"All the worlds a stage and we are merely players." Shakespeare was dead on! I will emplore you to remember, you are always being assessed, always being watched in the professional world, even when that world crosses into your personal life! You are constantly planting seeds in the minds of others that may take years to germinate into opporunity! Are you on time? What kind of feelings do you elicit from others when they are around you? Are you prepared? Do you understand and exihibit expected professional behavior? Do you tend to lead or follow? Do you make excusses when you fail or do you take responsibilty for your actions? Are you willing to take resonable risk or are you risk averse?
You are entering a world of constant judgement, critique, evaluation, insecurity, sensativity and endless opinions. You must remain dilligent in presenting your best self and know the difference between spiteful negativity and constructive feedback.
TALENT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH: All the talent in the world will never open a door quite as wide and long as a solid and trusted relationship!
THE IMMORTALITY OF NEGATIVITY: Humans are hard wired to pay far more attention to a negative interaction than a posiitve one due to our natural Survival Instinct. The memory of a hundred kind words can be wiped out by one negative interaction! Patience and kindness and honesty will always lead to the best outcome and opporunity!
ALWAYS STRIVE TO BRING YOUR BEST: Your problems are no body elses! Clients, audiences, bandmembers; they are not your shrink and the more you act like they are, the more you poison the well of good will!
MUSICIAN KNOW THY SELF: Make a commitment to peeling back the layers of the onion that is you. Be brave and unrelenting in your pursuit of not just musical and creative excellence, but of personal and professional exceptionalism as well! Know your stengths and your weaknesses, your limits and bounderies. Be as consisant as you can be so others may feel confident in their expectations of you!
