Are you asking the right questions?

The beginning of any project creates a wave of excitement that is the fuel of creative endeavor. It is powerful. It is seductive. It can be blinding.

Of course, in that endorphin-laced state it is easy to think that you have all the answers…that you know all the answers- in advance. When these feelings subside it is easy, and common, to lapse into your own personal vortex of threatening storm clouds and wonder: “OMG! Now I have to do something! I have no idea what to do?”

Truth is we all end up somewhere in the middle of those two scenarios but the fact remains that you still have to deliver on your promise to complete the creative work (to yourself, your bandmates, your employers etc). 

You may know the answers but…are you asking the right questions?

To be successful, we must learn to be both subjective AND objective about our work. I call this dichotomy: being the participant and the observer.

What has helped me develop this schizophrenic ability is viewing my work as an entity unto itself. That way I’m talking about the work…and my personal self-worth is not at issue.

If you are blinded by your emotions at the beginning you run the risk of serving your ego… and not the project.

If you are cold and calculating the creative work can easily be dry and uninteresting.

The key to developing this participant/observer skill is to be aware of your emotions during and after you write something. Get to know yourself. Know how you feel emotionally and physically when you are in either state. Then you will be in control of yourself during the process…and not run by your ego. (There is definitely a time and place for ego…just not when you are evaluating your work).

Benefits you will receive from developing this skill?

• You will ask better questions
• You will listen better
• You will become your own judge of success or failure (in terms of your efforts. We can’t control others opinions….only our own). 

If you can’t ask the right question….you’re dead in the water before you begin.

For more about creative tips and tricks: http://bit.ly/1RmIwrn

Finish your thought - about creativity

Finish your thought and get to the end.

How many times do we get distracted after we have a burst of inspiration? How often do we say to ourselves: “It can’t be that easy!”.

It is common to think that we have to toil and struggle to create. That may be true some of the time. But the only pain is putting in the time finish the project - whatever it may be.

Having a "burst of inspiration" is just another way of describing the joy we feel in the moment of creation. It is in that moment of creation that we subliminally call upon all of our knowledge and experience. It is in that moment that we see the right answer…the answer that eludes us when we struggle.

A key to moving forward is to understand the difference and to know which state of mind you happen to be in.

Learn to recognize when you are in a state of bliss about a creative moment and then articulate what that moment means. Write it down. Record it. Do whatever you have to do to memorialize that feeling because it is fleeting and will never return in exactly the same way.

Then, when you get to the painstaking process of realizing your idea you will be able to recall what got you motivated in the beginning instead of second guessing yourself, overthinking or blithely moving on to the next idea.

Capture the moment, finish your thought and get to the end...whatever that may mean. The more you practice this the easier it will be to trust your instincts. The result will be more time spent in the act of creation and less time worrying about it.

For more about creative tips and tricks: http://bit.ly/1RmIwrn

Consider the source

Consider the source when asking for opinions or advice.

When asking for someone’s opinion it is wise to remember that everyone has their own agenda. They are more concerned with themselves than with you even if they appear to be empathic. They are wrought with their own fear, insecurity, needs and wants.

Everyone has their own motives.  When motives and interests align , like teacher and student, then all is good.

But what about when we are working for or with someone else? Do your clients, competitors and peers live by some invisible altruistic guidelines?  Do your hopes and dreams magically align with theirs? In a utopian world everyone would be truthful. The reality is that not everyone tells the truth in large part because their personal truth is as elusive as yours. Try going a whole day without 1 little fib to yourself.

As artist’s we have devoted countless hours to our craft in hopes that we reach our full potential…even surpass it. If you are trying to make a living as a creative why not put the same emphasis on training ourselves about how to navigate in a business environment? I doubt you would expect to hit a home run in your first at bat nor would you walk on stage to perform a concerto without first putting in the time to prepare yourself to excel.

Communication skills that will help you in a business environment include:

• Read body language
• Understand the importance of tone of voice and language
•  How you feel in the room….at the moment… in the heat of battle.
• Confidence that you are prepared for the task.
• Decipher exactly what is being asked of you

The more you understand about the other person’s problems the easier it will be to determine if the advice you are receiving is unbiased and helpful or, if there is a hidden agenda at play.  Are they having a bad day? Is this the way they always treat people? Is this too good to be true?

More importantly: you will know if you are the right person to solve their problem, reduce their pain.

To be sure, agendas are not always a bad thing but, the better prepared you are to read the context of the situation, understand the subtle, non-verbal communications the easier it will be to understand if a person’s needs, preferences and taste are a match with yours. 

At the point of making a decision you will have ask yourself how you feel about it. This is when you will weigh your self-growth and personal training against the opportunity being offered.

The better prepared you are in knowing what you want….the easier that choice will be.

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.