For the past 7+ years.. I've been in it to win it. They say "you'll NEVER win if you don't even try and play" .. so I've been working very hard towards accomplishing my goals. Making my dreams come true. And, it's been exhausting!! But I'd like to think it's beginning to pay off!
With new opportunities awaiting me; I've come to a cross-roads in my music career. I've fiiinally gotten the exposure I've deserved; and soon, my music will be heard world-wide!! As excited as I am; I've also been very thoughtful about where I've been so-far and where I'm going. This industry is a crazy one; and I'd be naive to think anything else! With that being said, I'm proud of where I've gotten.
It's wild to think about everything I've put into this career... alllll the songs, the performances, the late nights, the promotion... everrrything that's gotten me to where I am today. As much as it adds up to be; it still was only the beginning! I've realized.. this isn't the END RESULT; but rather, the means to the ends! It takes everything you've got to get noticed... and once you do; THAT'S when it's reeeally time to go your hardest! Because; climbing to the top of one ladder, only puts you at the bottom rung of another. And so; again, we climb.
Regardless, here I am. Anxious and excited to grab the metaphorical ball and run with it. Promising, I'll take full advantage of every single opportunity given to me. Confirming to my investors and supporters why they've held me down for so long.. and showing the World that (even a scrawny white kid from the suburbs) can make Real. Good. Music! Anythings possible if you're in it to win it! And proving that has always been a goal of mine.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
DEFINE YOURSELF
Every morning we wake up, we're given a new chance to define who we are. We're given another opportunity to express ourselves and experience Life. The decisions we make.. the way we speak.. the things we do... the way we look..... these are the things that define us!
Each and every day we explore this World; we interact and learn from each other. We work with each other. We entertain each other. We influence and inspire each other to be better and try new things.
Take each day to redefine your Life and who you are!! It's the most powerful decision we have; and it's constantly presenting itself. WHO ARE YOU?? Remember; everything we do defines who we are!
Each and every day we explore this World; we interact and learn from each other. We work with each other. We entertain each other. We influence and inspire each other to be better and try new things.
Take each day to redefine your Life and who you are!! It's the most powerful decision we have; and it's constantly presenting itself. WHO ARE YOU?? Remember; everything we do defines who we are!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
PERSISTENCE & DEDICATION
If you're going to do ANYTHING... do it Right! Take the time, and the energy, and effort needed to make it perfect!! Some opportunities only come once; and if you rush yourself you'll find you've only sold yourself short! So act with diligence... but also remember to just r e l a x... nothing great is accomplished over night.
When you're motivated (and impatient) you'll find yourself desiring instant satisfaction. BOOM, here it is!!! But the World, and Life, don't work that way! Somethings can take months.. even YEARS to master. And if "perfection" is your goal; then you've gotta be prepared to spend the time it takes.
It's like they say; "practice makes perfect..." well you can't forget that Practice takes time!! It takes struggle and sacrifice and true dedication and persistence! The greatest musicians, athletes, public speakers, scientists... they didn't just awake one morning as "Great!" They weren't born excellent at what they do. Genetic predisposition aside; it takes years of dedication and persistence to become GREAT at ANYTHING!!
The world's smartest professor and the world's gnarliest skateboarder have two things in common. Their dedication; and their persistence. Their over-all confidence in what they're doing. The time they've spent learning the in's-and-out's of their craft. Although these two people may have completely different cultures, lifestyles, beliefs, and even learning methods... they are the exact same when it comes to their dedication and persistence.
It doesn't matter HOW we apply ourselves... just as long as we DO. That's my belief!! And when you find something you Love doing... do more of it! Get better at it! Teach others how to do it!! Spread your love as far as you can reach... and then Reach More!!! Spend the time/energy/effort it takes to become the Best you can... and then try and get even Better!! Reality is all that we make it; and you'll only ever be as good as you try and get. SO, AIM HIGH! Achieve your goals; but remember.. it takes time!!
When you're motivated (and impatient) you'll find yourself desiring instant satisfaction. BOOM, here it is!!! But the World, and Life, don't work that way! Somethings can take months.. even YEARS to master. And if "perfection" is your goal; then you've gotta be prepared to spend the time it takes.
It's like they say; "practice makes perfect..." well you can't forget that Practice takes time!! It takes struggle and sacrifice and true dedication and persistence! The greatest musicians, athletes, public speakers, scientists... they didn't just awake one morning as "Great!" They weren't born excellent at what they do. Genetic predisposition aside; it takes years of dedication and persistence to become GREAT at ANYTHING!!
The world's smartest professor and the world's gnarliest skateboarder have two things in common. Their dedication; and their persistence. Their over-all confidence in what they're doing. The time they've spent learning the in's-and-out's of their craft. Although these two people may have completely different cultures, lifestyles, beliefs, and even learning methods... they are the exact same when it comes to their dedication and persistence.
It doesn't matter HOW we apply ourselves... just as long as we DO. That's my belief!! And when you find something you Love doing... do more of it! Get better at it! Teach others how to do it!! Spread your love as far as you can reach... and then Reach More!!! Spend the time/energy/effort it takes to become the Best you can... and then try and get even Better!! Reality is all that we make it; and you'll only ever be as good as you try and get. SO, AIM HIGH! Achieve your goals; but remember.. it takes time!!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
PLAY THE GAME
They say; "you can pick the game, but you can't make the rules." It's something I hold very close to my Life... because everyday, we have a choice to create our future. We can pick any opportunities we see; or even create any we imagine. But at the end of the day; the rules have already been established. All we can do is appreciate the naturals laws of our reality.
Change the things we can; and accept the things we cannot. Life is waaay too short for anything less!! If you truly appreciate and pursuit each&every opportunity you're given... you'll find, more and more open up! Things fall into place. Everything becomes more clear.
The first step is; Playing the game. As I've said.. you can't make the rules but you CAN pick the game you play. And as soon as you pick; you better start playing!!
It's like the lottery.. Nobody has ever won without playing.
Decide where you want to be; and Go there. Set your goals, and work until you achieve them! Anything worth having takes hard work. Sacrifice. Struggle. Everything we experience has pro's and con's.. but as long as we play the game; we're already winning.
Change the things we can; and accept the things we cannot. Life is waaay too short for anything less!! If you truly appreciate and pursuit each&every opportunity you're given... you'll find, more and more open up! Things fall into place. Everything becomes more clear.
The first step is; Playing the game. As I've said.. you can't make the rules but you CAN pick the game you play. And as soon as you pick; you better start playing!!
It's like the lottery.. Nobody has ever won without playing.
Decide where you want to be; and Go there. Set your goals, and work until you achieve them! Anything worth having takes hard work. Sacrifice. Struggle. Everything we experience has pro's and con's.. but as long as we play the game; we're already winning.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
JUST TRY HARDER
We've all found ourselves at dark places. When nothing seems to go how we planned. When the struggles have piled up. But it's these dark times that remind us to Try. When it seems as if you've tried your hardest.... like you've tried it all... that's the very moment you need to tell yourself: "just try harder!!"
Nothing great was accomplished instantly. ANYTHING worth being proud of, takes time. It takes practice. It takes patience. It takes sacrifice. It takes everything you've got (and more) and theres no such thing as enough. You've got to constantly push yourself to be better. Achieve your goals, and raise the bar. Do better than you ever imagined! Anything is possible, if you will it to be so.
There's always going to be somebody Stronger and Faster... somebody Younger or richer or "better" than you. The sooner you realize this fact; the sooner you can take full advantage of your Life and the opportunities in front of you!!!
Life is a Race with Yourself. Decide to win; and you've already Won. Just try harder.
Nothing great was accomplished instantly. ANYTHING worth being proud of, takes time. It takes practice. It takes patience. It takes sacrifice. It takes everything you've got (and more) and theres no such thing as enough. You've got to constantly push yourself to be better. Achieve your goals, and raise the bar. Do better than you ever imagined! Anything is possible, if you will it to be so.
There's always going to be somebody Stronger and Faster... somebody Younger or richer or "better" than you. The sooner you realize this fact; the sooner you can take full advantage of your Life and the opportunities in front of you!!!
Life is a Race with Yourself. Decide to win; and you've already Won. Just try harder.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORT
Think of the most elaborate, beautiful house you can imagine. Custom design. Fully furnished. Exactly how you would want it... down to the very detail!! Now; imagine that house without proper foundation. Without the support needed; even a gorgeous mansion would crumble to the ground.
Life is no exception!! Without the proper support.. you can never sustain yourself. The term "support" can go as far as spiritually, financially, emotionally.... the stuff that brings you up and holds you up. Blood, water, food, and oxygen aside... SUPPORT is one of the most essential elements of Life. It keeps us alive, alert, and dedicated to do better. It creates opportunity; and defeats adversity. It's fuel.
Without adequate support... we'd all fail. Every single one of us!! That's why it's so important to (not only receive, but) GIVE support to those around you!!! Encourage your peers. Assist your friends and family members. The support you GIVE; is the same support that you will eventually NEED. And those who lend the most; tend to get it back 10-fold when they need it most!
It's easy to assume that somebody can "handle it on their own"... but it's even easier to ASK if they need any help!! Heaven-forbid you'd have to volunteer a few minutes of your time haha... Think about all the times you wished somebody had helped You!!! Think of all the favors you'd need in the future!
Spend the time now, and invest in your own support. Lend a hand. Maybe just a minute or two.. or three. Whenever... whereever... however you can... help. Do it. And trust me, that help will return itself to you in mysterious ways; when you least expect it to!!
Life is no exception!! Without the proper support.. you can never sustain yourself. The term "support" can go as far as spiritually, financially, emotionally.... the stuff that brings you up and holds you up. Blood, water, food, and oxygen aside... SUPPORT is one of the most essential elements of Life. It keeps us alive, alert, and dedicated to do better. It creates opportunity; and defeats adversity. It's fuel.
Without adequate support... we'd all fail. Every single one of us!! That's why it's so important to (not only receive, but) GIVE support to those around you!!! Encourage your peers. Assist your friends and family members. The support you GIVE; is the same support that you will eventually NEED. And those who lend the most; tend to get it back 10-fold when they need it most!
It's easy to assume that somebody can "handle it on their own"... but it's even easier to ASK if they need any help!! Heaven-forbid you'd have to volunteer a few minutes of your time haha... Think about all the times you wished somebody had helped You!!! Think of all the favors you'd need in the future!
Spend the time now, and invest in your own support. Lend a hand. Maybe just a minute or two.. or three. Whenever... whereever... however you can... help. Do it. And trust me, that help will return itself to you in mysterious ways; when you least expect it to!!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
EVERYTHING WORKS
As much as we doubt ourselves... sometimes; things just work! Sometimes; everything works itself out haha and it's a beautiful feeling to watch it unravel in frront of your eyes.
Everything happens for a reason (so they say) ... with that being said, things won't ALWAYS work out for the immediate best. But we've gotta stay focused on the long-term goals... and realize that our obstacles are just as much of an opportunity as a hand-out. With each struggle... each challenge.. we grow. We improve. We become better than we even imagined.
Even if it works AGAINST you.. it's working for you!! Think of the weights on a work-out bench. They don't work WITH you hahaha!! They don't HELP you lift them. They go against everything you've got.... but they make you stronger! Without their resistance... you wouldn't gain muscle.
The person who can lift the most, is the person who has trained the hardest. An average human would walk out, attempt one of their basic routines & throw out their back (or even worse!) But with years of punishing and pushing their physical (and mental) limits, they've gotten strong enough to accomplish the unimaginable! They've defied the limits. They've made the resistance work FOR them!!
It's hard to remain positive during times of tribulation. It can be depressing... and consuming.. and even crippling if you don't face it head on! Smile at the adversity you face! Wave at the critics!!
Every single thing that happens to you; works for you (if you make it!!)
I know a lot of musicians who talk about how they "hate whats on the radio" but I disagree with that attitude! Inside of thinking about what "I" don't "like about the song" ... I try and just think about what really "works" for the song. Why is it even on the radio?? Money and politics aside.. it didn't just magically *appear* on the DJ's playlist. Even if it's annoying and obnoxious.. chances are.. it get's stuck in your head every single time you hear it hahaha!!
It applies to anything we experience in Life! Instead of wondering and worrying about if you're doing "good enough" or why/how the other guy got a raise at work or what you're "doing wrong" haha trust me!! Keep doing what YOU do because it'll always pay off in the end!!!! Begin to consider yourself "incomparable" ... and quit comparing yourself to everything around you in!
You are YOU and that's the best you can be!! Try your hardest to be Positive and Authentic and Genuine and Unique... and try to always improve yourself and always enjoy yourself. Stop worrying about what the rest of the World is doing and try to actually apppppreciate yourself!!
As soon as you can do that; you'll start to see how everything works out regardless.
Everything happens for a reason (so they say) ... with that being said, things won't ALWAYS work out for the immediate best. But we've gotta stay focused on the long-term goals... and realize that our obstacles are just as much of an opportunity as a hand-out. With each struggle... each challenge.. we grow. We improve. We become better than we even imagined.
Even if it works AGAINST you.. it's working for you!! Think of the weights on a work-out bench. They don't work WITH you hahaha!! They don't HELP you lift them. They go against everything you've got.... but they make you stronger! Without their resistance... you wouldn't gain muscle.
The person who can lift the most, is the person who has trained the hardest. An average human would walk out, attempt one of their basic routines & throw out their back (or even worse!) But with years of punishing and pushing their physical (and mental) limits, they've gotten strong enough to accomplish the unimaginable! They've defied the limits. They've made the resistance work FOR them!!
It's hard to remain positive during times of tribulation. It can be depressing... and consuming.. and even crippling if you don't face it head on! Smile at the adversity you face! Wave at the critics!!
Every single thing that happens to you; works for you (if you make it!!)
I know a lot of musicians who talk about how they "hate whats on the radio" but I disagree with that attitude! Inside of thinking about what "I" don't "like about the song" ... I try and just think about what really "works" for the song. Why is it even on the radio?? Money and politics aside.. it didn't just magically *appear* on the DJ's playlist. Even if it's annoying and obnoxious.. chances are.. it get's stuck in your head every single time you hear it hahaha!!
It applies to anything we experience in Life! Instead of wondering and worrying about if you're doing "good enough" or why/how the other guy got a raise at work or what you're "doing wrong" haha trust me!! Keep doing what YOU do because it'll always pay off in the end!!!! Begin to consider yourself "incomparable" ... and quit comparing yourself to everything around you in!
You are YOU and that's the best you can be!! Try your hardest to be Positive and Authentic and Genuine and Unique... and try to always improve yourself and always enjoy yourself. Stop worrying about what the rest of the World is doing and try to actually apppppreciate yourself!!
As soon as you can do that; you'll start to see how everything works out regardless.
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