A “small” life and building a body of work
To some extent, we have always dreamed “big.” It has led us down some dark corridors. We were both in rock bands in our younger days—and the allure of rock stardom was intoxicating. This could be a long story, but Hunter S. Thompson wrapped it up so succinctly:
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.”
It’s taken us both a while to realize that we can still make music later in life. We can still give ourselves the amazing experience of being the channel for the creative process. After all, that is the thing we fell in love with at the start—and we can do it without encountering the obstacles described by Hunter S. Thompson with such poetic ruthlessness.
Think about the creative dreams you have had in life. The true “dreams” we have had can usually be boiled down to the ability to pursue our passions—to get to do what we love to do. If we keep that alive and keep that passion as the focus—we can’t lose. That’s something that no one can take away from you. No matter what price tag is ever (or never) attached to what you do. You can always be adding to a body of work. You can have a very “small” life but have a very large body of work. If we wait around for someone to pay us a lot of money before we do something, we could be waiting a long time. Why not take control and add to your own body of work? It could even be good for your health.
Eckhart Tolle, in his book, A New Earth, talks about the creative process as a time when we experience real peace, and a time when we are our “real” selves—free from our egos and their harsh judgements. If we regularly give that creative time to ourselves, we are actually giving ourselves a kind of peace we can’t get anywhere else. It’s hard to calculate or even imagine the benefits that ripple through our lives when we commit to adding to our bodies of work.
When you sit in an airplane, we’re always told that we should put our own mask on before we try to help others. This advice is quite practical because it’s hard to help others if you’re unconscious—even if you have all the right motivations. You need to look out for your passions and your “true dreams”—because these are the ones which truly define you. Exchange them with shallow and extrinsic motivations, and you will slowly suffocate. You need to remember what your passions were and follow them—not confusing them with glory and status.
Or as Survivor so beautifully expressed it:
“So many times, it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive”
Keep your passion alive and build upon your body of work. Passion and glory are not the same things, and it can lead you to some dark places if you do things for the wrong reasons.
Take on your own mask—breathe—get a grip on the dreams of the past and follow your passion—not in an all or nothing manner—but in a thoughtful way. Build a body of work, which will enrich your life and the ones around you. Live a meaningful “smaller life,” and we’re confident that you’ll enjoy life more, and probably be more useful and enjoyable to be around.
Until next time
Scott and Lennart