In our daily lives, there is little silence.  Almost every moment is consumed by something; whether it is music, work, radio, television, the list goes on.  However, we should still remember the importance of silence.

Silence can be deafening.

It’s ironic, but life is full of those ironies.  Like being alone in a crowd.

Example: In music, a composer will write in silence to emphasize a loud part immediately following.  Hey, John Cage wrote 4′33″ with a lot of silence.  Interesting tune.

Most important, silence forces us to think.  It forces us to listen, both to God and ourselves.

I think we should take some time to be silent.  Take time to quiet what we do most often.  If we can take a step back from our projects, from our daily grid, you never know what you just might find.

For example, I took some time to myself (partially because I got sick, but we all need a push sometimes) and sat down to read a book.  It was a book I never thought I’d enjoy.  Boy was I wrong.  I finished the whole novel in less than 3 days.  Usually it takes me a week at least.  I’ve found another book I love, and I’ve found a few more tricks to use in my own writing.

You can’t run forever.  If you constantly pursue without relent you will burn out.  This is not changing focus or loosing passion.  Those are different.  Endurance runners don’t run every 100 meters in 10 seconds.  They would never make it the whole way.

Give yourself a little time to just sit.  Go to a park and watch the animals.  Go read a book you didn’t see before.  In order to be honest in our art, we need to overflow from our hearts.  If we’ve drained everything from our hearts by never taking a moment to be silent, we will not achieve anything but adding more noise.

If we are to be real in our art, then it should overflow from our hearts.  If our hearts are never silent, we will only add more noise.

Posted via web from On Life, Stories, and Music

Consider this scene:

A military man is riding home with his family on a train.  His country is on the brink war, as its enemies stand ready at the gates.  As the train rolls close to home, the enemy attacks, unprovoked.  As the train arrives, the attacks come closer, as his home is close to a military base.  This man must stay and protect his country, but somehow he must save his family.  He sends them away, with a passionate embrace, praying he may once again see them.  But he knows he must defend them if they are to live.  He turns and takes his place on the line, praying he will not fail this test.

What does this make you feel?  Why do you feel that way?

Hopefully, the answers were 1) that you feel a little torn and very hopeful that the man comes home again, and 2) because if you were that man, you would do all you could to save your family.

Consider your favorite movie.  Why do you feel strongly about its story?  What does it do to you?  What does it make you want to do?

So, here’s the point of all: stories have strong influences on us.

Our entire lives are full of stories.  When we were small, we were told bedtime stories and fairy tales.  These simple stories carry with them the basic desires and needs of our very souls.  To be daring, to be swept up, to save, to make right, to love.  When we speak with friends, we tell stories.  Stories of our day, stories about days past, stories of days that could be.  When we engage in leisure activities, we engage with stories.  The cinderella sports team, the hero of the video game, the heroine of the novel, the love story of that song.  Even now, you are writing a line in your life’s story.

Okay, so why is this important?

As humans we relate to stories.

If I see a brand with a great story, I will be more willing to engage that brand.  People join the military to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  In other words, to be a part of a larger story.  This is the drive of the human soul, to be a part of the Great Story.

Now, what does this all mean?

One way to make a great product is to tell a great story.  Great books sell because of great stories.  Great art says something.  Great music tells us something.

If you are writing a novel, start by thinking up a great story.  Don’t worry about grammar now.  You’ll have plenty of time to worry about that later.  For writing a song, come up with a great idea to say (or an old idea said a different way).  The lyrics will come.

If you tell a great story, people will come.

So tell me a story.  Make me believe again.  Draw me in.  Give me something I can’t put down because I have to know how it ends.  If you can do this for your brand, you will attract the right people.

Posted via web from On Life, Stories, and Music

Here we are in a virtual world.  Digital music, virtual games, ebooks, online dating.  Pandora’s Box is opened, and we can never go back on the digital world.  Not that we want to.  However, as evidenced in declining music and book sales, the value of a real product is diminishing.  It’s too easy to find free products online that compete with going to a brick and mortar store (or even buying through online stores).  So how does one create value?  Here’s one idea.

Catching up on eveything, I stumbled across this article about vinyl record sales increasing.  I chuckled to myself, then I read this:

“They [13 to 24 year olds] were brought up on virtual everything. Their games were on the computer or on the TV. Their music was in a box,” he [Steven Sheldon] said. “I think they also do recognize the difference in sound, but I think holding that 12-by-12 piece of art and holding that record in their hand is creating the buzz.”

The light went on in my head, again.

To add value to your product in a digital age, you need to add something real.  Something intangible and scarce.  That is what people want to have.

As music inches closer to becoming free, we all need to add something to the experience.  Watching your favorite band live is an irreplacable experience.  That night will never happen again, and you were a part of the history of the band.  Being a part of an exclusive fan club for your favorite artist is another experience.  As a member, you can be up to date on inside information.  The artist communicates with this group in a special way.  You have access to special products and/or offers that others do not.

This is the new music business.  Finding ways to connect with others.  Finding something to give your consumers something that no one else can.  Consumers today can see through the ads.  “Look at this, it’s the best ever!” doesn’t work anymore.  Why is it the best?  The best for whom?  How does it compare to alternatives?  If you can offer something that is real and authentic, then the right people will find you.  That is why vinyl records are selling again.  Most consumers don’t have them.  They create some exclusivity to your brand.  This is what you want.

Find a way for your brand to add real value.  You just might come up with something big.

Posted via web from On Life, Stories, and Music