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Happiness, Then Success

Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer could have won the award simply for his wise observation that “happiness is the key to success.”

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Amen, Mr. Schweitzer. The winner of the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize offered an approach to work and life that we should all adopt. In this post, I will contrast the typical way we go about discovering happiness and the method prescribed by Schweitzer. The difference could not be any more striking.

More often than not, we operate under the assumption that achieving a certain level of success will result in sheer happiness. We do everything we can to warrant certain levels of praise and approval from others. We push. We grind. We endure. And most of the time, we do all these things not for our personal enjoyment or satisfaction, but for the approval of others.

As a musician, I can confirm the temptation to live life this way. It is a seemingly natural inclination to want to write a song that ends up #1 on the charts. It is par for this particular course to want to put on a live performance that ends up earning me rave reviews, both from critics and fans. Again, the desired top-notch singing and performing is motivated by the approval of others. My thinking (subconscious or not) is that I will feel happy if fans and critics tell me that I have done a good job at what I already enjoy doing.

Schweitzer’s approach to life is a complete reversal of this “I need success in order to be happy” way of living. He turns things completely upside down by insisting that success follows happiness, not the other way around. Schweitzer’s advice is to find out what you love to do and then figure out a way to do it on a somewhat permanent basis. When we are consistently doing what we love (preferably with those whom we love), we will realize that we have stumbled upon success.

It is never too late to set goals for the current year. Since discovering Schweitzer’s quote, I am determined to spend less time in 2016 seeking the approval and affection of other people. I want to actively pursue doing the things I love for the sake of doing them, to further improve my craft while learning more about the craft and, consequently, myself.

Trust me: Being a full-time musician, I will gladly accept rave reviews and ample amounts of applause. But those things will no longer be why I write songs and perform them in front of others. I must remind myself again and again of Schweitzer’s message: Happiness leads to success.

Spending Time with a Stranger (Me)

I decided to spend some time with the one person I’ve been ignoring: me

I recently realized that I spend pretty much all my time with other people. I enjoy what I do and I love the people with whom I’ve surrounded myself, but it is so easy to fall into the pattern of giving everyone else my time and attention. After doing that for so long, though, I realized that the only person I wasn’t spending time with was me. Hence, I decided to spend some time with myself.

Going away to a place where you don’t have to meet deadlines, give attention to others, or immediately respond to requests can be a lifesaver. It can provide an opportunity to think and hear your own voice for a change. Stopping to hear yourself think and breathe is a wonderful act of self-realization and comfort. It soothes. It inspires. It reenergizes.

People often don’t pursue spending time alone because they think it has to be a formal process that involves an extended stay away from the rest of the civilized world. Trust me when I say that quality time with yourself doesn’t have to include a weeklong vacation on the beaches of Mexico or a weekend of isolation in your uncle’s cabin in the woods.

Time alone can be as short and simple as spending an hour in your favorite corner of your favorite bookstore, sipping coffee and reading a magazine or book. It can be taking a drive along a scenic road while you listen to the sounds of the radio or the voice inside your head. It can be sitting on a bench in a park. A brief respite from those around you can happen without spending lots of money or fully disconnecting from the life you know.

Go ahead. Take some time getting to know the one person you’ve been ignoring while you engage in this hectic , all-consuming world: you.

Do the Nostalgia

Modern media allows us to rediscover the music of our youth. I highly recommend you do so. 

I have recently been on quite the nostalgia kick. Thanks to YouTube, I have spent a ton of time hunting down the music of my youth. The emotions that these songs conjure up are some of the strongest feelings I’ve felt in a while. A warm sense of joy accompanies a gentle aching for what I remember as simpler times. In the end, listening to the tunes of my youth is a soothing experience that fosters a newfound appreciation for my younger days.

If you’ve never allowed yourself to fully dive into the music of your youth, I strongly suggest you give it a try. Put on some headphones, search for the songs that dominated radio when you were a kid, and feel the magic flow. You will discover a treasure trove of familiar faces and places that you might have thought were permanently deleted from your memory.

It is becoming increasingly easier to identify the many ways by which technology and the internet positively contribute to our lives. Nowadays, the majority of the music of our youth, everything that was on vinyl, 8-track, or cassette, is available for us to rediscover. That is something that adults did not have when we were children. Hence, I am all for taking advantage of it.

Go ahead. Dive in. Do the nostalgia.

From Where the Song Comes

As a prolific songwriter, I have been asked dozens of times by fellow musicians and non-musicians the same thought-provoking question: Where do your songs come from? What a fascinating question, huh? The most interesting part of that inquiry is that I cannot pinpoint exactly where my songs come from. But I do think it is worth thinking about. I’ll share my thoughts with you.

Very often, I am inspired to write a song after hearing another song. I’ve heard it said that the musician’s greatest muse is often someone else’s music. I can attest to this. It would be impossible to list the countless times favorite songs of mine inspired me to create something in the same mood or vibe. It could be an entire tune, a specific phrase, or even one particular note that puts me in the songwriting mood.

It seems to me that most of my songs come from a place of necessary creative expression. There are times when I absolutely must stop what I am doing to hammer out a melody, write down some lyrics, or fiddle around with some chords. It is very much like an itch that needs to be scratched, lest I go a little bit loopy. These attacks of creativity and expression seem random, but I am guessing that there is some sort of trigger that fuels them.

Every now and then I experience emotions so strong that they stir my creative juices. It might be a moment of extreme pride in my children, or a painful feeling of loss for someone who has passed, or an overwhelming sense of adoration and appreciation for a cherished lover or friend. The more I think about it, the more I realize that these emotional moments are most often the source of my songs.

If you are a songwriter, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Where do your songs come from?

The Year of Living Positively (Part 2)

In my last post, I described how I plan to improve myself in 2016 by creating a list of several things I should do this year that will hopefully result in a healthier, happier, and more productive me. This is in contrast to the typical laundry list of “can’t haves” and “don’t dos” that I’ve drawn up in years past. In short, I’m replacing the negative approach to making resolutions with a more positive plan of attack for improving my life. In this post, I am excited to share with you a few proactive steps I am taking towards better physical, mental, and emotional health.

One thing I have already begun doing is drinking more tea. I have always had a soft spot for soda, but I am well aware how bad it is for me. While the sugary goodness of the drink is appealing, I realize that I typically drink it when I want/need a boost of energy. So, to get my caffeine fix and avoid the sugary mess of my carbonated demons, I will continue to drink tea on a more consistent basis. There are thousands of delicious flavors out there, so I am optimistic that I will maintain my enthusiasm for tea throughout the year.

Another area in which I want to improve is exercise. I have tried in the past, but only allowed myself the “opportunity” to run. I put quotes around opportunity because the truth is that I absolutely loathe running. I find it to be boring, painful, boring, lonely, and, well, boring. I do know that an increased heart rate is very good for me, but I’ve always struggled with running.

This year, instead of putting myself through the torture of running, I am determined to engage in activities that are good for me and that I enjoy. I am no Serena Williams, but I do have fun while playing tennis. Plus, being the outgoing people person that I am, I’ll never not have company while getting in shape. I look forward to playing tennis at least twice a week in 2016.

One final piece to my self-improvement puzzle is the reduction of stress. Being stressed out all the time is negative in so many ways, including health and relationship-wise. But rather than yelling at myself to “NOT BE STRESSED!” (how often does that work?), I am actively pursuing environments that lead to calm, comfort, and the removal of anxiety. This doesn’t necessarily mean beachfront vacations – although I am open to that. But it does mean that I will put myself in settings that bring me peace.

Off the top of my head, I plan to spend more time inside at bookstores and museums and outside at lakes and mountains. I imagine that some more time spent staring at the stars can only help distract from the maddening events of everyday life.

I am excited at the prospects of my new positive approach to making a better me. 2016 is already off to a great start, and I predict these steps will make it even better.

What positive things are you determined to do this year?

The Year of Living Positively

I am very excited to wish you a happy new year. 2016 is already off to a great start for me, and I hope and pray that it is for you, as well.

As my family and I were approaching the new year, I was faced with the annual task of compiling a list of challenging, yet hopefully achievable, personal resolutions. This year I tried a different approach, one that I have been chomping at the bit to share with you.

Rather than weigh myself down with a laundry list of taboo items, a depressing assortment of “can’t haves” and “don’t dos,” last week I decided to create a list of several things I should do this year that will encourage a healthier, happier, and more productive lifestyle for me and those I care for.

We often think of the new year as a time to figure out what we need to eliminate from our lives. Logically, most of these things are inherently bad for us. I’m sure you’re familiar with the types of items I’m talking about: cigarettes, alcohol, carbohydrates, slothfulness, greed, and the like. January 1 represents an opportunity for a clean slate, a purging of that which is destructive.

The problem with this new-found commitment to living without these things is that, well, we typically don’t like living without things. Telling ourselves that we cannot have something leads to frustration and resentment, often to the point that we forget the benefits of going without it. It is an inherently negative method for bringing about meaningful – and necessary – change.

As this year approached, I promised myself that instead of compiling a list of negative things I should not do or have, I would create a list of positive things I should do or have. My thought process behind this new strategy was simple: By engaging in specific positive actions that are good for my mental, emotional, and physical well-being, I will naturally eliminate some of the negative behaviors that harm me.

I am genuinely excited at the possibilities of this revised mental approach to self-improvement. My next post will focus on several positive steps I am determined to take in 2016 in order to better myself – even if it happens in a roundabout way. For example, I will drink more tea this year for the purpose of drinking less soda.

Stay tuned as I provide more examples of a positive approach to my yearly changing of habits. Happy new year!

Ludwig’s Lesson (Part 3)

Ludwig van Beethoven: “Listen and learn!”

This is my third post inspired by Beethoven’s belief that “music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks, and invents.” The more I think about this topic, the more I am inspired to push for music to be actively promoted as an effective tool of education. I fully realize that music (and the rest of the arts, for that matter) are commonly viewed as expendable parts of our culture and education system, so this week I have made it a goal of mine to promote the benefits of music as an impetus for learning.

My personal and professional experiences have proven to me time and time again that music can, when used correctly, establish a positive learning environment that allows for comprehension, creativity, and discovery. It does this in several ways, including the following:

Music facilitates a multi-sensory learning experience: It is no secret that the most impactful learning experiences are the ones that involve multiple senses. Think of some of your favorite scenes from movies that were intended to teach you a thing or two about history, love, or life. Chances are that certain songs were as relevant to your cinematic experience as the visuals flashing on the screen. Music can be an amazing stirrer of emotions, and I wholeheartedly recommend its inclusion when trying to teach or learn an important lesson.

Music enhances imagination: In addition to stimulating creativity, music contributes to the development of a more active imagination. Einstein, known as perhaps the most creative genius of the 20th century, often turned to music to help with his creative process. He recognized an unexplainable link between music and his science: “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. I get most joy in life out of music.” When forced to confront moments of unclarity, Einstein would cozy up to the piano and, after playing just a few keys, would confidently claim “There, now I’ve got it!” There was something about music that ushered his thoughts in fresh and creative directions.

If the inclusion of music at critical points in his storied career worked well for Einstein, I strongly suggest we give it a try. Beethoven, it seems, would agree.