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!!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

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

New Cliff Cline Single "Beautiful For You" released for download

I am terribly excited to release this song, the first of 12 this year to come out. That's right 12, the Cliff Cline Song of the Month (Club?). I will be letting you know more about this endeavour through this blog, but the best way to get involved is to buy this song. Would you be my patron, my record label?

Below are the links to CDBaby and iTunes. So here is my big goal for everyone to hear: I would love to sell 2,000 downloads of this song to start the "Song of the Month" initiative off, but I can't do it without some serious help and referrals (re-tweeting, Facebook "liking" etc.) Please feel free to write reviews, or rate it on iTunes.

I will be releasing a story behind the song video as well which I think you will enjoy hearing. Some of the story can be read on the CDBaby page for this song. All to say, happy listening!!

CD Baby

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Do you need to Shift?

Let me answer this one for you, yes! I started and finished Peter Arnell's book Shift last weekend. It is a compelling story of the journey he undertook in the last few years to bring his existence together in "One Life" rather than living in silos of work, family etc.

I really do recommend the read, especially if you are looking for inspiration and motivation. To build on yesterday's post, let me suggest a next step. Once you find that positivity, start to identify your dream, that thing you always have wanted to accomplish or be. Then start to develop a plan to achieve it. Do not let the potential obstacles create any form of negativity, in fact, breaking through those obstacles are the successes you can look forward to on your way to achieving your dream. But the shift you can start now begins with these last two posts:

1. Fill your mind with that positive thought, and keep it there;
2. Focus on your dream, and start to write down a plan to get there.

Do you feel it, something just Shifted!! Thanks Peeeeetah (as they say in New York)

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Act As If It Were Impossible To Fail

Dorothea Brande penned this. It was the mantra that led her from being a writer of many unfinished things, to a well respected writer and editor in New York. I have not read her books, I was made aware of her through the Success Magazine Audio series (thanks again Success). I will now seek them out and add at least one of them to my "to read" list.

This little sentence has power. It calls us to believe in success, and it calls us to act successful before we attain it. I have heard the phrase "fake it 'til you make it". I like this version better. It is more like the pop song "Believe" by Suzie McNeil, "if you just believe", and act out that belief, you can do anything, be anything. How do you do this?

This is not the full answer, it can't be, but let me give you a boost for today and maybe this week. You can only hold one mood, one attitude in your head at once. It can either be negative or positive. Stop now, and find a positive thought about, well yourself. Find something to be grateful to God for, a really good one. For the next week, every time a negative thought comes, replace it with the positive thought you just found...repeat!! Then pass it on. Encourage your spouse, child, co-worker, parent or even stranger and make your world, hence the world, a better place.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

"The Fierce Urgency of Now"

Thanks to Seth Godin today for reminding us of this quote from Martin Luther King Jr. (The title of this post) I feel this right now in my life. I wrote about it last September and it has not left me. Today is the day I must move forward. The journey of a thousand miles starts/continues with another step today.

This past weekend was amazing, I taught a workshop Saturday morning, had some great chill time with the family in the afternoon and evening, led worship at church for two services Sunday morning, a great lunch with new friends after church, cooked home made potato soup for dinner (easier then it sounds), and finished mastering the January Song of the Month which will be available for download soon....I will let you know.

I know I can't keep things this intense all the time. The weekend felt like several steps, not one, but as tired as I was last night going to bed...I was energized.

My three revealed goals for this year (so far):

1. Produce a song a month
2. Be happy
3. Get bigger - Be more to do more..

Number one is very pragmatic...just do it. Number two is how I am finding the energy to break through walls. Negative walls of fatigue, self-doubt, doubting my abilities, wondering if anyone will buy my music. But being positive and optimistic is helping me "get bigger", helping me believe I can do more, expand my territory as it were.

Why do I share this with you? Two reasons, because you are there..you are reading this. The more I write, the more of you show up, and I am putting pressure on myself to not fail. It is all down here in black and white. I have said it, now I must do it...I must! Secondly, I am trying to grow and learn, and I feel like I am on a positive Godly road. Perhaps there are some encouragements for you here, and if this spurs you on to be bigger, happier and accomplish something positive in your life that you are passionate about, then I will be overjoyed!!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Get Bigger - Goal Number 3 2011

I am smiling as I write this, because it sounds like the opposite of the most common New Year's resolution. No I am not referring to body mass, I would like to decrease that, but to contextualize, this quote is having an impact: "In order to have more, you must be more." (I heard it on the Success Magazine disc)

Lest this be understood as a purely commercial phrase, I might even say it "do more". There is a truth that we view the world as we see ourselves, therefore to do more, we must be more. I do want to get bigger, to be able to offer more. More skills, more vocabulary, more  (intelligent) thoughts, more music, more empathy and value in general to those around me. So yes I want to get bigger!!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Goal Number 2 - 2011 - Be Happy

Ok, so I am releasing my goals very slowly, but that is because I am really trying to process this. I think I have increasingly become a happier more joyful person over the course of my life, but I still think I have to grow in this area.

For those that know me, I love to laugh. I have an embarrassing laugh, an incredibly loud laugh, but it doesn't always come out of me very easily (some might disagree). I really have to find something funny.

It is kind of the same with me and happiness. I have a deep sense of blessing from God, and even when I get down, I remember my gorgeous wife of almost 14 years, our 4 healthy, wonderful children, and that alone brings me back. But I think I do poorly at the quicker, everyday hit of gratitude and thankfulness, a more present existential happiness.

I am reading, listening and learning a lot these days. One of the biggest things is being positive, having faith in God, and not having fear. So yes, 2011 is to be a year to be increasingly happy!! Did I mention not to worry? Is there a song in there somewhere?

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Finished Vocals

Late-ish night finishing production. This song feels big to me. It has actually been in the works for a long time, but I think I am happy with the vocals, specifically the lead as of tonight. So that means we are within in a week of shipping the Cliff Cline January Song of the Month. I am excited!!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Why Do We Say "Can't"?

This thought is not new or original, but let this post act as an encouragement and a reminder. The concept of "can't" in our vernacular should be all but forgotten, because we can! In almost every environment I enter where there is discord over quality, or vision, there is a culture of "can't", when in fact they can.

"I can't learn that software, I can't change my ways, I can't make the deadline or that meeting....I can't." But the truth is we can. For some, if not all, it is not an easy road to the result associated with the "can", but the first step is almost always simple and somewhat easy: To decide I can. I will.

More often than not I can't can be translated "I won't", but we don't say "I won't" because it exposes the child within who is having a tantrum. Now the tantrum in a child may be caused by the fear of the unknown, but it exposes the truth, we can, but we won't.

Here is the truth, you can be more kind to everyone in your life, you can grow your business, or even start one, you can finish that project, or start it, you can be more and you will, with one change in your internal culture. Start saying I can. Literally find ways to say "I can", and stop saying the other.

Two caveats:

1. There is such a thing as boundaries in life and in work, times that we need to find a way to say "I won't", but that is the subject for another post;
2. There are those who have impediments to "I can" that most of us cannot comprehend, and we must have grace for them - they actually can't; however, I might add that more often than not when I run into those with disabilities they put the rest of us to shame. Their "I can" existence is worn in their smile, in their accomplishments, and causes them to accomplish comparatively more with their resources than we ever do with ours.

So please....You Can.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

"Vacation Day" - Getting Things Done

So today I am taking a vacation day from the day job to try and get things done on several fronts, not the least of which is the first "Cliff Cline Song of the Month". I am excited to begin this journey. I know the most difficult thing will be simply executing and releasing a new song every month. This one is scheduled to be released by the beginning of next week!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Simply Leading

What is it about a nature scene that makes you take a deep breath and relax. That makes life and the moment seem simpler than the second before. The creative force behind this scene is far from simple, in fact the complexity of the tides, waves, make-up of the sand, structure and strength (and fragility) of the coastline itself is mind boggling, but we don't see that do we.

I recently read or heard a discussion on simplicity as it pertained to casting vision, and leading a company or project. The speaker referred to the fact that we as people long for the person who can come into the chaos and bring a simple message, but the truth is, very few things are simple. Underneath project plans and our day is immense detail that needs to be collated, processed, prioritized and executed.

I believe that the real art is being able to wrap all of that up in a package that controls the “free-radical” ideas, ensures that all elements in the package are “on vision”, and brings the priorities to the surface for implementation. A leader who does that will instil confidence because they have created an environment where the foundation of the detail is handled, providing stability, leaving all else to simply look at the beautiful, simple, scene of prioritized vision and purpose.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Simply Worship

A brief thought. As so many of us continue to think about what worship is, I wonder if we have become too intellectual and abstract in our thinking.

For instance, if I want to create a chocolate bar (a noble goal), I would go through a creative process of thinking about the flavour I wanted, how it would be put together and held together, how it would be packaged and produced. All of that would take time, planning, creativity and execution. There would a simplicity to it though, because through the whole process there would not be much room for error. The bar would either taste good or not. It would hold together or not. It would fit in the package or not...etc. By focusing on what I am trying to accomplish, making a chocolate bar, I simplify so much of the process.

I think an area that needs improvement in many churches is defining worship simply. Again, this might take some work, time, creativity, planning, but if we do not have a simple picture of what we would like it too look and "taste like", it quickly becomes cerebral. Terms like "having a good heart" need to be defined in connection to a pragmatic thought that it should be good. How do you know if the packaging fits if you don't know what you want to put in the package?

If one creates a simple picture, and develops a reasonable plan to achieve it, it becomes simple to see if we are achieving the goal. I do realize there is the other problem, the picture is well defined but there is little appetite or ability to execute the vision, but that is fodder for another post.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

To Be Honest - Goal Number 1 for 2011

That is a phrase which I have started to use way too much in the last year or two. I think it is actually out there a bunch in the masses right now. Someone started it, but I am not sure who. It is something for which I mock myself from time to time by adding, "as opposed to lying, which I am sure you would prefer." Interestingly, one thing I have found is the phrase is usually a set-up or softener to a stronger statement or ask.

I usually analyze life twice a year, not at even increments: September and January. One of the things I have been trying to do for the better part of the last couple of years is push myself. Push myself to produce more music, more blogs of use, more value in general. As I look at the next year, one of the things I working towards is actually selling more music, especially online, but, to be honest I am terrible at it. When I sing live I sell a great percentage of the crowd CDs which is great, but I am not out there singing a tonne.

To be honest I need your help. My goal for this year is produce a song a month for sale. If you would download my monthly song it if you like it that would be amazing. Moreover, if you would pass a link to this blog or the song with a recommendation to your friends, I would be over the moon. At the end of the day I can't do it alone, and I know many of you who frequent this blog can help!

Below is a link to iTunes as well, in case you are not up to speed with what I have out currently. Look for my January song in the next couple of weeks. It is almost ready to be released.

The Little Things

I am more convinced than ever, it is the little things, done right and consistently that lead to success. Returning email, sending a thank you card, making the call. Maybe another way of looking at it, is that it is the relationship little things that are so important. Building into your spouse, your children, your co-workers, vendors, clients, church community and friends.

In this New Year, what if you were to intentionally build into someone in a little way every single day. Imagine the positive change!

Posted via email from Cliff Cline

Year In Review (What Shipped)

Last year was not the year I planned for music, that is for sure. I imagined touring with my just released CD "Buried Thoughts", and being very busy. In the end my year was more defined by the work that came out of my day job due to the earthquake in Haiti and a massive internal restructuring of operations then musical endeavours. My hope is to change that this year, and over the next two weeks I will be sharing how.

But for now, what did I do last year?

1. Blogged 83 times, my second highest since starting in 2004.
2. Led worship 13 times (including my home church). This also included wrapping up my time with the Well church plant in Toronto. There might have been a couple more.
3. Released Buried Thoughts to radio...a few stations picked it up.
4. Completed phase one of the creation of my studio, phase two is this year.
5. Started writing many more songs and released one worship song on the site on my new worship resources page.
6. Had one post read over 650 times, "One Day to Today", which is one of my favourite too! It is still my thought going into the New Year.
   

Although I am pleased that I can post those accomplishments, I do plan for much more this year. In fact, this next year is going to be very focused. I will share with you later this week how you can follow my progress, support my endeavours, and God willing be blessed by what I am setting out to do in 2011.

Posted via email from Cliff Cline