Songwriters,
I wanted to share some thoughts with all of you based on something we did in our last BSG meeting. In our last meeting we broke up into two smaller groups and each person shared their thoughts on two questions:
1. What is a dream/goal for your music?
2. What is an action step that you could take tomorrow that would move you toward your dream/goal?
Based on my own experience, here are four challenges that I believe everyone has to face in order to move toward fulfillment of a dream.
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1) The Gap
There is always a gap between where we are now and where we want to be...our dream/goal. Most people see this gap as a deep, uncrossable chasm and we talk ourselves out of the dream before we even try. This is usually fear and insecurity blinding us to the truth. The truth is, in most cases, the gap is not a chasm, but a journey. This is great news because, in a journey, there is always a step that you can take today that moves you toward your destination. And little steps taken each day add up to significant movement over time. It still takes courage, but remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. Put the gap into proper perspective.
2) The Work of Thinking
Thomas Edison said, "There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the labor of thinking". Break through your fear, your insecurity, your lethargy, and think on these things. Sometimes it's simply determining what your dream is. This will require some self examination at the least, and maybe some input from trusted friends. After that, you have to think about the road map itself and try to identify an action step that is within your reach today. If there were 10 steps required to reach your dream, you can't take step 8 tomorrow, but you can take step one. And the first step is much more simple than we often try to make it. The first step could be to admit, I don't know what to do first. So, your first action step could be to make a list of people you know who could possibly help you figure this out. Take time to think on these things.
3) The Doing
Just do it, no excuses. In the example above, sit down and draft that list of people. Then after you make the list, the next action step should be to call one person on that list. After you make the first call, then the next action step is to call a second person. And so it goes. Take the next action step...no excuses. My best counselors have all said, "Press into your fear." When we do, we gain insight and strengthen our confidence and courage. And, one of the best ways to do this is to share your dream and your plan with someone else who will encourage you in the journey. Just do it.
4) Managing Failure
I think it's safe to say that the most successful entrepreneurs have failed at least once. Look at Thomas Edison's experiments; mostly failures. Often, the difference between people who realize their dreams and those who do not is how they manage failure. If you embrace failure as part of the process and you see it as a discovery tool, then you will learn, adjust, and keep moving forward. Now, this process may set you back, it may alter the road map, and it may even alter your dream destination. But, in this, you can find your true heart, clarity, and new purpose. In this type of journey, the purposes of God come to light and fulness of life is found. Just do it...again.
For those of you who were not at our last BSG meeting, please think on these questions and we will give you an opportunity to share your dream/goal in our next BSG meeting and talk about action steps. If you can't think of an action step, don't worry, my hope is that BSG can be a caring community to help you find one. For those of you who were there, we will likely try to take some time in each meeting to share the status of our dreaming and doing.
Step by step...
Casey