What Do You Think of Yourself?

"If you think you can, you're right. If you think you can't you're right."

When I first heard this, I had no clue what this meant, but now I fully understand.

Your thoughts are SO powerful. You hear a lot about this in spiritual or metaphysical circles, that have nothing to do with religion, but has so much to do with our inner spirits and well-being.

I listened to this audio book last week written by Jerry & Esther Hicks, for which I've been listening to over the last week actually and at one point in the program, the reader says "...you are free, you are powerful, you are good, you are love, you have value, you have purpose and all is well."

When I heard this, something inside me wanted to hear it again. It literally gave me goosebumps. How many times have people spoken these words to you? Now don't get me wrong...it's not that I've ever had anything negative said to me by my family of supporters, but never have I had something so profound said to me that literally touched me in a way I can't explain. I thought to myself, what a wonderful and powerful way to describe yourself to someone. What a wonderful way to think of yourself. I smiled the rest of the day, when I first heard it and to this day, still smile because it just makes me feel good to hear it.

No one can really change the way we think of ourselves, we are the only ones that can change anything in our lives. It is our beliefs that shape the changes we make. Feeling good about yourself, feeling good about your life only brings and creates more of that good feeling and that's what's most important to you. Like attracts like, it's a universal law.

Just a short quick note to remind you to re-evaluate your feelings about your life, your circumstances and what you think about for your future. Where you are currently does not have to reflect where you want to be, so don't dwell on your current circumstances unless they truly make you feel good and reflect your ideal and perfect situations. That's the power of your mind. That's how powerful we truly are. Believe this and you will always get what you want. What makes that statement even more powerful for me is to substitute the words, "I am" in place of the words "you are"; "I am free, I am powerful, I am good, I am love, I have value, I have purpose and all is well. See how that moves you. Trust me, when you learn to say it with the utmost confidence and good feelings, I promise you, it will make you feel GREAT!

So, what do YOU think of yourself? If it's anything less than what I described above, then you should re-think your decision to feel that way.

Have a wonderful, productive and prosperous day!

Who’s Rootin’ 4 U?

For many of you who know me, you know that I’m completing a book for which I’m very excited to finally be talking about. The book was written specifically for parents with children in music and for music educators, performing arts schools, band parents and relatives of children in music. It is to help children discover and realize that there IS a real future in music and to get involved in music education. This book also has a good discussion for parents with teens that want to get into the music industry. I've gotten some great feedback on the information presented in demo versions I've let a small group of parents and teachers hear so far. I'm very excited about it. It is set for an October release this year. I'll let you know more as the project progresses.

One of my mentors, the worlds’ GREATEST mastering engineer, Earle Holder (http://www.har-bal.com/ and http://www.hdqtrz.com/) ,who is graciously doing all of the mixing and mastering on the audio book project is so awesome at keeping me motivated to continue.

I hadn’t seen him in a while and we had the chance to chit-chat a bit about life and business. I’m always so impressed with what he has to say, as simple as it may seem, that I’ve suggested that he share this wisdom with the world because it’s valuable and it’s uplifting. He has an amazing way of taking something as technical as music mastering and makes it plain and simple for me to even understand, someone who is nowhere near technically inclined. He does this same thing with marketing, business and life. I’ve decided to help him develop his speaking business because he’s dropped these gems of wisdom on others, but there is a market of people out there that need these real lessons, that I know will help change your focus, your outlook and your approach to your music, your business and even your life.

We always end up having these great conversations that leave me full of enthusiasm when I leave. It’s just so great to be around such a positive person, it’s amazing. He had a few gems to share about marketing because if you know anything about music mastering, this man has become a household name in his profession. Naysayers, haters, competition don’t faze him. He’s the best at what he does and he knows it. He’s created a strong viable product and service; he didn’t have to compete with anyone. That’s one of my mottos: Don’t compete, CREATE! That’s the type of energy you need to take you through the development stages of your career.

I wanted to share with you something he shared with me that day…

The question I asked was “how can you really be stand out when there are tons of people doing the same exact things you do?” He said, think of a room full of people. Everyone has a black top hat. The person that is different will have on a blue top hat. The person that is unique will have on a red baseball cap. Figure out what makes you unique and use that to your advantage. Look between the lines. Everyone can be looking at the same thing and see something different. Take notice of what others do but don’t let it consume you trying to pick apart their businesses. You lose focus on the real goal. You must really do some internal evaluation to figure out what makes you special. No one else can do that for you. You can ask for ideas from clients you’ve worked with, but when you are just starting out, you need to see what exists and how you can be different.

In my own words, it means that someone else can’t offer what you bring to the world. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you must share MUSIC – My Unique Sound In Creation™ and you’ll never go wrong because it’s yours and yours alone.

Make sure you have people around you that will help elevate you, not bring you down. I have a few mentors, almost like personal trainers, that are also great friends and professionals in the music industry that are helping me achieve the goals I have set for myself in business and in my career as a whole. Choose a mentor that has achieved what you are looking to achieve. You will never be competing with that person because you have your own thing going on. Don’t compete, create!

Have a wonderful & productive day! :-D

Fear of "The Unknown"

What is "The Unknown?"

I believe it to be something unfamiliar; something you are uneducated about or have no knowledge of.

Now let's apply this to our daily lives.

Well, let's see, we get up in the morning, get ready to go to the Just Over Broke (many of us anyway), get ready to exercise, get the kids ready, or whatever your daily routine entails, right?

We go about our normal routines "not knowing" about our next breath, the next second, the next minute, the next hour, tomorrow nor our futures. We either live or die, pretty much, in the literal sense of the words. This is something we can't control.

Although there are people dying EVERY SINGLE DAY in other war-infested countries, that is reported on the news EVERY SINGLE DAY, we still go about our normal routines. A bomb could drop on us at any given moment or some suicide bomber can walk into a shop we just happen to be in...but we still go out. It's unknown what can happen, but we still do what we do, right?

So, what's the hold up with pursuing your dreams? Fear of failure? Fear of success? Fear of rejection? Fear of embarrasment? As I've demonstrated the only true unknowns are whether we'll live or die at any given moment, yet, we keep on living until that fateful time arrives, again something we can't control. How will you know something will work or won't work unless you try it first anyway?

You CAN control how you WANT to LIVE. One of my mottos is "Stop chasing your dreams...start LIVING them." Go after your desires for music success, whatever those may be. Focus on the things you want and NOT the things you don't want. Why waste time on thoughts of things you don't want, anyway? Place that energy in activities that propel your dreams, not kill them.

Here is one quote I'd like to share with you today, mysteriously appearing after I decided what I was going to share with you...coincidence? I think not...

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face... You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Remember FEAR is only False Evidence Appearing Real, it's not real until you feel it, so again, why would you want to feel something uncomfortable, something that truly holds us back from accomplishing the extraordinary things we imagine for ourselves? Why think or focus on things you don't want?

I bid you blessings of abundance, safety and happiness. Dispel the myth of Fear! Make success a KNOWN accomplishment for yourself and the world!

Have a wonderful and productive day :-)

I'm back - Did you miss me?

Hey, everyone.

Let me first say thanks to those of you who were concerned about my brief "disapperance" from posting on Mill's Indie Music Insider blog...you know how life can get some time and for that I want to thank you for your concern.

I've surely missed sharing my thoughts with you. I've actually been doing a lot of thinking about how I touch the world with my own musings and knowledge of the industry. I've come up with a few ideas, but need some feedback.

If you are interested in attending teleseminars, live seminars, hearing podcasts and participating in possible "webinars" (web-based seminars) on various topics in the industry, especially for those just starting in the industry, are already involved in the industry and just need some assistance with building and growing your indie music business, then by all means, please let me know what topics you are most interested in and if you'd like to participate in any of the activities I've listed above. There will be some with free admission as well as paid admission events, but we can start a mailing list so that you can receive information as they become available.

If you don't want to post your response on this blog, then drop a line to mill@gamusiccenter.com - that's GA Music Center - I'd sincerely appreciate it. Please be sure to put "blog comments" in the subject line. I get tons of spam so I'd like to be able to get to the legitimate feedback quicker.

Today's message is about defining your purpose, that is clearly defining, with extreme clarity, what you want out of all of the effort, time and energy you are putting towards your music pursuits.

Is it to get a record deal?
Is it to make more money?
Is it to sell more cds?
Is it to become famous?
And why do you want to achieve this?
What will it do for you once you achieve it?

Without this level of clarity, how do you know where you are going? How do you know when (and if) you've "arrived," if you don't have a clear purpose or direction for your efforts?

There is a ton of knowledge in different formats available for plotting this journey, including data, video, audio and each of these formats in different media for example, delivered via the web, cds (enhanced cds), dvds and information on several millions of websites. How do you really find what you are seeking? I know you've heard the saying "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This is one situation you can definitely apply this to. You want your music to get into the perfect listeners' cd players, ipods, mobile phones, etc., but who is that perfect listener? What does he or she look like? What are they interested in, what do they enjoy doing? You have to step out of the musician's role and look at it from the consumer's point of view, just for a moment. You want people to appreciate your talent, you want them to know how to get a hold of it, but you've also got to know whose ears you are trying to reach and give them a path to find it. Therefore, defining YOUR path will help you have others follow you on the journey through your music suceess. They can only follow you in the path you make for them.

Get Off Your "BUT"

“I want to be in the music industry BUT I don’t have time to learn about it.”
“I want to sell my music BUT I don’t seem to have the right information about what to do.”
“I want the fortune and fame BUT I can’t seem to figure out how to get my career started successfully.”
"I know I've got great talent BUT I don't have the right contacts."
"My music can be the next biggest thing BUT I just need to get discovered, just get a chance."

Does this sound like you? I admit that I have been guilty of saying something similar. We seem to always have an excuse for not doing something and when somebody asks, we fill in the blanks with something like one of the above statements. Remember this…excuses only satisfy the person giving them. That’s it. It only makes you feel better, to help get it off your conscious so to speak, but it doesn’t do anything for the person you told it to because whatever it was you were supposed to do still hasn’t been done. So, don’t waste your breath. We are only hurting ourselves in the long run.

The biggest excuse we seem to make is the one about not having enough time...isn’t it funny though how we can always find the time to do the things we REALLY want to do? Hmmm. Is a music career something you really want? Another big excuse we seem to have is about not having the money...isn't it funny though how we can always find the money to do the things we REALLY want to do and buy the things we REALLY want to have?

Think about this the next time you feel like using your BUT to explain why you hesitate and procrastinate, and are basically holding YOURSELF back from going after what you REALLY want out of life!

Words To Live By

Life simply takes us on whimsical twists and turns that seem to lead you right back on the path of where you are destined (or choose) to be.

I had someone tell me yesterday, "Change is not easy, but it is very necessary." The situation in which it was being said was not a positive one, but nonetheless for me, it was a pivotal one.

I don't know if you've seen the movie "Matrix Revolutions" the 3rd of a 3-part series in the Matrix Phenonemon, but there is a part when Neo & Agent Smith were down "inside" the street and Neo was on the ground after the last time that Agent Smith hit him and then Agent Smith says, "wait a minute. I've seen this...we were right here...and I'm supposed to say something..." and then he says, "Neo, every beginning has an end." And then Neo gets up and does what he know has to be done and then (if you've seen it) you know the rest...

Well, I felt like Neo at that point...there was something profound in what was said that applied to what seemed like my very survival at that moment, at that very moment, and it was to CHANGE something to make my life move forward. Something in me did change that day...my perspective on the way I approach my business and my time.

You know how they say that there are two things guaranteed or certain in this life: Death and Taxes? Well they need to add CHANGE to this truth. Change is INEVITABLE, it is GUARANTEED, IT IS NECESSARY. Often times the "Universe" or the Creator, God (whatever you may consider IT/HIM or HER to be) gives us a violent shove into reality, almost as if you've missed all the other clues along the way. There is going to be that ONE clue that puts it in plain view for you, sometimes with catastrophic results or circumstances (positive and negative). A rude awakening, as some would call it. It's like the writing is on the wall, has been on the wall and is written in black permanent marker and if you don't see it, you are either in denial and don't want to see or you're looking at it the wrong way and you've just been missing the point all along.

"You can't change anybody, you can only change yourself." I heard that just today, again in re-evaluting the way I look at my world and the things going on around me. I'd heard it before, but like I said, you either see how it applies to your situation or you don't. It is definitely like going through a test, making sure you see the lesson in the situation and taking action to do what is necessary to continue growing, learning and staying motivated, inspired and moved to pursue your dreams!

I told one of my best friends the other day that we can't be the observer and the participant at the same time. Think of it as looking at a movie of what's going on in your life at the time. You are either in the audience watching the movie or you are the actor/actress in the movie. When you take the time to step back from the situation, you may get a different perspective of what's really going on. Sometimes when you are in the situation, emotions are high and your thinking can be clouded by these emotions. When you are out of the picture, you can kind of take the time to think about scenarios that may work best. That's where our imaginations come into play. What can happen as a result of making decision A vs. decision B ? Are there other alternatives available that may also fit or apply? Everyone draws their own conclusions about a situation, maybe you can ask for assistance from the people you trust the most to help you arrive at a decision may help. Just like people watching a movie, we try to put ourselves in the situation we are observing, all along trying to figure out what's going to happen next from the way we are interpreting the movie's plot.

Do the same thing when you are considering a big change in your life. For me, the choice to make is between making one small change that will keep me in the same unstable situation for a little longer, or do I make a big change (stepping outside of a comfort zone) and live my life with the satisfaction that I took a risk to take on a new challenge and didn't settle for mediocrity, because NOTHING is guaranteed anyway?

Mentally I've already made the choice, now it's time to put that choice into ACTION!

It's always your decision to make. You ultimately will be affected by the decision and you'll never go wrong if you trust your spirit, those gut feelings, your own instincts about the choices you have to make. There is a lesson in everything, so make sure you pay attention. Read between the lines and see the situation for what it may be, not what it appears to be.

Gabcast! Intro Message #1

gabcast.com

Some things I'm into

I thought it was finally time that I share something that is special, near and dear to me (besides my brother in my previous post) that has something to do with music.

I am also the director of the Georgia Music Center, which is an initiative to help create the Official Guide to the Georgia Music Industry! This directory will contain ALL-Music related resources in the state, including talent (especially independent talent in various genres).

I am testing out this new audio service I decided to try out and if it is what they say it is, I'll fill you in on it. Tell me what you think about it and whether it would be a great music promotion tool for you! Thanks for your feedback in advance.

The Time is NOW

You know, it's funny how tragedies make you WAKE UP and realize that you don't have much time!

One of my brothers was tragically murdered last week and the first thing that came to mind was What am I waiting for to go full fledged with my business? Why am I dragging my dreams along like sand in the hourglass, not knowing when that sand will run out?

It is SO important for you to clearly define what you want. Once you figure that what you are after is what you really want, don't wait, GO FOR IT! What's stopping you? Trust in yourself and your abilities to achieve ANYTHING you want! We often let fear of mistakes, fear of failure, fear of success even, stop us from achieving what we really want, but think back to a time when you were fearful of something and you overcame it because you really wanted to do it. Remember that time and remember the feelings you got when you overcame.

That's it for today, just don't take the time you have now for granted! Really TIME is all we've got and it's limited so use it wisely!

Stretch New Muscle

Begin anew. I'm embarking on something different. It was already in the works from last year and just happened to actually occur at the start of the year. I've never done voiceover work before and there is a volunteer project that came up and I decided to give it a try, stretch a new muscle, if you will. It's not a big deal, but it's a new challenge.

Think of something, a service, a product that compliments what you currently do or have a desire to do. Sometimes you can be good at other things, but never realize this potential until someone else sees it in you. When a number of people start saying and noticing the same potential, it's reason to look a little deeper, at least I think so and that's with the good and the bad often times. We can't see everything someone else sees. That's why taking time to at least just listen to another's point of view may help you create new ideas and re-examine where things can be improved, new muscles, new strengths can be discovered.

When you keep exercising your old muscles you don't see much of a difference anymore; you are simply maintaining but when you find some new ones, you may feel the initial pain, but it will get better after awhile.

Can Somebody Take Out The Trash?

It never ceases to amaze me...

I can see why the independent revolution has come full force and rightfully so. I actually sat through an hour of radio while I was driving home stuck in traffic (because my cd player was on the blitz) but my ears were hurting...I was absolutely horrified by some of the 'stuff' that I heard(I can't even fix my mouth to call that garbage MUSIC and that's even an understatement). Every five minutes, I could hear myself saying "what kind of crap IS this?" I have to say that out of an hour's worth of music, I probably only liked 2 of the songs, and that was between 4 different stations...is that pitiful or what?

Well, one of the songs that I liked was actually from a new independent artist participating on one of those "battle" programs, where they have two local artists compete to be the champion. This champion is selected by the "listeners". Now, I never listen to this program, so I thought that I would entertain myself, since I didn't have anything else to listen to (I think I would have rather listen to nothing after that hour).

The challenger's music was played first. I have to admit that this was one of the best songs I had heard in a long time (I listen to a little hip-hop here and there), but this was a great club song, I just knew it would win, especially compared to the so-called champion song that was played next (one of those times I was screaming at the top of my lungs, "what kind of crap IS this?") Well, the challenger lost by ONE vote and I'm like they can't be serious.

I felt this was a lost opportunity for the challenger because although we heard the song, there was no other information about how to get the song, who the artist was or anything else identifying how I could get my hands on it. Although people voted for the challenger's song, there is absolutely NO WAY to get in touch with this person to see if he has a digital download of the music. I didn't hear the artist's name but I do remember the song, however the DJs weren't exactly sure if they were pronouncing it correctly. What wasted effort for such good music.

Sure, he got some free promotion from it, but what was promoted exactly? I heard the song one time, who knows if and when I'll ever get to hear it again. I tried calling the station to get some contact information if possible, but the line was busy for at least an hour. The DJs that were hosting that show would have been gone past this point and with all of this effort and no progress, I grew discouraged and just gave up. I really enjoyed the song, but unfortunately I'll never know who the artist was or anything. That's how the "suits" keep control over people. Yeah, they'll give us 3 minutes of local fame, but past that, what have you really gained for all of the time you waited to get the airplay, all of the politics to get chosen for the airplay and then they don't even pronounce your name correctly...and then if you don't win, you'll never get anything from it. Although it was only ONE vote that kept him from victory, ALMOST never gets rewarded (remember I mentioned that before)? Supposedly these commercial stations play what the "people want to hear." Well...I'm a person...and there were at least 7 other people that liked the song, so tell me why can't I ever hear it again?

In that case, I would have done some clever marketing and either said my name or the title of the song as my website name, because then at least I'd have something people could identify with or jot down if I really wanted people to find me. I'm sure he was confident he would win, but he doesn't even get a consellation prize. I sincerely doubt if I will ever get the opportunity to get in contact with him.

Just another reason why I'm glad there is finally a day of true INDEPENDENTS (pronounced, independence), where those considered to be the underdogs can be the top dogs, and truly give people what they want to hear.

Comfort Zone...NOT! The Musical Chairs Lesson

I know many of us begin this journey into the Music Business with a full-time Just Over Broke better known as a J-O-B and you pursue your dream part-time as a result... I commend you for starting NOW in spite of...but who's to blame for that?

As I sit and write this post I'm at one of those Just Over Broke situations and although I feel I'm worth more than what I'm being paid (my boss TOLD me I was one of the lowest paid people in my position) and that my bonus was a pure and total SHOCKER (I worked my BUTT OFF this year for this company and don't have ANYTHING to show for it - how's that for a Happy Holidays), and no one seems to appreciate the extra effort you put forth each year you sit and give to these people...Look at it this way...

As an employee of anybody else's company, you work on THEIR dreams and aspirations, devoting your precious and invaluable 8+ hours (don't forget to factor in traffic and commuting time, to and from home) to fulfilling THEIR goals and adding to THEIR bottomline...they provide you with a meager salary as they live rich and fulfilled because you are doing everything they need for THEM to live the life of luxury and bliss, right?

But wait....who is holding you back from LEAVING THIS PLACE and pursuing our OWN goals and dreams...but you say, "I need the money to survive and pay the bills"...well, is it that you are in a comfort zone? What's comfortable about no guarantees? What's comfortable about not knowing if you will have a JOB tomorrow if they so decide to let you go for no reason? What's comfortable about risking your life everyday in traffic? What's comfortable about you doing your best and they still give you the same rate of pay although you've gone over and above THEIR expectations?

I don't think it's about really being comfortable as it is that it's just EASY! It's an easy way to exchange your talents for money, many times in ways that you feel demean you and don't adequately use the best skills you have, wasting your valuable and precious time for a set price. Yep, Folks, Its' THE No-Haggle way for you to buy your LIFE, in essence, that's what you do when you get a job. You are buying your life based on what you are paid, so in other words, you are saying your life is only worth $XX,XXX, that your life's enjoyment can only be restricted to $XXX and you can only do it when you have the TIME OFF they allow you to have (for many of us it's about 10 days out of 365, now how's that for living it up? (Of course we're not considering the 2 days you usually get in a standard week, but you know what we're trying to get at, because some of us are working 2 JOBs, so you don't even get that) Think about that!

Again, it's the value you assign to the money, what can that money do for YOUR life? It's doing wonders for theirs and may only account for, at the most about 2% of what you are making for them in profits or saving them in expenses or liabilities. Sure, your salary can make it a little better where you are not struggling to have the basic necessities in life, but isn't your time worth more than that? Isn't it more valuable than that? Okay, something is better than nothing, but would you just not do anything, when you have this passion to do your music? Doesn't your life have the potential to be more than it is right now? What more would you like for it to be? I'm sure MORE than what the JOB is paying you and what they are utilizing your skills for, correct?

It's almost like a game of musical chairs; many of us march around setting our sights on getting that ONE seat that will declare us the winner...but what happens when you don't win or someone else pushes you out of the chair you were going for? It's not fair, you may feel, but WHAT is fair in this life? TIME is fair, we all have the same 24 hours as any one else does, we've chosen for someone else to dictate those 24 hours for us, when we have a JOB. During this musical chairs game, many of us give up and decide to just wait until the next round and try to fight over that next one seat again in attempts to be declared the winner.

It's almost the same with having a goal to just get ENOUGH, looking for the easy way, trying to be the winner of the one seat that's going to make you who you are destined to be...but do you have to be in THAT specific seat to be a winner? Sure, it's good that you want to play over and over again, you know that you can do it and you go full steam ahead to keep trying...but trying is NOT DOING! There is a very distinct difference, ALMOST NEVER gets rewarded, that's second place, and you want to be second to none...the only way you become second to none is by creating it yourself, there is no room for competition in something you've created, how can someone compete with an original? No one can sit in the seat you've created for yourself, it has your name on it, your DNA, your special uniqueness that can only be yours and yours alone. You can always decide not to play that game..the J-O-B game and use that time for adding meaningful value to your life.

Well, some of you will say, "but Mill, it's okay to do that temporarily until you have the means to do it full-time, right?" I say, yes, but how long is temporary? It has no time constraints, it has no real measurement, it has no goal potential because temporary can be several minutes, hours, days, months and/or years. I know people that have been on temporary work assignments for 3 years...why in the world are they still considered to be a temp? It's all in how you are defining what your time means and how it is valued. People will take advantage of you as long as you ALLOW them. They are getting what they need and that's all that matters to them. Don't let people take advantage of you, again you ALLOW them, it's outright blatant that you ALLOW them to do that to you. You show up, you've allowed them to do it to you over and over again. Why subject yourself to that? Why allow someone to get the best of you, your talents and your time? Why let them dictate how much you are worth? Don't you feel your time is more valuable than that? WHY, WHY, WHY?

If MUSIC (My Unique Sound In Creation) is what you want to do, don't make excuses, make it happen.

I've finally figured out that it's my fault that I allow these people to do this to me...I'm doing something NOW (No Other Way) to put a value on my TIME - To Initiate My Experience (you can tell I LOVE acronyms, right :-) and you should too. Don't let it be just because it's a new year coming...let it be because you've decided you don't want to play Musical Chairs for the rest of your life and that the comfort zone is not the best place to be when the war between what you have and what you deserve begins!

Take the Time to Savor the Flavor

I'm sure you've heard that expression "stop and smell the roses," right? Well, do you take time to actually do that? Life's simplicities are fast becoming extent because we always want more quickly. Always rushing to get here and there, to and fro, from A to B, but have you given much thought to just appreciating the trip in between?

Isn't it amazing how we are in such a hurry to succeed, to make lots of money, to sell a gazillion records, become big superstars and then....what? Take time to get full off the journey to achieving these monumental (however not impossible) dreams, take the time to study what went wrong at one show and what went right at another. TAKE THE TIME to see what types of people appeal to your music more so you can get more people like them involved and appealing to your music as well. SAVOR THE FLAVOR.

Many musicians don't take the time to build the relationship necessary to bridge the gap between just meeting someone and then getting them to buy your music. It's more like "buy my cd because I make great music"...well, how selfish is that? "It's all about YOU, so why should I buy it," is the thought that comes into the potential buyer's head. That's a quick turnoff... so SLOW down. Put yourself in your customers' shoes and see how that would feel to you. TAKE THE TIME to understand WHY people would want to buy your music...SAVOR THE FLAVOR.

I want you to reflect upon the small wins, those meaningful accomplishments you've had and will have in your career, like doing a great gig, building a list, being able to connect with someone new through your music, touching another's life through your MUSIC...now see, doesn't that feel good? SAVOR THE FLAVOR.

Your Music Is NOT about YOU

Greetings and blessings to you!

As strange as it may seem, the music you make is not for you to decide on whether it's good or not. Are you making the music to listen to yourself? Of course not. You'll think it's the best thing since sliced bread, but the power isn't yours to decide in this case.

When you make music, the purpose is usually to share it with others. The first question you should be asking yourself before you put it out there is how will this music make my audience feel? People buy music and listen for a specific purpose whether it's to be entertained, to party, to feel good, to reminisce, to relax, relate and release...there is a specific purpose. It's not just some activity, there is something they want to experience from it, think about an old lover, to celebrate new love (this is how I feel about my new love), so on and so forth.

What kind of experience do you create for your listeners? Building this type of connection with your audience gives you a career of longevity and prosperity, not just hopeful hits. When people can relate, they trade their money for the perceived value of the experience they will receive as a result. That's consumer behavior. We buy from our hearts, not from our heads. All logic goes out of the window because we buy from emotions...don't forget this important rule...emotions are the essence of purchase and if you are looking to sell your music in vast numbers, understanding this will make it easier for you.

Connect with your audience on a higher level..."tune into their stations" and they'll never change the channel. Just like radio, they have the opportunity to change the dial if they are not "feeling you"...You feel me? Remember, it's not about you, it's all about them. Make them feel like you've designed the music just for their benefit!

Revelations

Here it is...the day I decided to finally go through with it and stop chasing the dream...and start living it. Many of us, it seems, often get caught up in the "same ole drama, different day" cycle. I heard someone say that your life begins AFTER the comfort zone...and so it has!

Isn't it great that you can start each day anew as if the one before it never happened? Whatever mistakes, failures, hangups and let downs you may have experienced, can NEVER be experienced again, unless you allow it to be brought forth again. Your thoughts, your focus, your attitude determines the day...YOU are in control. Aaah, it truly is a wonderful life and it's definitely worth experiencing to the fullest.

I plan to share my MUSIC with you which I call My Unique Sound In Creation and hope that you are empowered and inspired to go forth with your dreams and realize this... It is not your music you are selling, it is YOU, your heart, your very essence and further realize that it is the experience your music creates for the one it touches, it's not about YOU, it's about them! A great group of individuals told me that and I will NEVER forget it, so you shouldn't either. Welcome to Mill's Indie Music INSIDER - you'll come to know what that means as we travel along this journey... :-)