Science vs. Art- is it really all that different?

Why do we insist on believing that the analytical mind is devoid of creativity while the artistic mind is completely governed by emotions? Even though the brain has different hemispheres that are responsible for different functions is it not still one organism working together? Do we have to be resigned to believe that we are either right brained or left brained? Is it our conditioning? Is it our genetics?

Why does one person see the cup half empty and another see the cup half full?

I have to think that the only real difference is where people place their attention. The analytical person sees function and process  where the artistic person sees form and substance. 

Is this an inherent trait governed by dna and genetics? Hard for me, the non-researcher to know. But I know this: perception can change if you shift the focus of your attention. 

Some years ago I was learning to meditate....to practice stillness. One day I decided to go to the local park and sit on the lawn and sit absolutely still for as long as possibly could. 

Seemingly an easy task this proved to be one of the hardest things I have ever attempted to do. I was aware of my mind going a zillion miles an hour for the longest time. I was consumed by my thoughts and completely oblivious to my surrounds....my thoughts dominated my existence in that moment. 

Then, as if by magic, my awareness changed. I suddenly became aware of the breeze, the sounds in the park and most dramatically the grass I was sitting on. Out of nowhere I saw a teeming ecosystem beneath my body....just beneath the top of the grass I was sitting on. It was obvious to me that I was missing out on life as it was happening all around me. 

What caused that shift? 

My mind slowed resulting in a shift in my perception. The only thing that changed was the focus of my attention. Nothing else. I was in the same physical space, wearing the same clothes. I hadn’t moved...and I was unaware of the passage of time. I had entered a state of flow where anything was possible, where I saw unlimited choices. So perhaps creativity is nothing more than having the ability to perceive multiple options and using our mind in a different way to decide which choice would be the most satisfying or appropriate. 

The trick to creating on demand is training yourself to shift your awareness at will to enable a vast array of potential options to present themselves. In the meditation example it is clear to me that slowing the mind, focusing on the moment is the gateway to creativity. So, the challenge for the artist (or anyone for that matter) is to not think of it as creativity or something outside of their body. The challenge is to shift the focus inward to slow the rapid, patterned responses that govern our thinking mind. And, as you move away from the instinctual automatic mind your state of consciousness will shift and be replaced by seemingly infinite choices. 

Better not to try to game your art. Better to use the journey inward to enable the gift of abundance and infinite possibility.

Googled your name lately?

Do you pay attention to your online presence? And, why would that be important?

Some of us assume that everything being said about us online is funny, true or complimentary. Some of us are worried about what others think and what is being said online. Still others post online without thinking about the potential consequences. Regardless of your opinion it is important to remember that everything you post online is data that is used to identify your likes, dislikes, attributes and weaknesses. And, with big data now a daily part of your life that silly selfie you took in a compromising situation may come back to haunt you…without you even knowing it.

Today your online presence shapes public perception about you. And, like or not, we are all public personalities. There is no way to avoid this (unless you become a hermit). However, there are a few simple things you can do:

·          •     Accept that you have public presence

·          •     Freedom of expression comes with responsibility

·          •     You can’t control what people say about you

·          •     Posting online is serious business and can have negative consequences.

Everyone is now a brand.

In the past, conventional wisdom said that “branding” was the exclusive domain of advertisers and corporations because what we saw and heard was controlled by a select few. Today over 2 Billion people a day create “content” on social media. Rather than passively receiving branded messages roles have been changed: we are now the brand. We are now responsible for our online persona. We are now judged based on our online messaging.

Have you ever stopped to consider why you post what you do and what the long-term impact may be?

Taking the time to understand who you are and what you want to do will enable you to create a messaging strategy based on you…not what others say about you. It’s not as hard as it sounds. It only takes a few minutes to understand the basics (more).

This is crucial for musicians. Without having an identifiable online presence you may confuse your audience or, worse yet, drive fans away.

Humans use stories to communicate with one another. Don’t you think it about time you thought about the story you are telling?

Right vs. Wrong: does it matter?

Let’s face it: creative work is hard. If you care deeply about the result there has to be some level of anxiety and apprehension. Being creative is not about following rules. It is about breaking rules in a way that is pleasant or acceptable for our fans, employers or friends. We have to invest ourselves emotionally to put our stamp on the work to achieve great results and accept the risks that come with it (failure, rejection, etc).

Trendsetters accept the risks in large part because they do not need nor crave acceptance or rejection. They have no choice.  They just do what they do.

The rest of us have to wrestle with how much risk to absorb. Everyone handles it differently but almost all of us will ask the question: “how do I make the right choice?” Here are some concepts that have worked for me.

Step One: Define your purpose

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Without a firm grasp on what outcome you want to achieve your chances of success are reduced to chance. A well-defined plan with clear objectives will become a roadmap enabling you to successfully complete your task.

Step Two: Listen and learn

A successful plan includes taking the time to learn how to effectively communicate with your collaborators. Listen to them. Understand their needs. Be a team player. Again, your plan and purpose will help you see where the subtle opportunities lie.

Step Three:  Look for the best choice

Remove the word “right” from the process. Being right implies there is a wrong. Instead of focusing on approval, analyze the situation to find the best choice. This will help eliminate any fear you may have and create an environment for you to do your best work.

Step Four: Execute

At this point you will have an idea or two. You will be judged by how well you execute. If you can’t execute your idea fantastically reevaluate your idea to fit within your capabilites. Unrealized execution will not add value and may inadvertently sabotage your success.

Step Five: Get to the end

Commit to an idea and get to the end. This could be a song, a phrase, a chord progression anything. Once you have gotten to a stopping point it now becomes something real in the world. Then, and only then, can you be objective about the work. (Remember it’s not you that is being judged, it is the work).

Step Six: Keep your standards high

There is opportunity to improve your work in every project you do. Be honest when appraising your own work. Resist comparing yourself to others. You are you and this is your journey. If your standards are higher than what is expected of you your chances of success will increase dramatically.

The biggest problem most of us face is having confidence in ourselves. If you take the time to understand the problem, know your role and be honest about your capabilities you will add value not only to the work, but to yourself as well. As your self-worth grows so will your confidence.

Process vs. One and Done

Sure. We would all love to win the lottery. Becoming an instant millionaire is certainly seductive especially for those who love a game of chance (odds of winning the Mega Millions Jackpot is 1 in 258,890,850). But would you stake your life on those types of odds?  Would you be prepared for the unintended consequences that a windfall brings?

A vast majority of us succumb to the notion that “if I only had more” then life would be less stressful. In a sense we buy in to the idea that “grabbing the brass ring” is our only way out- our sole ticket to success. Too many times those who are lucky enough to win the lottery are unprepared for what comes next....sometimes squandering their winnings and ending up right back where they started.

Learning to grow

A farmer learns patience because he is a supporter of a process rather than being in control. Seeds are planted in the spring. He nurtures the crop through the year. Along the way he cannot “game the system” or speed it up. He has to allow the process to evolve...one step at a time. In addition he has to accept and be content with what he has control over and what he does not. If he does his job well there will most likely be a crop ready for harvest in the fall. 

And, because they understand the process they can focus their attention on inadvertent events that may sabotage the outcome (weather, disease, resources). Their livelihood is dependent upon being prepared for any unforeseen challenge or situation.

Incremental Success

Steve Jobs is an interesting example. Apple Inc. was famously founded in a garage with an initial order of just 500 hand built computers. The most important part of the Apple story was Jobs was aware of the opportunity that existed and was able to take advantage of it. His view was on the horizon- beyond what was physically before him at the time. Apple then dealt with each challenge as it presented itself to incrementally build Apple into the company it is today. 

If you want to reach any objective define your goal and create a strategy that will enable you to achieve your goal. 

Then- it is up to you to tend the fields and keep your eyes open.

The Curse of Indecision

Do you struggle with making a decisions? Do you drift off into “what if...?” Do you worry about being wrong? About being perfect?

Seems to me that it is all too easy to base decisions on our perception of reality. This makes our decisions susceptible to a variety of influences that can distort the decision making process. When we are faced with making a choice under these circumstances our biases and beliefs can distort the quality of the decisions we make...sometimes with disastrous results...sometimes with more pleasant outcomes. Some times your choices may be well thought out and have no effect on the outcome at all! Choices work or they don’t. Moving forward is about not stopping...not letting fear prevent progress.

When you approach a fork in the road you are forced to make a decision. Right or left. stop or go back. Obviously your choice will send you down a path, each with a different potential outcome.

But how can you decide which road to take?

Clarity of purpose

The best we can do in this situation is to remind ourselves of the purpose we wish to achieve and make our choices accordingly. Without knowing where you want to go and having the commitment to stay the course, chances of success become exactly that: chance. Or in other words: your probability of success becomes random at best. Not good odds at all.

However, once you have made the decision to go in a specific direction, then, and only then can you figure out how to get there and have any chance at success.

Take an architect for example:

An architect is trained to take ideas (for buildings) and make them real. They aren’t in the business of fantasy or “what if”. They apply their craft to execute their ideas using the tools and skills in their personal arsenal.

I’m sure you’re wondering what this has to do with making music? Well, the short answer is: EVERYTHING. 

Writing music is a constant decision making process. The choices are endless. 

So, where to begin? 

You won’t get anywhere if you don’t start walking. 

Commit to your purpose and get going. Move past the fork in the road and see where you end up. Soon enough you’ll find out if you have made a good choice or not. Don’t be afraid of falling off the horse or being ridiculed. Just get back on the horse...and carry on. Just like mastering an instrument or skill, the more you practice the better you’ll become.

Music is art...not open heart surgery. Remember, no one will die if you use one reverb over another. This instrument or that. There is no right answer...it is entirely subjective. And, you can’t control whether or not anyone else will like your work so why worry? 

Being comfortable with the decision making process is the path to releasing your artistic voice. 

This is about your journey and no one else’s. Work with purpose. Be conscious of your choices. Be willing to make mistakes. If you can’t make it past the fork in the road...you’ll never know what you are capable of nor will anyone else.

Vital Collaborations Pt. 4 Create value

(This is an excerpt from a speech I gave at the VizualNow Event July 27th).

Create Value

Great artists spend their lives developing their craft. It is a personal, internal pursuit....an intrinsic pursuit of expertise and competency. 

But what if your expertise is not the real value you bring to a collaborative environment?

Preparing for this talk I did an informal poll of music supervisors and filmmakers. 

To a one they said: Productive working relationships are of equal if not greater value to them than talent or expertise. ... of equal if not greater value than talent or expertise.

At a certain point....expertise is a commodity. There may be tens, hundreds if not thousands of people vying for the same opportunity...with similar expertise. What will make you stand out?

Perhaps... the greatest value you can offer in a collaboration is your ability to work well with others and enhance the performance of those around you?

Making media is a team sport ....you can’t do it alone. 

The great ones are happy to be team player - if the team wins ....they win. 

They leave their ego at the door, roll up their sleeves and just get on with it.

CLOSING

Am I saying that successful collaborations always run smoothly, without problems? Of course not. Strong willed people have strong opinions. There will be disagreements. It’s to be expected....especially in stressful situations.

Am I saying that to be an effective collaborator you should sublimate your opinion, tiptoe through the politics and speak when spoken to? Not at all. You are there because you will add value...because you DO have expertise that is needed.

What I am saying is this:

Those who realize that their self-worth is not dependent upon the words of others...

recognize the value of positive working relationships,  how they enhance the quality of communication...

and vigilantly strive to add value, not only for yourself, but for everyone involved ...

three things will happen:

1- Most likely you will have a positive collaborative experience which will enhance your reputation.

2- You will differentiate yourself from your competition- there is only one of you. 

And finally-

3- you will create a pathway and process that will lead you to a successful, sustainable career.

Thank you.

Vital Collaborations Part 3: Making connections

(This is an excerpt from a speech I gave at the VizualNow Event July 27th).

What is this thing: “charisma” Why is it some people are more popular than others? We’ve all known someone who is a people magnet....people can’t seem to get enough of them. So why is it easy for some  and so difficult for others?

In my experience it all revolves around the ability to connect with others in a deeply personal way. 

Some years back I met Oprah Winfrey. We had a short conversation about both of us working on the Color Purple. What we talked about is not that important. What I remember most about that encounter was the intensity of her attention. When she looked me in the eye I was speechless...she was focusing her entire being on me and it was overwhelming. Honestly, I had to look away....I wasn’t prepared for that. 

We’ve all met intense people...people with a personal agenda who never hesitate to push themselves onto us.

Oprah WAS intense...but it was different. It was as if she was searching, scanning me....to absorb as much about me as she could. She was focusing her ENTIRE ATTENTION.....to see what was in my heart.

Connecting in a conversation is basically an exercise in empathy...listening not with the intent to reply but to absorb everything about the other person....trying to understand what is REALLY being said....not what you THINK is being said.

Most of us listen, waiting for the moment when we can blurt out what we are thinking....when we do we can easily miss the subtext of what is really being said.

It doesn’t matter if you are in line at Starbucks or in this room. 

Looking the person you are speaking with right in the eye...giving them respect by actively paying attention sends a huge message: 

At that moment they are more important than you...the most important thing to you is the next word they say...

This simple yet profound act of connection will pay enormous dividends by creating trust and intimacy.

And Trust...

 is the foundation of ALL sustaining relationships. 

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