I Must Do

I must do what I say and believe most deeply, at least as much as I say it, I must do it. I must repent and turn from the dark, I must understand and live the light....I must do.....

Right Versus True

It is often better to be at peace than to be right. Arguing with a fool won't change their mind. Now standing up for truth and justice is a completely different thing, but it still needs to be done in a way that measures conflict.

Jesus was confrontational and revolutionary, but often he simply stated the truth and walked away. When he was wrongly given over to be killed, he didn't fight, he didn't have a plan B to have his supporters come in and rescue him, he simply stated the truth about his identity.

The problem with "being right" all the time is that it is a lonely place. In the end you come out the bully. Steadfastly but humbly standing for truth changes the world, often more quickly and quietly than those who proclaim their rightness.

State of Christian Music in Canada

Developing? Growing? Improving?

I think it is all of those things. One of the challenges facing the Canadian scene is the lack of strong churches that are capable of being their own production house, and sustaining it. When you look around the world at the way the industry works there are really two models.

One is the still the traditional record industry model that signs bands, produces music, markets it, tours and tries to garner income from the various channels available to them. Nashville is the hub in the USA for that industry.

The second is large churches that have created a quality production houses. Most of them integrate with the traditional industry at the distribution level. The creative part, the Nashville part is the church itself. I think the behemoth in that category is Hillsongs, it used to be Vineyard with some serious Canadian content.

I think the next phase for Canada is getting more semi-professional production houses going, as well as churches who sustain writing and production. I also think there needs to be some form of Canadian distribution, digital or otherwise, that makes it easy to get your Canadian fix.

Anyway, those are just some thoughts. Love to hear some feedback about your thoughts....

What's Your Deserve Level?

I am simply passing on learning here, I am not an authority or originator of this concept. You may have heard the phrase "Your net worth will only ever be a large as your self worth." Cheesy? I don't think so.

Another concept that I have learned from this month's success magazine via Joel Harper is deserve level. Do I think I deserve to be in shape? Do I think I deserve to succeed in life and family etc?

Something to think about. In my life there are certain things that I value so highly, that I think I deserve, or my family deserves, that I do what it takes to get it or give it. Pragmatically, Joel talks about finding a way to transfer that deserve level to areas of your life where for some reason or another you have not accepted it.

I really do not think this is an easy one, but I do think it is incredibly important. Think about how you can raise your deserve level in an area that you are unsatisfied with.

Why "Do Overs" are ok

You have heard a little of this before on this blog, and maybe this is simply more self-justification, but I must say I believe in do-overs. Maybe I mean start overs, maybe I mean start a new, maybe I mean just starting late.

I have an aunt who I respect greatly. I would say that she has not had the easiest pathway, and at one point needed to do over, in her 40's. So she did. Got a law degree, became a lawyer, and is now, and will retire a judge. Nice do over!

When I was 16 I wanted a studio. I wanted to record my own music, I wanted to be that guy. Well it wasn't until about 5 years ago that I finally got one, and I feel like every song I produce I am getting better and closer to doing something of the quality I dreamed of all those years ago.

One thing I will tell you, is that you need support. In life you need encouragement, and it is important to surround yourself with the delusionally supportive (my children really think I am famous!), the unconditionally supportive (my beautiful wife speaks the truth in love) and the constructively supportive (I have a few voices that have generously critiqued my progress these past few years, and they are helping me get better). I would suggest none of the purely critical, it is hard enough sticking to things when you receive good feedback, negativity is just hard.

I can't encourage you enough. If you have found it and are doing it, good for you. You are blessed, keep doing it and get better!! For the rest of us, start now. Do over from scratch. Find a way to do your passion. I am not talking about being reckless and quitting a job. I am talking about being passionate and chasing a dream.

Yes it is a roller coaster and perspective is everything. Find ways to keep perspective. Last night I was up far too late, tired and bleary eyed, producing the next song, and it was great. The process was great, I kind of felt like that guy, even if just for a while.

How To Do Good

One act at a time. One of the themes that runs through my mind and I think this blog is trying to overcome obstacles that keep us from moving forward whether it be spiritually, physically, or relationally etc.

Obviously a big piece of my life is my day job at Speroway, the children's charity I work for. One of my daily challenges is trying inspire, awake, educate, and advocate for and on behalf of children who can't speak for themselves.

But how can you or I make a difference? How can we make a start? It really is one act at a time. No matter what you are trying to do in life, find a very small way to make a start and do it. A $10 online donation to a charity of repute, volunteering somewhere close by your house, dropping a meal off to an out of work neighbour, you get the idea. Pick one thing and do it. It will lead to another, it just will.

New Canadian Countdown

It has been several years since I last charted anywhere, and it was of course because of the great support I received from this blog. If you recall it was through Indieheaven in Nashville where I spent some time at number 1. If I recall it was for the song "We Cry Out" from my Noticing the Sky CD.

Well I just was interviewed on the New Canadian Countdown last Saturday night with James Kurtis. Great time! I will post the interview this week sometime. In the meantime if you click on the link above you can vote for my new single ("I Will Bless The Lord") to see if I can get in the top 6 at 6 this Saturday. If I get in I get more plays, if I don't then it is one and done....like the March Madness basketball tourney. I would love your support.

Look for interview in the next couple of days...

Why The Church In Canada is Failing

I could talk about several things that I think are generally wrong in most churches today. I could talk about leadership, a lack of excellence or vision, but these are well documented issues. I do not think these are the root of the problem. The mission of the church is to "preach" or share the gospel, but do we? What is the gospel?

I would suggest the gospel in its purest form is this: Mark 1:15 ¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” This of course echoes John the Baptist in Matthew 3:2.

Do you hear that in your church often? Ever? Accepting that Jesus was a real historic figure is not accepting the gospel. Accepting Jesus in your heart, whatever that means, is not the gospel. We must realize that we are sinners. We are imperfect, and that to be in relationship with God requires us to actually feel and acknowledge we are wrong. We don't hear that often or ever because the real meaning of repentance is harsh. It feels so 1950's hell fire and brimstone. The word repent rubs us wrong. It requires is to humble ourselves, to turn from our wicked ways.

But we don't see ourselves as wicked do we. News flash, we are. I am. You are. So what is really wrong? People outside the church look at us and see wicked people. Proud people, who think they don't need to repent. A few of them might even feel they need God so they check out the church and hear, well, self-help sermons. Feel good sermons. The problem with that of course, is that they need a remedy. They need to deal with the wickedness they are feeling. They need to hear the good news, that they can repent, turn from their wicked ways, and know God.

How will they hear, if we don't tell them? Who else is going to proclaim the glorious and difficult message, The kingdom of God is coming, repent and believe the good news! Just saying.....

Radio Interview This Saturday Night

I am looking forward to an interview this Saturday night at around 6pm EST on JOY1250 to talk about my new single "I Will Bless The Lord". I am being interviewed by James Kurtis of New Canadian Countdown fame. Listen to it locally or use the link to listen to it online if you are from out of town.

Why You Have to Keep Moving

I have been consistently working out for a few years now, around four years. One of the things I discovered was that I can take one week and not work out and not lose my motivation. I can take two weeks and workout only two or three times per week, and again that would not knock me off my game, but if I hit a third week of inconsistent exercise, it feels like starting over. I lose the best part of my forward progress, and I start to move backward.

I believe this is true of the human condition. If we don't move forward purposefully, our best case is we stay status quo, but more often than not we move backward. Notice I did not say aggressively. Life is a marathon, and "sprinting" takes too much effort for the gains that you will get. Purposeful, reflective, forward movement will garner great results. The enemy to this kind of movement is no movement at all.

The Toughest Thing About Leadership Is...

People are following! Whether they should be or not, whether you are actually leading or not, people are following. With all of the leadership teaching on the planet, you would think we would have come further than we have. Leaders have this awesome responsibility and privilege to inspire, to advocate for integrity, for justice, to create a fair playing field, to cast a vision for hope and actually lead there.

But all too often our leaders, our school principals, our pastors, our executive directors and presidents, have taken the stance that they have arrived. That they paid their dues, that they suffered, and now you must suffer. They haven't learned from the experiences they have had, they attend conferences and hear, "you are the man" or "exercise your authority", even though what was said was "be a humble servant", "bring out the best in your people", "care for them".

Unfortunately what I see over and over is a wake of followers who are uninspired and often bitter, because they see the hypocrisy. They know the heart, or lack thereof, behind their leader. Jesus Christ said that "wisdom will be proved right by her actions". Interesting.

The tough thing is next steps. What if your leader is letting you down, big time. What should you do? For starters...leave. Find another job, find another church. Harsh, maybe, easy, no. But as a follower, it is the only thing of integrity you can do. Don't fight, don't criticize, follow someone worth following, or lead something yourself, but be warned....this blog is for you should you take that route. Don't let history repeat itself.

If by some chance you are a leader reading this, and you are failing, repent to all and change your ways, it's not too late.

The reality is this, many are terrible followers, not because they should be leaders, but because they are proud, arrogant people who don't want to admit that anyone does or should have rule over them. Many are terrible leaders, becuse they don't want to admit they don't care about anyone but themselves, and they are intellectually overmatched and have been since they landed at the top.

Those that are offended by either of those statments are most likely guilty of one of the charges. To the rest who have gone into some version of self-assessment, I wish you well...at least you are humble enough to think you could be either!

3 Songs in 4 Months is not bad....

It has been a good year on the production side, but 3 songs in 4 months was not the goal, a song every month was. I know I will be able to release an extra song somewhere along the line here, because I have a very sparse production song planned for this year, but I need to pick my moment. This month will be another worship tune. I really like the song and now that I have started producing it, I am very excited about the direction is is taking - different again. I am learning a lot too. I have a couple of industry people out there who are critiquing the production and the songs as they come along, so I feel like I am definitely growing.

That being said I am very pleased with how things have come out so far (all links to iTunes for a listen):

January: Beautiful For You a song about the opportunity we have as the church to serve God by serving those without parents.
February: I Want To Tell You - hey it was February, I had to record a love song!!
March/April: I Will Bless The Lord - The first worship song of this year's singles, but certainly not the last. Remember lead sheets can be had for free here.

I will admit, the production of a song a month has proved somewhat grueling, but I do feel like it is taking me down a path towards the goal of creating better more impactful music.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Co-Writing Is Not That Scary

I attended the Ontario GMA Canada seminar last Friday. I was excited to re-connect with an old acquaintance Chris Vacher of Worship Rises fame. Chris founded Worship Rises to encourage the Canadian church to write songs that speak to what God is doing in our churches and our lives. He sees as a worship leader, and I agree, that there really is no significant voice in Canada right now. I think that speaks to two things: 1. a lack of Biblical passion for what song writers and creatives should be doing to encourage the church, and 2. the ominous and probable possibility that we are not letting God do enough in our lives, hence no powerful songs to sing. There is actually one other thought, we need a mechanism, like an industry but not, that allows us to freely share good quality worship songs with each other. I don't have an answer for this today, but certainly Chris is trying to help with this.

One of the things that Chris does is set-up song writing clinics for worship leaders across Canada to get things moving. They already have an EP released with the fruit of that labour. I went through a crash course and co-wrote a song with an artist named Derrick Drover. He apparently sang the song in a showcase last Friday night. I have co-written songs before with my old band mate Fraser McCulloch of Heart Mind and Soul fame, but sitting in a room with someone and pounding out something from scratch is quite another thing. I am actually looking forward to finding a way to do this again soon, in the end it wasn't that scary, but I am sure that speaks in part to Derrick's patience!!

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Are You a Hoarder, No really?

Our family has had an interesting ride over the years in terms of living arrangements. In terms of expectation we have never hit mine. I really wanted to live in a larger home than we live in, have space for, well anything I deemed necessary. Our first townhouse was almost as big as our current detached home. Of course there is the small difference of 4 more family members in the form of amazing children. It is also smaller than our last semi. So what Cliff, what's your point?

I suppose the thing that has been remarkable to me is how much we have purged, how little is coming into our home, and how 3 plus years after moving into a smaller space I still feel like I have too much stuff. Even though we have purged I still feel myself holding onto things. Trophies from when I was a kid, school projects, old music recordings and videos of live performances and TV appearances.

Lately, I have been in purge mode again. This stuff has been weighing me down. I want a simpler "cleaner" life. I need to right size my stuff to fit my space. Although not of the epic proportions of some reality TV shows, I am a hoarder, and it is time to purge once and for all. David Allen of getting things done fame talks about how important it is to take the weight of your mind to reduce stress and actually allow you to get things done.

A sidebar, I have very recently started using TeuxDeux on my desktop and iPhone to help get things out of my mind and on to a task list. Having the sync ability and the portability of the iPhone is helping immensely. I will let you know how sustainable I find this latest foray into organization and control in digital list form.

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Quitter

I am not exactly promoting this book or even Jon, I have never met him or seen anything else of what he has done, although now I plan on exploring. I happened upon him via the twitter world, he actually followed me first, which is saying something, because I have very few followers. Anyway, I love the vibe and message of the video, which is what his book is about I guess. A little change up for the blog today. I think it is kind of inspirational.

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Is There Any Room for Space?

I was just reading a post by Sara Groves on information overload. She was commenting on how there is a fatigue that comes from the constant connection we have to technology and information etc. One of her points was that it drains energy to the point that creativity is stifled. One of the biggest challenges to most creative endeavours is having the space to fashion your art. In the end you have to make room in your life to have space.

As a part-time artist with a young family and a full-time job I get it. Technology can often be a friend, helping reduce costs and distribute the music in ways that could never be done before. But the universal access to many broadcast platforms causes a reverberation of white noise that one is always trying to break through to be heard.

I am not sure what the balance is, but I know I need to spend more time in the "quiet" of my writing space, unplugged, free to clear my mind of the dull roar of the social network sphere to write and produce. I am sure you have your music equivalent. Are you struggling with creating room for space? How do you try and create those art fashioning times?

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Why Sunday Morning Matters

There is a massive difference between getting your Sunday morning service done, and getting it done well. As a pastor friend of mine noted, Sunday morning comes relentlessly every week ready or not. So how do you infuse energy and excitement into something that has become a routine? How to you cast vision for greatness for a service that is already, well good. How do you tell people that good, is not good enough?

As a fellow leader I will tell you, it is all on you. If you are not pushing yourself to grow spiritually, as a speaker or as a worship leader you won't and neither will your church. We must also be careful not to mistake doing something a little different (re-naming sermon series and creating a new graphic/video) for growth.

For the sake of argument let's assume you are committed to excellence, but, maybe as a team you are not there yet. Pragmatically, what are you doing to push yourself and your team to actually become better, better than good. If you cannot define that clearly and measure KPIs (key performance indicators) that are helping your people move forward don't kid yourself, nothing is happening.

Spiritually, what is God doing in your life and the life of your team and leadership. What are the KSIs (key spiritual indicators) that are visually showing growth in your church. This point is more important than the one above, because if the relationships in your church are not deep enough to allow you to know what is happening the lives of each other than that is not good enough according to the Bible, and let's be honest, if you can't verbalize what God is doing in your life right now, there is a very good chance it is because you are not letting Him do anything.

Sunday morning matters because it is the rallying point, the celebration for believers. A time to share, inspire, and encourage each other to worship God and grow in Him. A time to repent yet again, accept forgiveness and move forward together. A time to disciple, by living out this process in front of the young in faith and our very own children. Sunday morning matters because it holds the power of gathering in it. Where we as humans are influenced by each other of our own free will. We come to hear, to be taught, to investigate, to find love and acceptance, to meet God!! Sunday morning matters because it is the beachhead for the hard work of being the church every other day. Sunday morning is not the church, oh no, I know that very well, but it really matters.

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Your Best Laid Plans

I could have also called this lemons to lemonade. The hardest part of accomplishing something is accomplishing it. Huh?

Traveling down a path to your goals can often be defined by a set of steps, planned and executed, that lead to the finish line. My experience is that, often, things get derailed and you have to problem solve. The worse case can be that an opportunity is missed, and it evaporates. It is like commercials in the advertising business, if you didn't sell that commercial spot for last night, it's too late.

So what do you do when something just doesn't work out? I think you make banana muffins (from over ripe bananas). Sometimes the best thing to do is completely change course and make yourself useful, perhaps in an unrelated way. Meeting plans get canceled, go home and spend that time with your family. Hit the gym and burn off some frustration. Make lost opportunity found time. You tried, it isn't procrastination to re-boot your mind and soul so you can pick up the plan tomorrow. When we keep on moving we get those other days, those days where we can't believe everything went so right!!

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Worship Leading - How to Get Better

I am leading worship less these days, mostly because I am not traveling or helping other churches as much right now. The interesting thing about it is this: when you lead once a month or so it feels bigger, and the lack of routine actually makes some tasks harder. So how do you get better when you are not doing something regularly. Here are some things I am doing.

1. I am recording a lot, so I am playing a fair amount. As I try different techniques or sounds or voicings, I am trying to find ways to apply some elements to my next worship set. So just practicing your instrument and trying to push yourself to learn new things to bring to the table.
   
2. From a leadership perspective, I am trying to come into rehearsal with a couple of arrangement ideas from which to launch some songs. Whether it be a feel or a custom intro. Although I try to be flexible and let the team have some input, I also try to come in with a plan in case ideas are not easily forthcoming or not quite jiving on the fly. A big part of adding value to the team is always being able to give direction and keep things moving forward.
3. It might sound tremendously obvious, but pick winning songs. I try to avoid more than one new song, and I try to have the rest flow well, but also be really well liked. As leaders we are there to engage the congregation and lead them in worship, not prove out own artistic genius or make an artistic statement. Doing both those things might have their place in the music business, but not in worship. (PS if you are really that good, hopefully you do the former and the latter just comes out, and you don't even know it)
4. Prepare for rehearsal logistically. Depending on the support your church gives or the culture of the volunteers, prepare packages for your team. Make sure you are all playing off the same charts, and that people are not using "their" version. Being on the same page means being on the same page....
5. Know what is going on in the service spiritually and talk about it in rehearsal, at least a little. If the songs are given some sort of spiritual context, it will help then band in their worship journey in the service, which helps you lead as a team.

There are many more things one can do, but perhaps this will help you in the near term if you are looking for some inspiration.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Why Grassroots is so Powerful and Exciting

Grassroots implies a birth of something. An opportunity to do it right, to change something for the better, to create something amazing. Moreover, it implies freedom, flexibility, passion, and that's the allure. It is small, and with strong leadership it is actually easier to stay on vision in the early going. There is a focus, and what can hinder it? Money, don't need it. Legal issues, there is no legal entity. Political interference, internal or external, you can walk away.

So how do you harness that passion when the thing takes off and becomes something real, when the product or the cause turns into something which needs to be or can be monetized? I think the best thing to do is highly process and safeguard anything that has ethical or legal implications, and then run the rest of the place like it is grassroots. Keep it creative and playful, passionate and fun, keep the focus on what got you there in the first place. Legal and financial controls keep you on the track, but great grassroots style leadership tries to make that train go as fast as it can!!

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Be You

I think the most difficult thing in this world, especially this Western world, is to be yourself. Who God made you to be. We get so distracted by the meaningless. Not to trounce on cars or houses or brands, but the reality is, our physical wrappings are meaningless. We desire to dress for success, drive the car that shows success etc., and it takes us away from the things, often simpler, that bring us real joy. Would you paint more if you didn't have to work twice as much to afford that home. Would you sing? Would you hike, play more sports, spend more time with your children instead of buying an iPod or iPhone for them?

Honestly not a bash on any of those things in and of themselves, but if you could be all that you wanted to be today, for God, for your spouse, for your children, would you be doing what you are doing today, living where you are living, or would it look different?

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Constant Improvement

Paul Henderson of the "goal heard round the world fame" introduced David Toycen President and CEO of World Vision this morning at the Burlington prayer breakfast. He humorously remarked of his friend (paraphrased) "I can't stand this guy, he is everything I wish I could be!" Humble remarks from a man who has helped and impacted so many through his own many years of post hockey ministry.

Comparing is tough. Defining success is very difficult. I think it is so important to stay positive and keep growing, keep moving forward. We all must do our little things, for little things build into a body of good work over time.

Today I go and take credit for the work of a wonderful team of staff and volunteers who make what we do possible everyday. Off to Moncton where tomorrow Speroway has already shipped 400 food boxes and 400 hygiene boxes to be delivered, starting tomorrow, to families in need in the greater Moncton area. I am privileged to be able to lead the team, but we all share in the work.

It has been great to release three songs this year to iTunes. Again, just trying to contribute and express the art within in the hopes that it actually touches someone.

My big encouragement for those who come here and read this blog is to do a little everyday you can. Work with others, lead if you should, follow if you should, learn, grow, use your talents and change the world, for good.

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New Worship Resources Available

The lead sheet for my new single "I Will Bless The Lord" is available at the website. You can listen to the song and download the lead sheet there.

The process behind this song was great fun. I started wanting the production to be a little bigger, but I ended up really layering in a lot of guitars and some ear candy. I had a great time playing electric guitar on this one as well, the first time I have recorded electric. The acoustic sound I achieved is one of my best to date. I have to chalk that up to experience and research, as I have been searching online for different recording techniques and have found several ways to improve the capture and presentation.

Being a little behind in March has put me behind on this month. I am going to re-evaluate and see if I can't do something simpler this month. My plan had been to do two or three worship songs in a row, and I still want to do that, and deliver April in, well, April!

As always, I appreciate any referrals, re-tweets, re-posts, likes.......

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New Single Released to iTunes {March Song of the Month}

Well, this last month I was a little late, so the March song of the month is now up on iTunes. I Will Bless The Lord is a worship song that I wrote fairly recently. One of the things I am doing to up the happiness factor this year (see my goals for the year) is listening to positive CDs in the car. Whether it be from my success magazine subscription or a sermon series, I am trying to stay away from the news etc, and remain optimistic and positive by putting the positive in.

Years ago I used to listen a lot to a preacher named James MacDonald. There were several series that really impacted me and I had them on CD, so I popped one in the car. It was called Yahweh and was on Psalm 34. The rest is history, as I listened to the sermons on Psalm 34 I began singing a tune to the phrases that were really sticking with me, and now I give you...I Will Bless The Lord.

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Learning to Convert Consistently

You have probably heard the saying you are always selling something, at the very least yourself. A steady job, a good community, a lack of a desire to change can all convince you that selling is not necessary. But in this constantly changing world, you need to be selling yourself just to stay status quo, that much moving ahead.

Then there is converting a sale. Actually turning a desired outcome into the outcome itself, over and over. Especially if you are adverse to selling, I think a great way of looking at this is serving. How can you help a colleague, your boss or your friend succeed. Often serving is selling your way into future opportunities.

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Being Clear on Clarity

I am reading Onward by Howard Schultz of Starbucks fame. I am only about a third in, but I am already gripped by much on the journey he has been on the past few years. I think one of the toughest disciplines in life is focus. There are many stories of people and organizations that start with a vision for creating art and value and end up selling out for commerce. Even on this blog you here me touting the value of growth, personal and organizational. Phrases like "not moving forward is moving backward", but one must determine how to move forward and stay on vision. The vision itself might pre-determine growth rates as opposed to Wall Street, and that is how it should be.

It is equally important to develop a vision statement for ourselves that we can use as a litmus test, a way of measuring our adherence to our own personal goals and dreams. For me, I think there is where I am most challenged right now. Like the Starbucks of a few years ago, I am doing many things in a way that looks consistent with my vision and my dreams, but the reality is I need to re-visit that vision statement and re-boot.

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Forest For The Trees

Sometimes when we are in the thick of everything, we lose perspective on where we are. We may even know, or think we know, where we are going, but we can't see the forest for the trees.

I am on a journey of producing a song a month for 2011. I suppose the whole process is my forest for the year, but each song can feel daunting at times. Last night was the mix breakthrough for March's song of the month, so it will land next week. But as I continue to walk through the forest I am creating I do want to remind everyone of the songs we are leaving behind (at least chronologically) every month.

I am incredibly happy with the January and February songs, you can see them on my site here and link to CDBaby or iTunes from there.

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The Big Picture

Mid 80's Michael W. Smith released a CD called the big picture. I loved that CD, went to the concert at Expo 86 in Vancouver B.C. I don't know about you, but I grew up too serious. I am sure many of my old mates would confirm said statement. One of the things I have been learning as I now try to build into my precious children, is that I need to create and model the big picture, and that picture is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to live with the end in mind, but you have to live. I once did a concert years ago that I titled "live, love, laugh, philosophize." In retrospect, most of the concert was the last word of that phrase.

A year goes by relatively quickly when you plod through it. Some might think that is a good thing if you are having a tough year. But if you have nothing to look forward to, and nothing to look back on, no milestones of growth, or even family vacation, or time with friends, it will feel like you did nothing.

I think weekly reflection is so important when you are trying to live a life of balance, because balance isn't doing the same percentage of things every week, balance is knowing what to emphasize at different times to keep your life moving towards and within, the big picture.

One of my favorites from that Album: Lamu

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Studio Tonight

The March song of the month is close. I have to go in tonight and touch up the mix, but it should go live early next week at the latest, a little late, but staying on pace for the big goal of one song a month.

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A Peek Inside....

Positivity is so important, I really believe that. So is continuing to learn by reading a couple of books a month, so is setting goals and meeting them and shipping, for instance a song every month, or a blog post nearly everyday. My goal, bottom line, is to inspire through this blog and my songs and to add value to whoever might interact with these efforts, I hope I am succeeding, but it is too early to know. And guess what, it is tiring.

I remember a great line from the "Happiness Advantage" where Shawn Anchor mocks himself for being depressed at failing, for after all, how can a positive psychologist be depressed!?

I just want to be honest about the process. It is a lot of work, and there are valleys. Right now, I need to push forward, get the March song of the month done, and keep walking. Maybe some of you have been inspired enough by reading this blog to do what I am doing this year. Trying to break through some long standing barriers and go to the next level. I kind of look at this like working out. I am near the end of a workout, it hurts, but just one more set and then a day off. Keep you posted.....

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Stay All In

I woke up this morning, not from my sleep, but from the daze..
The pedantic, albeit necessary, journey of a thousand miles
And I saw my child, adoring, relishing my attention, those moments spent together

"Stay all in," my soul shouted, "Do not let these moments slip away!"

For little girls become women, and little boys become men
Better off all, from every ounce of love that I can extract in the midst, and give
Unconditionally....

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Life Design

I am reading a book on business design currently. I will post a link to it soon. I have heard the concepts in this book espoused in different ways. One of the old ways was simply the maturity cycle of a business represented in the graph below. When looking at a single business the peak really represents the full leverage of an idea in its current form for that business. Its leadership cannot take it any further without further innovation. Good leadership makes sure there is always new thinking and ideas being invested in, so that part way up the climb a second and third curve is forming. By doing this, although product lines or iterations of service change, the troughs are "hidden" by waves of growth that keep the company moving forward.

 

Now how about your life? Are you doing the hard work of monitoring your growth? Seeing the end of a cycle in your own life and preparing innovation for the next phase. Are your children about to leave the home for university? Have you started building new hobbies, traditions activities with your spouse and grown children to keep those relationships growing through the next phase? How about career? What are you working on, how are you growing? Life design is much like business design. You have to think ahead and continue to innovate to avoid troughs. Make no mistake, the trough is still there. Your child is still leaving for university, but the positive distraction of the next innovation keeps everything moving forward.

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Rock Star

I don't think I have blogged that I finally have outfitted myself with an electric guitar. It was time to start playing and recording with those sounds, and the March song of the month definitely needed it. Last night was great, laying down some guitar tracks for the new tune, which is really starting to shape up.

I have to admit, there is a completely different feeling playing electric. Overdrive, delay etc., so fun. Kind of makes you feel like...well a rock star. I highly recommend it.

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The End Game

I just finished reading the memoir of Warren Bennis,"Still Surprised." It was definitely An interesting read from the perspective of an educator who lived through WWII and so much social change in North America and Europe these past 70 years.

One of the things that struck me...again..was the process of the journey. The best way I can describe the sentiment that I I want to convey is this.

My beautiful wife wakes up almost everyday to the same "chores". Making meals, taking care of all of the sundry cleaning and operational tasks that keep our family running. I think if you look at it as plainly as that, who needs it. However, when one looks at the vision of what we are trying to accomplish and her role in it, you realize we are trying to raise children who know and love God and see the world for all that it could and should be. Stef creates the space, the infrastructure, and has the lions share of relational time with the blessings that we are trying to do right by. What a wonderful vision for a job: Change agent, motivator, inspiration, hero, and she is all those things.

Understanding vision and context is so important. It may not change the fact that they are emails to write, meetings to go to, production to be done, a good part of which seems to lack inspirational qualities. But when all of those tasks are leading towards the end game, they become far more meaningful and I think enjoyable.

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I Lost it in Worship.....

I had an interesting week. I was completely tired when Thursday night worship practice came around, and exercise that often lasts two hours. For whatever reason the band hit it amazingly that night. Great parts, a couple of unique arrangements, and in the end we were done in an hour. Hard to believe really.

Sunday morning came and the first service was great, really great worship. The second service I lost it. I don't know if anyone really noticed, I held it together kind of, but it was rough, and brilliant. God was there, and I suppose one way of saying it is that I noticed, I engaged.

Don't get me wrong, that is always the goal, but sometimes trying to lead and pull the band takes so much attention that as the leader there is not much brain space to engage with God. I have long posited that bands need to be semi-pro or better....this is why. When the music fades, because it is not effort to those playing, worship emerges. I spent two years in Toronto leading a church where we had pro bands, I felt like last Sunday almost every Sunday I led. I had forgotten. The congregation knows too. The band almost disappears when there is no train wreck coming, and they can "fall" into worship.

Although there may be some who find this philosophy of worship too exclusive or excellence driven, for me it keeps being proved over and over. God will show up whenever and to whomever He chooses, He just does. That doesn't negate the truth in Psalm 33:3, paraphrased, "Make a joyful noise to God, play skilfully to Him."

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Corrections and Omissions Included

My plan is to continue to share how my goals for the year are going, and to encourage readers here to regularly throughout the year re-boot as necessary to get/keep on track to having a great year of moving forward and achieving personal goals.

One goal I have not mentioned is getting in shape. Forgive my simplicity but I finally realized something, I needed to permanently change what I was eating. You see, I have been working out regularly for several years. My blood pressure, blood work, heart and general fitness were good but I was carrying too much weight. Diets always get you to omit and correct eating habits. The issue as we have all heard many times is once the diet is gone, then what? We return to our old ways and the pounds return as well.

I have finally embraced that I must change what I eat....forever. I must omit certain things forever. I must correct certain habits forever. Wow....

But I have done that in other areas of my life: spiritually, at work, in my marriage, with my kids. I have practiced instruments, even when I did not want to, certainly I can do this.

I have and continue to do it, and it is very difficult, but getting easier. I am not sure what the tipping point is, but I have embraced  the change and I have lost 24 pounds so far this year. I have more to go, but I have every confidence that I will achieve it, and maintain it forever.

There is one very fun and interesting thing I am trying to do. Find new treats. Just because I have had to give up less than healthy habits, doesn't mean I can't find some really cool new ones. Exotic foods, unique recipes, changed workout routines, there is so much good to replace the old to make the new life not difficult, but exciting.

Like anything, there is change, transition and new processes. So how are you doing? If you feel like your goals are slipping, re-boot. Take this weekend and re-clarify how you are going to start/keep working towards your goals. Incremental change begets big change. Nothing begets, well nothing.

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Wonderful Pathways

When you meet new people you often are asked to tell the short synapse of your journey. You do that enough, with the occasional deep question thrown in like "so where do you think you are going?" and it forces you to ponder. I dislike the word regret, but I would be lying if I did not say I have made some career choices that I would do over.

That being said, I also have tried to learn from all of the experiences life has given me to build them into something quasi-cohesive. You can probably tell from this blog it is a work in process.

One of the  best learning's is a theme we all hear, but is worth repeating here as an encouragement to us all. The joy is in the journey. Let's be real, not in every step, but it is important to keep the positive eye on progress and experiences and even the brief moments of pure happiness.

I remember the first Christmas my eldest daughter was truly aware of what was going on. We came down Christmas morning, the tree lights went on, the smell of coffee was in the air (oh wait, that was my memory), the tree had presents under it, and the stocking was full. Hands together clapping she cried out "joyous, joyous, joyous!" To my recollection she had never uttered that phrase before, and hasn't since. A moment of overwhelming wonder and excitement. My daughter joyous!

My wife and I have worked hard to create those moments as regularly as possible for our children, each other, for others and I am so excited for how all of the wonderful pathways from our history will influence our future. Take some time to remember your pathway and work hard to create some joyous moments for you and all those around you!

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Nothing New...

There is that Biblical philosophical pondering: "There is nothing new under the sun." I am not trying to refute the underpinnings of the thought, but there are many things new to me and you. First smiles from our first child, first house or apartment, first kiss with the one! Lots of great firsts.

One of the joys in life is finding, creating and sharing something new with someone.

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Update from The Studio

I think I am still a couple of weeks away from the release of the March song of the month. This month, as I mentioned is to be a worship tune. I had a great weekend last weekend laying down beds and finally found a great groove between bass and drums. Very excited. I am planning on this being a little bigger production than last month's simpler love song production. I will also be releasing a lead sheet for those interested in it for their church.

I did change the website up a little creating a music page. The songs of the month can be found down the right side full CDs/EPs can be found down the left.

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You Thought it Would Be Different

I have used this phrase many a time, but I did not know it was attributable to Albert Einstein. "Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result."

It is not enough to write a new vision or purpose statement. Saying that over and over might be the start to casting vision for change, for forward progress, but without substantive practical change, change in process, new skills development and different communication strategies, what makes you think anything will change?

One of the biggest obstacles to change is "fair" competence. It allows you to fend off those who may be following you with mere words and inspirational speeches while underneath you are not doing anything to grow your own skills and abilities. In the end, however, what you have created is an expectation that you will not meet, and sadly, that will actually make you go backwards as those who are watching start to see through the words and realize there is no substance behind.

This, of course, could be seen as a rant, but it shouldn't be, because you can always make a concerted effort to not ride on the talent, skills or processes you already know and instead start changing what you do to line up with the vision you are casting.

There is a finer point here. Many leaders reach "the top", or their goal and feel that they have arrived. They deserve a break, they have garnered the skills and positional level they need, now they just need to lead others. True leadership is not authority, it is accountability, it isn't honour, it is humility, it isn't being served, it is serving others. Desiring to lead is a good thing, understanding that leadership is service: priceless.

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Forced Creativity

Is that an oxymoronic phrase? I actually don't think so. I do know that in life we practice in a disciplined way, study in a disciplined way, and show up and perform once the date is booked. For many of us though, songwriting or producing waits for the inspired moments. I thought last month was tough trying to get "I Want To Tell You" released. This month has proven harder. Song is finished, has been for a while, but the producing is a grind. Making some break-throughs, and it will ship this month, but I am have to pull the creative out of me.

I think this process is true for all of us. We don't have to be a musical artist, or even in the arts to need something creative to come out of us. The challenge is to force ourselves into a space where we are actually, actively trying to break through the barrier in our way rather than waiting for the inspiration to hit.

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God and our {un}Spiritual Western World

One of the philosophical arguments for the existence of God is the universal belief in a greater power. One of the arguments against said thought is that humans are wrongly looking outside of ourselves for purpose or meaning, a crutch as it were.

Another approach to this question is: "Do we "create" God to fill a meaning void, or do we have a spiritual being, a soul, which senses a connection to something outside of ourselves, maybe something we are related to somehow?"

Western civilization has become {un}spiritual. Think about it. We are becoming experts at "cleaning" things of their spiritual roots. Yoga, Karate, sometimes even churches. We don't teach about spiritual things in lower levels of school at all, and even our spiritual schools are accused of becoming academically focused rather than spiritually minded.

There are various reports I hear about Canadians and Americans professing belief in God. Reports that declare large percentages believe.

There is an interesting and difficult theme as it relates to the God of the Bible, and His son Jesus. Repentance. God is the creative force of the universe and perfect. Most of us would freely admit we are not perfect, nor capable of creating matter at any level. God's laws or guidance on how to live are clear and understandable, and we need to correct to those laws when we are not in alignment with them. The Biblical and somewhat scary, humbling word that represents this process is to repent. To say sorry, to ask forgiveness of God and move back towards belief through adherence to the laws the One we claim belief in gave us. Jesus reiterated and became a permanent way to actually know God, a replacement to the old system of repentance that had to be be physically repeated. But you can't get around that word and the action it requires, repentance.

This is far deeper than a few paragraphs except it isn't. There is no such thing as an {un}spiritual God of the Bible. We cannot say we believe in Him and strip Him of all that He has given to us (The Bible, and the life of  His own Son Jesus) and our very life. When it comes to God, belief in Him requires acknowledgment and alignment with all that He is. Otherwise you may believe in something, but it is not the God of the Bible.

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How To Inspire Those You Lead

This may sound oversimplified, but the way to inspire your team, your company, your family is to give them something to follow. I heard Bill Hybels of WillowCreek say years ago (I don't know if it was his line) "speed of the leader, speed of the team". It is not enough to be President or Vice President and use positional authority to demand submission. It is not even enough to provide tasks lists so long that days are full of work. No, you have to grow yourself and pass on that growth. You have to walk with people and help them succeed both at work and in life. In the end, like it or not, being the leader can't be about a larger salary, more perks and the ability to sit back and have everybody else do the work. To truly lead, you need to set the example in all things, and care enough to help others along the path you are blazing.

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"In" Production

The year marches on. One of the things I am learning is that network is so important. Who likes you or buys your music is often influenced by who you like and who you buy. I have long been passionate about the concept of Canadian artists supporting each other, and I think many of them do. Since I have this forum I thought I would start highlighting some good work when I see it from time to time.

Andrew Horrocks of A.M.E, Recording Studio has been pumping out many great artists and music as a producer for years. Although I have not had the ability to work with him professionally I have really appreciated the work he has done for several Canadian artists. Some of you may know Ali Matthews. Andrew's work was included on several tracks on her new CD. Ali is a very decorated musician in Canada, and it is good to see the growth and change that working with Andrew brought her on this last project. We all need to keep growing and developing, and often we need to try new things to get there. Check out here new CD.

As you have read here I am pushing myself this year by producing a song every month. I have changed my music page on my website to make navigating through my releases easier. On the right are my songs of the month, Jan and Feb released and ready on iTunes ad CDBaby. My other 3 CDs from 2002 to 2009 are there as well. I am in pre-production on the March song of the month, it will be the first worship song of the series.

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Hunger and Drive

I had the opportunity to be a panellist at the 6th Annual World Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit. Now that is a title. It is a student driven, university supported movement trying to energize, educate and motivate students who are interested in making a difference in this vital area of world need. In the session in which I was a panellist, a young lady asked the question, how does one do everything and fit in the time to fight hunger?

 

In fairness to her, I think she saw a panel of people at various stages of life. One in particular who is very successful in both business and philanthropic endeavors, Joey Adler. All of us look at people like Joey and say, how can you do it all?

 

My response to the question was simple, you don't do everything. You can't. You make decisions to do what you deem most important. If ending hunger is important, than you make time to end hunger.

 

One of the thoughts I included is one I am trying to practice and recently had named for me in the book by Peter Arnell, "Shift". In it he talks about how he learned to have "one life". I think having one life allows you to be driven. It allows you to integrate and use all of your  skills talents and passions to make a change, make a living, be a spouse, a parent, a friend, a musician (in my case) and executive amongst other things. For me it has been freeing as I allow myself to do the things I love and the things that are important to me. I love fighting hunger (Day Job). I love writing songs (Night job). I have not married those two things together as a career or anything, but I am increasingly allowing both to inform and inspire each other.

 

If I am honest, I had a dream of "making it" in music, of having buckets of money, and being able to help those in need with those resources. It hasn't happened. But something interesting has. I realized I was passionate about helping people. I also realized I didn't want to stop creating music, even if I don't make a living at it. So I do both. I think I will always find a way to do both. It looks way different than I thought it would, but it is happening.

 

I, like you, do not know how life and occupation will change for me. We live in a different world now than just a few decades ago. I am convinced that with focus and drive, we can all make space to help our fellow man and pursue our passions, even when at times they seem unrelated.

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History is a Powerful Thing

Never underestimate the power of the art you create. Great art has a habit of lasting, and of trying to find ways to come out into the light. The only cautionary tale there is to be responsible. Make sure it is something that you believe you can be proud of forever.

Incremental creation builds into a substantial body of work, and you may be surprised what rises to the top.

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Bringing Clarity to Your Passion

One of the things that I enjoy doing, both for myself, and others, is bringing clarity to passion. For me, learning how to do that has taken years of learning in different settings and situations. One of the biggest challenges in the process is distilling vision-compatible ideas from on-vision ideas. Why?

If I want to be a songwriter, one would think that anything that contributes to that should be done. So I write a song, then another. I attend songwriting conferences. I co-write songs. I teach seminars on songwriting at the local music store...etc. Of course in the process I never publish a song. Somewhere we think that doing closely related activity should help us achieve our goals. Maybe we will meet someone who likes a song and wants to use it, publish it, fund our CD, but it rarely happens.

No, I have to write the song, produce the song, publish the song, market the song, sell the song, either to the public or other artists, and I have to keep doing that until I win. Some people are very fortunate and arrive at a place where all of the things that happen after they use their skill, all of the business "stuff", is handled by someone else (for a fee of course). For the rest of us, we have to realize, that the way to fulfill our dreams and passions is to both practice our passion, and do all of the business things that allow us to share and benefit from sharing our passion with the world.

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February Story Behind the Song "I Want To Tell You"

A love song for February seemed appropriate. I Want To Tell You is very simply a few highlights about the journey my wife and I have been on for the last 13 plus years! There is a mention of Benny's Bagels in Kitsilano for all of my Vancouver friends!! How is that for s simple story behind the song.

I have to tell you, I am really please with this song from a production standpoint. One of the goals for this year is to challenge myself with the monthly deadline to increase my creativity and chops as it pertains to writing and producing. I am definitely growing.

Hey if you like it, check out "I'm Right Here" on my Buried Thoughts CD from a year ago. Jazzy love song, again for 'me bride!

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How's Your Year Shaping Up?

Maybe you have made plans, maybe you haven't, but whether you have or not, the days are passing by.

One of the things that can help you assess things is a picture. A graph, a shape or something that represents what you were trying to accomplish against what you actually have. Shapes are great and less scary than numbers (although numbers feed them in the case of graphs).

You don't need to use excel, you can freehand it. On the x axis right down several points that you are trying to achieve. Going on dates with your spouse, learning guitar, making a move in your career etc. On the y axis, simply write from the bottom to the top, 1 to 10. Spend some time evaluating your activities and rate yourself on how you are doing. The 1 to 10 might represent progress rather than "a mark". Maybe realistically you should only be 10% into one of those goals so 1 is on target. Then join the lines to create a curve.

Although this sounds terribly rudimentary, you now have a shape. Mentally, you can easily see the lows and highs of your goals and re-shift efforts to shore up some of the low lying areas.

Why? Because it is early, and you will probably be encouraged by one of two things: You have accomplished more than you thought; or that although you are not far yet, you are sure glad you checked with over 10 months left in the year to re-commit to the goals.

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February Song of the Month Released

I am excited to share that the February Song of the Month, "I Want To Tell You" is now available for download on iTunes and CDBaby. It is a love song in keeping with both the Family Day holiday and Valentine's holiday this month!! At least around these parts. Enjoy!

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Be Happy - Be Social

I happen to be an odd fellow. Years ago I took a leadership evaluation. It dealt with both skills and personality factors. One of the personality things that came out was that I am both highly introverted and extroverted. Usually, of course, a person is weighted towards one or the other. In my case I can get re-energized by either situation, and to some degree I naturally seek out the method that I need at the moment.

There is some discernment needed though. For instance, sometimes I am in a writing mood, and getting alone in the studio is productive and energizing. Sometimes though, a retreat when I am feeling low, which actually amounts to navel gazing and is not helpful.

In the book that I have referenced a few times here, "The Happiness Advantage", I was reminded of the fact that those with a healthy social circle are happiest. In fact, those who rely on their social circle in tough times fair much better and bounce back faster than those who do not.

So if you are having a tough time, don't retreat, engage.

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Be Brave - Keep Growing

I remember reading a motivational piece years ago that talked about learning new things, and in a sense, taking risks to do so. The example the story gave was a fellow who mused to a piano-teacher friend how he would like to learn to play piano. His friend mentioned that it takes 10 years to become proficient in piano, but it starts to become enjoyable fairly early on in that journey. Ten years later, the two were chatting again and the conversation came to that same point. You know what the teacher said. If his friend had started when they had their last conversation on the matter, he would be playing well today.

I have always wanted to produce, over the last several years I have purchased the equipment and learned and produced several things including a full CD, Buried Thoughts. Since I was a teenager I wanted to play guitar. About 10 years ago I traded in my trumpet and bought an acoustic guitar. I lead worship, perform and record on guitar now. Last week, after years of wanting to try electric guitar, I purchased a very inexpensive electric guitar. Time to learn a new style and technique.

Here is the thing. All the way a long there have been many people who have discouraged me from trying. People better at producing, or playing etc, and you know what, they are still better than me. Two things though, I have learned to do several things that I couldn't do before, and it makes me incredibly happy!!

What things do you want to try in life? The fact that U2 exists, that Chris Tomlin is out there etc., didn't stop me from growing. I don't need anyone to tell me they are amazing and better than me. On the other hand, I also don't have to accept that because I am not at that level, I should not try at all. Not everything we want to try needs to be about reaching the top. In fact, most of us will not reach the top at anything. But happiness and success can be defined many different ways. I set goals to become proficient, to grow, and to enjoy. I have achieved those goals and want to continue to improve.

What new thing do you want to try? Make a plan to start. Don't let others discourage you, after all, it is not about them.

For the record, I am not talking about major life change here either, although it might be valid to take steps on big picture things, that does take more buy-in from spouses etc. But little things can become significant. So write that book, blog, paint that picture, take that course, take up golf....to Nike-i-FY....just do it!

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Big Plans

I read a lot of Seth Godin, especially his blog. I resonate with today's post on making big plans. Big plans do create pressure, and although I bragged about pushing through, I have ended up hitting some snags in the release process this week. Very draining.

I wrote before how obstacles are opportunities. I have an opportunity this week to keep pushing and win, and I will. More to come....

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The Marathon Wall

OK, I have never run a marathon, not even close, but I have read about the wall one hits late in a marathon. Learning how to break through the wall is essential to finishing the race. I am not sure if I should be concerned or not, but I feel like I have just broken through a wall with music production. For whatever reason, the February song of the month was a beast I could not tame until Sunday afternoon, almost a week behind when I wanted to release it (but still on time for February!!)

The upside is I have shipped the February Song of the Month to digital distribution. I will let you know when it hits iTunes as soon as I know!

I had mentioned that one of my goals this year is to "get bigger", to grow, intellectually, spiritually, in my body of work etc. I didn't think that I would hit a wall in month two, but I did , and I broke through. I must admit, it was very difficult. It took all of my physical and creative energy to finish the job, I pushed myself as hard as I can remember ever pushing, but I am over the moon, not only with the accomplishment, but the song itself.

So why do I share? Two reasons: I have committed to being as open and honest as I can on this journey this year, sharing the ups and downs; The other reason is I hope you can take something for yourself. What do you want to accomplish, really want to accomplish? Set a date, and push through all walls until you accomplish it. In the process, I think you too will grow bigger!!

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Lead Yourself

It has been noted many places, by many more notable than I, that a core characteristic of leaders is their ability to make quick decisions. The thing that makes them a leader is that they are far more often right than wrong. Those who are fighting change, or simply can't keep up will often criticize those who possess this skill. They may try to accuse the leader as making snap judgments, as seeming to be a know it all, even arrogant, but what can't be refuted in the end is the results that flow from the decisions that were made.

Process flow charts stop at the triangle that represents a decision. They start again once the decision has been reached. Everyday our decisions move us forward or stop us in our tracks.

If you feel like you are stuck, if you feel like you are being held back, then lead yourself. Make the decisions that will move you forward. I am not suggesting you do that vacuous of data, but I am suggesting you find a way to stop making excuses and find a way to make a decision.

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From the Studio

Another great night of recording, I think I have finished tracking for the February song of the month. It most likely won't be available until late next week. Completely different sound and feel from the January song (Beautiful For You) which is available for download and viral social networking!!

Have meetings about today so I will be listening to a rough mix in the car at times while driving. I hope you are enjoying the January song of the month, and I am getting really excited about releasing February. Did I mentioned it is a love song to go with the holiday.....

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Pushing Through

Does it feel like sometimes the world is against you? The circumstances are just not helping you get things done? I think it is all about perspective and having a longer view.

I just lost a night and a day to sickness, and in the process slept 18 hours straight. That hasn't happened since I got back from two weeks of camp as a kid (during which I am sure I didn't sleep but a wink!) The has really challenged my short term goals. I could feel like things are conspiring against me to prevent me from getting things done or, I could appreciate that my body is now on the upswing and do the little things - incrementally that it will take to ship.

Time to push through.

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A Social {Networking} Experiment

One of the sub-themes I am trying to be transparent about on this blog is my current musical journey. My goal this year to produce a song a month has wrapped in it two larger goals. The primary goal is of creation, forcing myself to get the many songs I have competed or nearly completed into final form. The second is monetization, which I suppose is most artists goal with their art.

My distribution network is iTunes (and all the major digital stores), but iTunes does not market for you, you must bring them the customers. So I am blogging, not simply about music, because I feel hearing that I recorded this part or that part day after day would be boring, but also about all the things I am learning that are speaking into some of my other goals this year.

I related that my goal was to sell 2000 downloads of Beautiful For You, but that I obviously needed your help in terms of networking to the greater sphere which is our social networks combined. It is true I need advocates and patrons, so I am simply continuing to share my vision and story and to ask for help.

One of the risks I am taking is I am going to share the good the bad and the ugly. So when I get the first sales figures (not until the end of this month) I will share how we have done together. I am praying/hoping for good results!!

A good story I can share is that the traffic in terms of visitors to my site and blog has dramatically increased since my output on this blog has increased. Between my website and blogcast I estimate about 600 or 700 people are coming to the site over the course of a month. That is up many times over last year, so a good start there!!

Thanks to the many who keep coming here, I hope to keep you amused by this story, entertained with my music and add value through some of my other thoughts. 'Til the morrow.

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How Do You Relax?

The last several months have been a lead up to this year for me. Long hours when combining all things together, day job, music, church activity etc. The reality is that there is no end in sight. I see this pace for the next 10 years at least. That's a marathon. In the meantime, there are sprints. I have my second song of the month to release by next week. Massive projects at work, family commitments and additional goals on top of that.

One of the things that I am finding is that if I am diligent about creating space to relax well, it energizes the rest. I work weekends and evenings, that is my reality. But I get great family time, church time and time for myself as well. How is a long story, and it is tailored to me. The question is, if you are looking to do more, are you working at creating space for learning, growing, and yes rejuvenating so you can be more?

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Point - Counterfact

As I continue to grow and learn on the subject of how to be happier (one of my goals for this year) I thought I would pass on a practical highlight again from the book I am working through by Shawn Anchor (The Happiness Advantage).

A counterfact is an imaginary scenario that our mind creates to help us analyze a situation. The example Shawn uses in his book is as follows: You walk into a bank full of 50 people, men, women and children to do a deposit. Several minutes into your wait a gunman comes in to rob it and shoots you in the arm. No one else was injured. Is that a fortunate or unfortunate circumstance?

To answer the question your mind forms up other scenarios to decide. One who considers it unfortunate might say, "of all the banks in all the world with the statistical probability that I would be the one person shot, very unfortunate".  One who considers it fortunate might say, "no one including children were even hurt or killed and I simply got a "flesh wound", how fortunate for all".

His point here is that one of the practical ways we can own a more positive happy life is to choose, even train ourselves, to find a positive counterfact in difficult times. It will radically affect the way we see and live life.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Snow Day Reflection

So it is February...how did January go? Did you start working out? Are you still working out? Did you ship anything? Did you start your way to your goals for this year? If you haven't done anything or much, do not give in to discouragement. Today is the day to analyze what is keeping you from one of your goals. When you discover it, you have not discovered an obstacle, you have found your key to success. Develop a plan to go around or through it, and get something done on that front this next week.

 

If you have started down the road and are succeeding, celebrate, enjoy! Then do the same analysis, except if you have broken down an obstacle, make sure you know how. Don't let the old way creep back in because you have succeeded. Stay firm, build good on good, and re-commit to doing more this month. The process is to create right actions incrementally towards the greater idea or goal.

 

The next 11 months are going to be brilliant, own what you want to accomplish.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Shipping - By Doing The Little Things - Incrementally

How to get from our starting point to our end point? When I worked in the financial services field as a salesman, I remember so many of the most successful people recounting their way to "the top". The grinding it out in the trenches as it were. There were very few rocket ship stories. It took them all a few years, or the equivalent in hours worked, to get there.

What struck me the most is that it was the little things they all did. Emails, returning phone calls, making cold calls, keeping things ordered and never letting up. It really did not seem like rocket science. So how do you stay motivated to do the mundane, because it is the hard work of creating and building that leads to success, and frankly, it never changes. A trick is to break the little things down into increments.

You want to send 50 emails today - just do 5 right now. You want to redecorate your house on a dime, spend 15 minutes tonight surfing the web for sites that give tips on that, gather ideas for your next step - tomorrow. Progress is not only encouraging, each little increment builds until you have shipped one little thing, one goal, you win!

If you are having trouble getting started, break your goal down and do something...just a part of a little thing, and keep "shipping" those increments. Write down your progress in a notebook. In a week, you will be smiling!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Top Ten Reasons to Help Me Sell 2000 Downloads This Month!

I thought I would have some fun while reminding you of the new single, "Beautiful For You", and perhaps poke some fun at myself.

1. If you like it is, only .99 cents, not even one coffee.
2. I don’t have 2000 Facebook/Twitter or any other kind of friends; I need your help to get it beyond my circle.
3. You have thought more than once, “Cliff’s pretty good”, I wonder why he never seems to get anywhere with music.....
4. “Beautiful for You” has a great message, it needs to be passed on...see story behind the song: http://cliffcline.blogspot.com/2011/01/story-behind-song-adoption.html
5. You will officially be a supporter of the “Cliff Cline Song of the Month Club” (I don’t know if it is a club, but what else to call it?)
6. You have actually heard me laugh, and singing is like me laughing in tune...
7. If you do, you can definitely claim to be responsible for something spreading virally on the web, I mean, who else was it?
8. There is a very cool surprise in the song.....you have to buy it to hear it...
9. You are my record label....
10. Is there a kinder way to support an artist than referring them on?

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Fear and Happiness

Two other books I am most of the way through right now are Fearless, by Max Luxado, and The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor. I have conveyed some of my learnings from Shawn's book. From a learning perspective I am valuing the way these two books are addressing the same overall issue but from different angles.

Ultimately fear keeps us from doing and enjoying so much. We fear failure so we don't try things. That might be the most fundamental way of saying it. Fear paralyzes us. It keeps us from enjoying everyday. So the simplicity described in The Happiness Advantage of being positive can be augmented by some knowledge of what keeps us from being positive. It is hard to be positive about success, when you actually are more ruled by fear of failure.

Most of us have personal experience with those who have had to deal with dying. Cancer or some other terminal disease robbing our friends of a full life here on earth...or has it? I have learned more from those who have significant obstacles to deal with than those who don't. Isn't it true that often those in situations where death is imminent enjoy life, friends and family all the more. They embrace the good, they find the good, they look for the good, because it is a waste, literally, of the life they have left to do otherwise. To accept the inevitable frees them up to pursue passionately everything they deem important. The cliche holds true, perhaps we should start saying it daily, live today as if it were your last.

The Bible has a similar thought, "This is the day the Lord has made (given), I will rejoice and be glad in it". (Psalm 118:24)

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

The Great Debate - Success

I am most of the way through Robert Herjavec's book (of Dragon's Den fame) "Driven". The book truly conveys, in my estimation, the vibe or feeling of what it takes to be driven. Robert describes his journey to his current success. It is an interesting one, and not one dimensional. He does articulate the need for keeping all the balls in the air between business and personal life. He seems to have successfully done that, although I must admit, I do not know the details of his personal life. He speaks about it often and fondly.

For Robert, success definitely involves making serious money, and he has done that. I tend to take some of the wise advice he gives on many subjects and temper it with this: success is actually achieving your calling or dream holistically.

I think many people don't define success as making obscene amounts of money, or owning their own business. At the same time, I do think most of us have a dream, have something we actually want to do passionately. I think accomplishing that is what allows you to feel successful. I recommend that all of us should acquire, generate, learn are way into finding enough drive to accomplish our dreams, AND, I believe we should enjoy the journey towards it. This may include doing other things well in the process - be happy everyday in the journey.

This is where I am. I do not feel that I have accomplished my dream, however, I am gaining happiness and re-focusing on getting there. I used to feel like I would only be happy once I arrived. Now everyday feels like I am arriving, getting closer, moving forward...and that in itself is enjoyable. So, have I succeeded, no, not in the goal I have before me, but I am happy trying to get there....and I will!!

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Authenticity - Upside Down

In my efforts to become more happy (one of my goals for this year) I am starting to wrestle with my personal definition of authenticity. I have used the word a lot to describe what I crave in relationships and from those I try to follow. Authenticity defined means many things, but ultimately being real, legit, credible. I have always thought that those who were honest about their faults, sins or shortcomings were more authentic. An artist that bares their soul, business leaders who are self-aware. Often however, this can become a downer. It is true that there are many things going wrong in our own lives and in the world, acknowledging that is being authentic, but what about the opposite side of the story.

Is it not also authentic to know your strengths? While acknowledging the human condition, can we not also note that our strengths, when joined together, can provide hope and solutions to things. And although I know there are some who read this blog who do not share my belief in Jesus Christ, I personally gain hope and freedom from the negative of who I am from my belief that in Christ and His teaching, there is a spiritual forgiveness I am given allowing me to have a relationship with the Creator of the universe - God. Heavy I know, but that is my reality.

For me that turns my personal definition of authenticity upside down. Maybe more accurately it fills it out. As I seek to be more positive and happy about all things in life, so that I can be more successful and hopeful about all things, I am choosing to embrace a holistic view of authenticity with a positive bias.

Yes, there is hunger in this world....I am part of a team that has fed millions of meals to those in need in the last few years.
Yes, I am still a struggling singer/songwriter, but more than just my friends and  family like my music. (But I they still count huge!!)

I have hopes and dreams, and I have the ability to realize them by believing my strengths can be built on, joined with others, and turned into something bigger. By the way, I think the same goes for you!!

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Instant Gratification - Not

In the spirit of honesty with which I have approached this blog of late I wanted to mock myself a little.

In this world of instant information where I can see how many people come to the blogs I write, how many surf my site, and know instantly when I sell a CD (sadly doesn't happen much), I was quite excited as I launch into a new year with the Song of the Month initiative to track my progress towards my goal of 2,000 downloads of "Beautiful For You" and to share it with you. My hope, of course, was to update and encourage networking and referral support for the new January tune. Apparently I should have read the fine print from my digital distributor, that there can be a 1 to 3 month delay in reporting. No instant gratification there!!

So I am left to beseech you to surprise me with your viral activity being my "street team" to use the old vernacular, or "web team" as the case may be to help me reach my goal. You will be the first to know once I have any updates to that number!! I will share regardless of the outcome!

Looking forward, last night represented me starting to produce the February song of the Month, and yes it is going to be a love song in the month's honour. March is scheduled to be a new worship song...so stay tuned.

You can go to the "Beautiful For You" blog release and links to CD Baby and iTunes from here.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Story Behind the Song - Adoption

I actually wrote "Beautiful For You" a little over a year ago. I was at a music conference in Nashville and David Nasser was one of the speakers. He spoke passionately about the issue of adoption. He actually had an interesting way of looking at it.

He first talked about how the church is the bride of Christ. He used that metaphor to illustrate how a bride goes to great length to look amazing for the bridegroom. (please note, this is not to say we need to anything to earn salvation, which is a free gift from God through Jesus) That being said, the church does have a mission. First we believe in Christ and then that belief leads to adopting His teaching. When we adopt His teaching and live it out pragmatically it is a beautiful sight to Jesus the bridegroom.

He then applied this message to the issue of adoption. His bent was on the USA and Canada, but he ultimately pointed out how the church in the USA and Canada has the resources and families of appropriate age to completely adopt all the children of all ages that need families. If we would rise up and do that, wouldn't that be beautiful to Jesus.

Lastly he said that the cause needed advocates and those who could actually do it. Songwriters and artists to make the issue known to those who don't, who could then be part of showing love to those who are without a permanent family situation.

So it took me a while to produce this song, but I am proud of it. I think it has a great message and purpose, and I would love if it could help make a difference. For now an advocate, we will see what the future holds.

The iTunes link on my blogs or website will take you to the song for a listen.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline