Consider that the Grand Canyon (in the US) was formed by a once great river. Scientists speculate that the canyons discovered on Mars were created by ancient rivers and oceans. What is it about rivers? Rivers persist and adapt. If you put your foot in the river, the water would continue to flow around your foot. In the most extreme case that you never remove your foot from the river, the persistent flow of water would erode away the skin. If we live our life with the persistence and adaptiveness of a river, we will become ultra-effective. We will create the metaphorical equivalent of carving grand canyons.

And, how do the people and media around us inform what we should want and should tolerate? The gap between want and tolerate could be vast. That gap can feel exaggerated when you incorporate the views and expectations of others.Perhaps it’s better to stick with what you know you can tolerate. Make that your baseline.

I played 4 gigs this weekend, and started work on a digital marketing strategy for another artist. In all that I did, I saw a through line: people put themselves in a vulnerable position when they ask you to do something for them. When people make themselves vulnerable to you, do not take that moment for granted. Treat the request with the greatest reverence. Do your best to help, and serve.

I love this quote from the movie, The Red Shoes:“Lermontov: Why do you want to dance?Vicky: Why do you want to live?Lermontov: Well, I don’t know exactly why, but… I must.Vicky: That’s my answer too.”Why do we do anything? Why do I write? Because I must. Why do I play? Because I must.Why do I learn ? Because I must.Like a beaver must build a dam, we are driven to do the things that matter most to us. Identify your own “but I must’s”. What are they? Are you doing enough of them?

In the past, I thought every interaction as laden with hidden meanings. Unanswered texts, peculiar glances, and seemingly offensive remarks enraged me. My anger often led to emotional reactions, sometimes I ended friendships. Now, my perspective changed.I learned that life, itself, is devoid of meaning beyond survival. If nothing is threatening my survival, why should I overreact to others’ words or glances? Now, I try to focus exclusively on the present. I seek to make the most of each moment. I constantly remind myself: how can I make the most of what’s in front of me now?The journey, which I am still on, is not over. I am still unlearning bad habits. I practice radical self-accountability the best I can. Your perception of the world is malleable — it’s shaped by our beliefs and and the interpretations of our experiences. If we want to, we can challenge our beliefs and interpretations. If you want to change, start by asking yourself two questions.If I could change just one thing to help me find contentment, what might I change? How might I implement that change into my life right now?For me, I started a practice of noticing walls. I paid attention to how the walls looked. I noticed their texture. I never allowed myself to entertain the question, why was the wall that way. Simple practice. Immeasurable results.HT to The Last Word for the inspiration. Click here for more.

I find that sleep makes everything better. Strained a muscle moving something? Have a good sleep and feel rejuvenated the next morning! Stuck on a problem that can’t work itself out? Go to sleep and let your mind work on the problem for you.Super stressed out and having a bad day? Sleep. How can you be stressed and having a bad day while you’re asleep?If only there was a way to create a sleep-like effect on the mind and body without sleeping…

Just remember that you are the center of your solar system. You control the gravitational force of the planets that orbit you as the sun. And not all planets are Mercury.You must adjust the gravitational force you exert on other people. Sometimes you must use less gravity and keep people (or jobs) at a distance. At other times, you must try to exert a stronger force to pull people closer. You get to decide how much force is used in your solar system.HT to Dr. Mike for the useful metaphor!

Viola Davis, Maya Angelou, Tom Hanks, myself, and likely you ask the question, Am I good enough. Our biggest fans likely respond with, of course you are, you are great, you can do anything… but, we don’t believe them. In fact, like conspiracy theorists, we might actively look for evidence to prove our biggest fans wrong. Why?Perhaps there’s a part of us that doesn’t want to accept that we make impactful work — that we have left our imprint on the lives of others. Perhaps there’s a part of us that think it’s easier and more comfortable to slink into the shadows and not show up. Why bother, we’re not good enough the voice says to us. Perhaps we are scared that the work we do might just work. What are the implications and ramifications of being right? Many humans throughout our history asked themselves the question - am I good enough. Those same humans have made remarkable impacts on our world; and I think those humans would still continue to ask themselves that question.You’re not alone. HT to Hidden Brian for an inspiring podcast — click here to listen.

In most cases, exposure is not good. Over exposure will land you in jail and in many cases lead to your death. However… I can think of 1 case that exposure is required for life — immunity.We have to expose ourselves to things that could kill us in order to develop immunities to them - viruses. I have already developed an immunity to the cheap rhetoric of being asked to work for free. (This post might especially resonate with the musician subscriber)

Yesterday, I played a church service that felt more like a marathon than a gentle walk. 10 songs in a row, no break in between, and loads of moments where the script went out the window. I had moments that required me to read music and had to make something up on the spot. Thankfully, I have a playbook of my best ideas.Life rhymes. Your experiences today might be similar to experiences in the past. If you’re like a musician, you’ll take to reflect on past experiences. You’ll want to understand what worked and what didn’t. You’ll create a playbook of your best ideas to rely on when life starts to rhyme with the past. Keep your new playbook fresh. Question your best ideas — could they be better? Notice what others do to be effective, how might you steal their ideas? How do your best ideas impact the work of others?