When I was recently asked by Derek Sivers "How do you grade yourself?" I wanted to do more then post a comment on Derek's blog post, I wanted to also ask the question myself and see what responses I would got. This is what I came up with.
I tend to do a lot of thinking, whether it's about the exciting (or sometimes unexciting) things I'll be doing during the day, or what goals I have set for myself to accomplish in the next minute/hour/day/week/year.
I find great joy in creating music and I grade my happiness by the quality and not necessarily the quantity of work I accomplish.
When I say work it could mean creating a new concept for some album cover art, or laying down a new track for a newly created tune, or remixing some previously recording material bringing it ever closer to a "final product" that I can be happy with and one that speaks to people. My ultimate goal is to create something that speaks to people, something that moves them and makes them feel the way I feel when something moves me. That feeling is indescribable and is what I crave every moment of my life. The more moved I am, the more I tend to be happy.
How do you grade yourself?
What moves you?
This is a question that I often find myself tangled in. I am an internal validator, that is to say, that I have to find a way to validate my thoughts or actions internally before I can progress; I am an incessant questioner, who remains critical of my own ideas and expressions. I feel the need to create, and to make music, art, and it has become a portion of my soul. I would not be happy if I didn’t create, it’s an escape for me, and it’s my life diary. the only thing that I love more than creating is sharing my creations, however, striking a balance between sharing and subjection is a hard one to cope with, I often feel that people don’t care about thoughts and ideas as much as I do, so thus they are less likely to want to hear mine.
ReplyDeleteI am an introvert with extroverted tendencies.
I give myself a B+
-Andrew P.
Great post, thanks!
ReplyDelete:-)
Nice Brian! I know for sure everyone was 'moved' at your wedding while you were singing to Samantha. It was beautiful, that's for sure, and very moving. Actually the entire wedding was very moving and I am not just saying that because I am your mother. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI need a lesson blog posting!
ReplyDeleteWe have at least one thing in commom Brian and that's "music", I can't get enough of it :)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as Judy re your beautiful wedding and your singing to my beautiful Daughter (both inside and out)
Thanks for sharing this with me.
Hugs.
Carol.