The projects I take on are often perceived as “fun” or “glamorous,” presumably because they are usually related to music, creativity, performance, or entertainment in some capacity.
But music is not any less work than anything else. You cannot get good at it without treating it like a full-time job, or at the very least, a very serious part-time job.
No one in their right mind says, “after my 9 – 6, I’m going to go home, have supper, and practice my guitar for six hours.” But these are the very virtuosos you see on YouTube, some not even famous. What they’re doing requires an immense amount of focus, dedication, and hard work.
You can’t go to the clubs, hang out with friends, or lay on the beach if you’re practicing guitar six hours per night. Once you’ve paid your dues at the day job, the only thing waiting for you at home is a music stand, your practice material, and maybe a notebook to jot your ideas down.
And if you’ve ever heard a musician practice… oh boy. It looks like playing something the wrong way, repeatedly, for hours, sometimes days (or weeks, or months, or years) on end, until you can finally play it correctly. Talk about agony.
Just because something appears “fun” doesn’t mean it takes any less work. It’s usually the opposite. If you want to become a master of your craft, you can’t let anything get in the way of your commitment. And if you want to stand out in a profession others consider “fun” and “easy,” you can bet you’ve got your work cut out for you.
My projects get done because I take them seriously, just as any entrepreneur would. I no longer think about whether I’m passionate about what I do. I decide to be passionate about what I do, simply because I’m doing it.
Come spend a week with me some time. Then you can be the judge of whether what I do is any fun.
I’ve made a commitment to creating the life I love through my creativity. And that means doing whatever it takes. If I have fun along the way, I count it as a bonus. But it doesn’t mean I don’t encounter challenges or go through an array or emotions as I’m doing it (I’ve simply found that being emotional about everything wastes precious energy). I’m human. I go through everything you can imagine me going through.
An unreasonable commitment to showing up and doing the work is what has gotten me to where I am. Without integrity in what I do, I would not even enjoy the humble success I have today. And I am nothing if not a work in progress when it comes to integrity.
Buyers of the Productivity, Performance & Profits Blackbook were treated to an early, near-complete version of the book inside the membership today.
Why v0.7?
I’ve been making huge strides with the book in the last couple of weeks, only to realize:
There’s still so much more content I want to add.
Some of the content deserves an extra coat of polish.
I’d like to spend a little more time developing the design, formatting, and layout of the book.
The resources section needs to be built out in full.
It is supposed to be a premium book, after all.
But I wanted to be a man of my word (I said that the book would be ready as early as February 20), which is why I released v0.7, sneak preview edition!
But… it doesn’t stop there! 🧀
Early adopters of the Blackbook were also treated to 14 bonus videos on productivity, performance, and profits. And there will be more bonus deliverables.
Yep. No waiting. You can access these videos right away if you purchase the book.
Starting to feel like you may have missed out? Yeah, I hear you. 👂
I have good news, though…
You can stillget the book and all the bonuses for just $10 USD (regular $57 USD) if you order between now and February 28, 2023.
After that, the price goes up to $57 USD (it’s worth every penny, mind you…).
Here are a few questions that came through. Let’s tackle them! 💪
So, is v1.0 still coming?
Yes, of course it is!
Will there be a paperback or hardcover edition of the book?
It largely depends on demand. So far, everyone’s been quite happy with the digital edition.
But if you’re interested in a physical version, do let me know!
Will the book and all associated bonuses be rolled into Elite Players: All Access Pass membership?
Yes, it will! And the price of membership will remain the same.
What’s the end game here? This is not just a book, is it?
Okay, you got me. The book is loaded with valuable content, and you’re not obligated to purchase a thing more. But there is more coming. I don’t have an “end game,” per se, but as I continue to climb this mountain, I am seeing further.
And here is what I’m starting to see:
The Productivity, Performance & Profits audiobook
The Productivity, Performance & Profits interviews
The Productivity, Performance & Profits newsletter
The Productivity, Performance & Profits challenge
The Productivity, Performance & Profits course
The Productivity, Performance & Profits coaching
The Productivity, Performance & Profits mastermind
Will I really be creating all that? Well, only time will tell. But the ideas are flowing.
What recurring patterns have you observed in your life that you no longer wish to repeat?
It’s often been said that if you keep encountering the same challenges, you’re at the source of the challenges.
And if you’ve never heard that before, then I may have just rattled your brain.
We repeat the same unwanted patterns repeatedly, with remarkable insanity.
What do you do when you’ve identified a pattern you don’t want to perpetuate anymore?
Do you have a pattern interrupt you can turn to, a way to catch yourself in the act early, a means to prevent the unwanted well in advance of it unfolding?
Or are you comfortable living out different iterations of the same people, events, and circumstances?
Choosing a new action is difficult. You can’t just expect to make the right decision in the moment.
What’s required is an identity shift. A new way of thinking about yourself. “I’m the kind of person who…”
Finish that sentence with the kind of person you want to become, and then begin living as if it’s true. It will become true.
Is exactly how you handle yourself in every area of life.
Of course, your knee-jerk reaction is going to be, “that’s not true – I have disproportionate results in X area, while Y area suffers.”
But look closely again.
You will see that you are always tempted to quit – or do in fact quit – at a certain point regardless of the relationship, business, fitness goal, or otherwise.
Likewise, where you do well, you tend to do well in every area of life.
We should not be discouraged by this. Instead, we should use it as a mirror to identify where we frequently find ourselves stopped, wanting to give up, or otherwise struggling.
By doing so, we can create plans that allow us to move passed the familiar and into the unknown. Because in the unknown is where breakthrough happens.
When it comes right down to it, everyone runs from responsibility, discomfort, commitment, and pain.
Even the seemingly fearless who run towards challenges eventually find themselves crying “uncle.” Everyone arrives at “too much” if you push them far enough.
Your heroes aren’t that much bigger than you. They’ve struggled just like you. They’ve had to conquer themselves, wrestle their excuses to the ground, take risks when they felt more like turning, running, and hiding.
I say that as if it’s a permanent condition, but it’s not. It’s a daily struggle.
The only difference between you and them is that your heroes have been just a tad bolder, a tad more audacious, a tad more direct.
Where you’ve held back, they’ve been in action. And those actions might not be as massive as you’d expect. They simply asked where you failed to ask, made requests where you were stopped, had conversations where you were too uncomfortable to communicate. That’s it.
Pedestals are pointless. Your heroes are just like you. They have worries, fears, excuses, and concerns too. And some days, most days, they don’t live up to their own standards, let alone the high standards you hold them to. You just don’t hear about it.
