success

Just Quit Trying Already

March 22, 2011

One of the books that has most influenced my approach to teaching percussion lessons is Barry Green’s The Inner Game of Music. Based on principles found in the highly championed The Inner Game of Tennis and Inner Skiing, by Tim Gallwey, the book is a beautiful collection of concepts for musicians to apply to their [...]

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A Lesson From The Inaudible Sound Of The Invisible Sun

March 9, 2011

The Inaudible Sound of the Invisible Sun. I sure learned a lot from that guy. “That . . . guy?” you ask. Yep- that what he’s called. By some, anyway. Rakalam (which somehow translates into “the inaudible sound of the invisible sun”) is a moniker that was given to legendary drummer, Bob Moses, by his [...]

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Face-Off!

October 18, 2010

And now, for something completely different . . . (and no, not Monty Python) Today I face-off versus fellow blogger Jennifer Gresham of EverydayBright.com in Round 4 of Abubakar Jamil‘s Personal Development Face-Off Series! We touch on some pretty tough questions: 1. What do you think is the most important ingredient in recipe of success? [...]

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How To Be The Next Starbucks

September 22, 2010

Like ‘em or not, Starbucks has one of the most integral ingredients a successful brand requires . . . consistency. When you scrunch up your nose, put on your best snob face and order that iced single Venti, 7-pump peppermint, caramel Sauce top AND bottom, light ice, no whip, mocha, you already know EXACTLY what [...]

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Ups, Downs and Pushing Buttons

August 4, 2010

Ups and downs. We all have ‘em. And for creative types, it’s not at all uncommon to be emotionally affected by the public’s response to our work. You’re flying high off the mad success of your previous CD sales and the reviews that came with it. Suddenly, the follow-up album tanks, you’re sitting on a [...]

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Dressing the Part

July 14, 2010

We’ve all heard the timeless advice “dress for success.” And most of us probably agree on the importance of wearing the appropriate attire for a given job. Well, in my line of work, ‘dressing the part’ could mean just about ANYTHING! I’ve got to admit it, I’m a fan of costumes. Playing gigs in them [...]

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I’m Such a Failure

July 7, 2010

It’s true. I continually fail at far more attempted endeavors than I’ll ever succeed at. Lost auditions, school rejection letters, unaccepted grant applications, uninterested publishers, girls who wouldn’t give their number, uncompleted projects, ideas that proved to be altogether worthless. I’ve seen it all- and that’s the short list. The long one just might be [...]

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The First Questions for Career Creatives

June 30, 2010

Want to make a full-time career out of your music, art or other creative interests? Part of my reason for blogging is to encourage you to do so, and show you how! But first, let me try to talk you out of it. Before stepping out on that long, difficult road, seriously consider the following: [...]

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