Brady Helps

This post is for musicians. Especially musicians in the cruise line industry.  If you are like most people I know, you are probably surprised by the title. Agents are not bad. They serve a purpose. To those that need someone to broker employment contracts, agents are essential. If agents are not corrupt, then, how do they receive such a bad rap?It starts with you.In my time as a contractor and a leader, I have received thousands upon thousands of requests to help sever agent agreements. Nine times out of ten, musicians would say the agent is doing nothing for them. In many instances, that's probably true. I have been in that musician's position before; I don't like it. However, it is the situation we deserve because we signed the contract.  I am not going to write about awful musicians, how to get out of unfair representation contracts, or how to get your employer to get in the middle. No.  I am going to write about how to understand a representation contract. I will write about the transactions that customarily occur behind the scenes. I will write about these subjects with the hopes that you can apply this knowledge to your current situation.  There will be several posts over several days:Covenant restrictions.Commissions - Who Pays What When.Tortious Interference - Don't Get In the Middle.Do Not Pay to Play.Starting Your Own Agency.My goal is not to interject too much opinion, but rather, arm you with information. I do have my views about many talent agencies. For the most part, they are good people trying to do honest work. There are some that I don't agree with their manner of doing business, and I have shared my concerns with them — no need to spread bad vibes here.I hope you'll join me and follow along in the explorations of agents. They are not bad. They serve a purpose to those that need someone to broker contracts of employment. Like most things, use them the way they were intended. If they don't serve your purpose, they're not for you.

This post is the last of a 3-part bit on stories and their importance.

• Part 1: Share your story.
• Part 2: Share our story.
• Part 3: you're here now, what's the story of now?

My inspiration for writing these articles came from the work of Marshall Ganz. Ganz believed stories speak to the heart of people. Leadership storytelling speaks to the hearts of those in your charge.

1. You've shared your story of self-development. You've stated what happened in your life that you are here to steward our mission and lead us.
2. You shared our story. Like the sage, you've shared the history of our tribe and our tribe's values.

Now, this story is the call to action. Here, you tell us what we are to do. You ignite within us a fire to go forth and make the change our tribe seeks to make. To quote Ganz:

"We're called to answer the question in a spirit of hope."

The question he refers to is the change we want to make. We are called to make this change in the spirit of hope.

• Hope is what makes us human.
• Hope is what gets us up in the morning.
• Hope is what drives us to do anything worth believing.
• Hope is our belief that we can make something happen and change the world.

To write about hope is to write about the future as if it were the past. Jason Silva presents a spirited, and inspiring, view of what it means to tell the story of now.  

As steward's of the tribe's mission, as a chief storyteller, as our leader, you must present to us an inspired view of the world we seek to create.   So, boss, what do we do now?

"The moment you adopt that vision as truth, it becomes truth." - Jason Silva

I had previously shared the importance of sharing your story. 

What about, as Marshall Ganz puts it, the story of us?

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've discussed the importance of having a mission, being the change, leaving a legacy, and sharing the story of how you came to be. If you take these concepts and apply them, you'll have developed a tribe of people who believe what you believe. But that's not enough.

"How did WE come to be?"

Follower to you: “Okay, I believe what you believe, and I get your story. But why am I, and others like me, here?”

You: uh...

Your followers need you to teach the story of the tribe. Does it call to mind visions of old sages sharing ancestral stories? I hope so. That's the story you need to share. We get how you came to be the steward of the tribe's mission, but we don't understand how we came to exist as a tribe.  

Here's what to have in your mind:

• Believe in your mission, your legacy and know the change; and,
• Empathize with the problems and challenges of your tribe.

Here's what to write:

• Your purpose and the change you want to create with extreme clarity.
• The legacy you hope that someone will carry forward after you've gone.
• List the real problems, strifes, and challenges of people like you and your followers.
• Create a plot (how the tribe came to be, including any challenges along the way), a protagonist (the problems/strifes/challenges your tribe faces) and an outcome (the legacy your tribe will leave behind).

It's not enough to tell us why you're here. Tell us why WE are here. Show us how WE came into existence. Steward OUR mission and help us be the change WE want to see. Share our story.

Are you real with the people you serve?

Do they know how you came to be who you are right now?

Share your story.

Your story does not have to be a melodrama complete with abusive operators, starvation, poverty, and horror; though it might be. Your story is an authentic telling of what led you to serve the way you serve. It's what led you to become the artisan you have become. We care.

We care because we love stories. We tell ourselves stories all the time. We make sense of the world around us through stories. When you share your story, you allow us to retell your story to ourselves. We are changed and believe in you when the story you tell us is the story we tell ourselves. Genuine and honest stories create real and dedicated believers.

Your story shapes your brand. It manages the expectations your audience will have in their dealings with you. Stories are essential to your success. If you want a successful brand, share your story.

Stories give clarity to your thoughts. When you commit your story to writing, you provide a foundation to build your brand. Your thinking becomes more focused when you write and share your thoughts. Your innermost thoughts and dreams become a reality when your mind's eye reads your written work. You become alive. We need you to be alive.

Throughout this blog, I will share stories about myself. I will provide insights to you based on my experiences and studies of leadership, personal effectiveness, and recruitment. I hope that my stories will give clarity to who I am as an individual. If you'd like to engage with my story, please do. I love to share with others what I have learned.

If you have a story, you'd like to share with the community, comment below. If not here, somewhere, anywhere where someone can listen. We love stories, and we want to know yours.

Please, Share Your Story.

If you're reading my blog, you are most likely working in service to another person or business. Could you be an artist serving your fans? Perhaps a recruiter serving their hiring manager? At the end of the day, you are a human helping another human. But who are you for?

I help people uncover their motivations so that they can build a more engaged life for themselves. [Edit 2/1/2026] For a fee, I provide personal branding services to job seekers with the hope they'll find a role that allows them to be the change they want to see in the world. It's fulfilling work, and it's for those job seekers that need my help. If you are not in that position, this service is not for you. You'd be wasting your money and your time. Who are you for?

I encourage you to reflect on how life shaped you. Remember that question about the impact you had on your best friend? Take what your best friend would say and reflect for a moment. Does your current role allow you to have these impacts? If not, how can you adjust the position so that it can?  

The people changed by your intentional service are who you are for; you are for those people.

You are for those types of organizations.

You are for those types of problems.

If you are not serving those people/organizations, would you consider quickly changing your situation?  

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

We, the world, do not need you wasting your time doing something for those that you are not intended to serve.

We need you to be helping the people you are meant to serve.

Who are you for?

You do not have a good reason not to be spending more time outside. Unless of course, your work is outdoors.    

The benefits you would derive from spending more time outside are immeasurable.  

• Space promotes creativity;
• Outdoors, increased oxygen, the wind blowing through trees supports your well being;
• Meetings are more fun in the sun (I just moved from Miami, I don't know what it's like in Winter);
• Being in nature allows our natural curiosity to flourish; we explore more of our world; and,
• A boatload of additional benefits.

I enjoy hiking. I would not describe myself as "outdoorsy," nor would I describe myself as a "hiker," I love being outdoors. For me, being outside is an opportunity to explore, and I love exploration. I see it as a chance to learn more about the world around me, relate what I've learned to another thing, and build a more massive mental construct of the world. Doing so allows me to see my own role in the world better. What works for me doesn't have to work for you.

I encourage you to turn off your phone and get outside more so that you can discover what turns you on. I want you to have an opportunity to see yourself in the world a bit better. If you're not much for the outdoors, that's fine, take a walk around your neighborhood. Get outside. Explore.

You are not. The thoughts your brain creates does not have to become your reality. It's your choice. You are not your mind.

In the past, I've struggled with what some call bipolar disorder. I choose not to label myself. There are times where my energy may be slightly elevated, and there are times it may be somewhat depressed. But since realizing that this energy level does not dictate my behavior, my ups and downs are considerably more manageable. How was I able to manage my energy? Hello, Mindfulness!

Admittedly, upon first learning about mindfulness, I thought the practice was nothing more than deep breathing and meditation; this didn't interest me. Now, I can not imagine a world without this ancient practice. Mindfulness has helped me to learn that I am accountable for what I allow to affect my life and how that directs my behavior. I am not my mind.  

The mechanism for how the mind plays tricks on us is simple and linked to our survival.  This article from the blog, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, most adequately explains the concepts better than I could. In addition to reading, you can practice mindfulness today. It's easy. 

For Stress

• Take a cold shower (if able);
• Allow an ice cube to melt in your hand (all of it);
• Get outside, breathe fresh air, and look at the trees, observe them, but do not ask anything about them;
• Buy a bottle of water and open it;
• Force the tip of your tongue up against the roof of your mouth;
• As you're walking, to yourself, name the objects you see along the walk. 

For Loads of Energy

• Enjoy the energy;
• Practice some mental GPS - what just happened, what's happening now, and what will happen next;
• Write down, with a piece of paper and a pencil; what lifted your spirits so that you can remember it for the future; and how about,
• If you've got tons of ideas and can't sleep, write down your thoughts with a pencil on a pad of paper.

The above represents a small sample of tips you can do right now to promote mindfulness in your life. I hope you'll try them out and consider studying mindfulness as a tool to support your development. Making mindful rituals a part of your day is easy, and you'll experience the benefits:  

• Reduce stress and anxiety;
• Promote overall health and wellness;
• Inspire happiness;
• Improve work-life and whole lifestyle;
• Creates a positive, action-oriented, mindset;
• Quick adaptation to change;
• And the list goes on!

More than twenty years after being told I would need medicine the rest of my life here I am, happy, healthy, and an effective individual. I have not struggled with these challenges in more than a decade; I plan to keep things this way.  I am not my mind.

You are not your mind, and by learning and applying mindful techniques, you'll find the success and happiness you seek in your life and your work.  Do not let your mind decide for you how you will live in the world. You are not your mind.

Who doesn't obsess about the past? Who doesn't get anxious about the future? Who doesn't feel lost in the fog of the here and now?  

Your Mind as a Temporal GPS

Your ability to be the most effective individual relies on your ability to balance information from the past (how things were), the present (things as they are now), and the future (things as we want them to be). Too often we abuse this ability and, like Marty McFly, get stuck in the past, the future, and search endlessly to come back to the present.  

The Past

Know somebody that spends too much time reflecting on what they "should" have done? I know tons. 

Know somebody that can't get over how someone upset them earlier in the day? I know tons.

I am guilty of being all of the above, and I am sure you are as well. None of us are alone. We are guilty of abusing an ancient skill that has helped shape our species into what we've become - learners. Studying the past allows you to learn from mistakes, change our behavior in the present, and be the change we want to see in the world.

The Present

I study mindfulness. I believe "mindfulness" is a reincarnation of ancient and primal modes of existence. All nature is inherently mindful. However, I've abused "mindfulness" as I'm sure you have to and have gotten lost in the fog.

The "Fog of Now" is the effect that comes from not knowing where you're going, where you came from, and not being quite sure what you're doing at the moment. The fog comes when we overthink about the present. Practice mindfulness so that you can be in the moment, realize what's happening around you, and be engaged. Retrace your steps and remind yourself of how you came to be in the present moment. Stay out of your head.

The Future

"Cease to hope, and you shall cease to fear." — Seneca

I couldn't agree more.

Destroying and shattering your hopes and dreams is not my goal. Instead, I want you to find a healthy balance of creating a vision for the future while accepting that things will most likely change. Remove the word "should" from your vocabulary. It creates an unhealthy expectation that doesn't allow for things to change. Life happens. Replace "should" with "can" or "will."

• Example 1: Replace "I should be able to run a mile" with "If I run each day, I will be able to run a mile in 10 minutes by April 1, 2030."
• Example 2: Replace "You should have told me" with "next time if you're able, please try to tell me right away so that I can respond quickly."
• Example 3: Replace "I should have practiced harder, that's why I fail so often" with "In the past, I didn't practice effectively, now I will effectively practice each day for 30 minutes with the hopes of winning more."

Create a clear vision of the future. It's also important to shape that vision in a way that allows you to accept failures, uncontrollable circumstances, and life.  

Stop Overthinking

You overthink. You can stop.  

• Stuck in the past: Stop, remind yourself where you are right now and give yourself a clear vision of the future.
• Stuck in the fog of now: Stop and retrace your steps, and give yourself a clear vision of the future.
• Stuck in the future: Stop and acknowledge the present, and retrace your steps.

You overthink. You can stop. Stop.

A good resource: https://www.mindful.org/difference-between-being-and-doing/

Related Entry on Pride.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Then, let others take your torch and spread your vision; this is a legacy.  

Being proud of yourself requires you to see the impact of your work. To do this, you are required to think about how you'd like the world to change after you're gone; this is deep.

In my life, I've struggled to see my impact on the people I've touched. I never felt the need to think so deeply about my actions; I was wrong. I did not accept compliments, appreciation, and other forms of recognition well. As a result, I never truly felt fulfilled, happy, in my work, and my life. I changed my life.  

As a leader, I was encouraged to rethink my role in the lives that were in my charge; I needed a new perspective.  

• I accepted the responsibility I had to lead and support the humans in my care.
• I created a vision of the world I wanted to create. I also communicated that vision to the team.
• I did my best to act with intention. I shared what I was going to do and why before I did. Finally,
• I allowed those I care about to support me, tell me I am wrong, and share the journey with me.

Admittedly, I felt uncomfortable when asked about what my legacy would be in my last role. I still feel uneasy when asked. But my mind changed when I realized that it's not about me.  

Legacy is not about you. It's about the people you support. It's about bringing these people around something bigger than themselves. It's about being the one to carry the torch. It's about being comfortable to hand the torch to someone else when the time is right. Legacy is the culture we create for the people we love, care and support. Leave a legacy.

Note from the Future: David here from Feb 1, 2026. My dad passed away and, years after this post went live, he said something that hits this subject — who are you a part of? Read more here.

It would be great if we are producing new work, art, ideas, innovations, opportunities each day that we can be proud of, wouldn't it?

It's not always the case.

We must bring to bear all of our strengths, effort, and drive to build some thing; and then, after we've put in all that work, we can be proud.

Still, it's not always the case.

As leaders, marketers, professionals, artists, pick a profession: we have a responsibility to be proud of our work. In spite of the importance, I observe that we're not always proud; but we can be.

Your Internal GPS

We all have an internal GPS of sorts. This internal GPS tracks our past self, our present self, and how we see our future self. Develop pride in your work by reflecting on the efforts you put forth, the present moment of completion, and seeing how what you completed can help others.

Allow yourself to see progress, to see self effectiveness, and to foresee your impact on the world.

Your Efforts

Anything worth believing is worth fighting for - you're worth it! Bring your entire self to bear when working on a project. Focus on leveraging your talents. Honestly be able to say: "I put 100% of myself into my work - without fail - 100% of the time!"

When we use all of our abilities, we are alive.

Your Drive

In a previous entry, I discussed being the change you want to see. Tie what you're doing back to the change you want to create in the world. Make an effort to be involved in projects that allow you to leverage your drive and your motivation. When we do things that matter to us, we create things that help people.

Are you proud?

You can be. Remember where you started, be present when you've finished, use all of your strengths, leverage your drive, and reflect how what you just did can help change the world for the better. Be Proud.