional leader/communicator. He shared about accessibility, success, engagement, and being present…very good stuff as always. Here are a few thoughts that stood out to me:

• The more successful you are, the less accessible you become (whether you like it or not).
• You can’t be fully present with more than a few people.
• As you wrestle with the reality of not being able to engage with everyone who needs engagement, you ought not to stop engaging altogether. Instead, “Do fo one what you wish you could do for everyone.”
• Don’t be fair. Be engaged.
• Go deep rather than wide. (relationally)
• Don’t be involved everywhere. Be involved somewhere.
• When you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, you usually end up impacting more than just the one.

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It’s easy to start comparing your journey to that of another person pursuing similar ventures as yours. It can get a little disheartening seeing so many opportunities open for others while you are still trying to get to the door.

The bottom line is this.

You can’t compare the beginning of your journey to the middle of some else’. I am pretty sure the reason for their success has been because of 1000′s of hours they have put in hard work to perfect their craft. Years and years of miles on the road singing to half empty clubs and bars away from home. Their art being featured in galleries is a result of 100′s and 1000′s of canvas work and paint.  Being featured on the big screen is a result of many many insignificant roles as an extra. We often hear of over night success but that is rare. Even a rare over night success story is a result of hard work from someone within. Don’t buy into the hype.

Stay focused, work hard and remain confident at all costs. Your moment will arrive on time. This is something I go thru and fight with as well. But the more I focus on the goal, the more grateful I have become for my present journey and position.  I am right where I need to be at this moment. Don’t think about how much further you need to go, but take a moment today to acknowledge how far you have already come along! You’re story and journey inspire me, so  keep on keeping on!

Consistency, Integrity & Patience.

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