The Long Game

Yesterday morning, my usually limited Twitter excursions brought the following video essays to my attention. I share them with you in the hopes that they will encourage you just as they encouraged me.

Remember, people: when it comes to success or "making it", there are no equations. There are no formulas. There are no hard-and-fast rules aside from hard work, diligence, passion, tenacity, and a love for what you do and wanting to do it better. If you are an artist, an entrepreneur, or any other kind of big dreamer, always fight the urge to believe that the things you are chasing after should come to you quickly. 

So, without any further ado, I present to you The Long Game, by Delve:

"...because words are too small."

“Men’s tongues fork at birth. It has always been so. The bird cannot lie. The lion is a hunter, to be feared, yes, but he is true to his nature. The tree and rock are true – they are a tree and rock. Nothing more, but nothing less. But man, the only creature who can make words – uses this great gift to betray truth, to betray himself, to betray nature and God. He will point to a tree and tell you it is not a tree, stand over your dead body and say he did not kill you. Words, you see, speak for the brain, and the brain is a machine. Music” – he smiled his glorious smile raised his index finger – “music speaks for the soul because words are too small.” 

- Dennis Lehane, 'The Given Day'

What The Mountains Say

Panoramic progression up Pike's Peak

These last two summers have seen a new activity added to my list of hobbies: that of hiking Colorado's various 14'ers (that is, mountains that rise higher than 14,000 feet in elevation). Now, while I don't pretend to be Mr. Mountain Man or Mr. Outdoors by any stretch of the imagination, I have greatly enjoyed getting to hike some of the high points of the Rockies. In 2013, I began with my first, Mt. Yale, and have continued on with Pike's Peak and Humboldt Peak this year. I have certainly enjoyed the experiences overall while managing to retain a certain antagonism toward a few aspects of the hikes themselves: basically, there's usually an ongoing conversation in my head during my ascent as to whether or not I want to quit before I reach the summit, whether or not this will definitely be the last time I do something like this, or just how stupid and/or terrible and/or out of shape I feel gasping for breath on a path 12,000 feet above sea level (as Buhl once said, "Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.")

There is, however, a certain spiritual quickening to the experience of climbing mountains as well as a few striking metaphors I've noticed with regards to living a full life and chasing after one's dreams. I'd like to share a few of these with you today. Ansel Adams said, "No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied – it speaks in silence to the very core of your being." I think I've found this to be true. I can't help but see certain undeniable aspects of life reflected in the experience of climbing a high peak, and I would encourage everybody out there to do it at least once. There really is nothing like it.

Adventures In iTunes: R&B Groovin'

Groove.

That's the name of the game today.

The songs on today's playlist are some of my favorite examples of what I consider to be true rhythm & blues music - music driven by that indomitable groove and all of the things that comprise it: a mountainous serving of feel, melody + harmony, dynamics, and soul, soul, soul.

So, whether it's dancin' slow or driving with the top down, be sure to check out the tunes on this list for some dynamite accompaniment. Chuck the computer beats (mostly), the auto-tune, and anything that takes away from the vibe, brothers & sisters.

Let's get groovy.

Note Pad: Necessary Struggle

There is nothing worth having that is easy to acquire. 

There is no great accomplishment without resistance.

There is no victory without struggle.

These are things to which all of us pay lip service, but how many act as if they are really true?

For the artist, the key to identity, meaning, & soulfulness in art is found in the journey along difficult, challenging, soul-shaping roads. Pressure, obstacle, and obstruction are par for the course. The treasures discovered along the hard road cannot be happened upon any other way.

Too many these days expect the benefits and results accrued by successful artists without the willingness to venture down the uncomfortable and treacherous paths necessary to acquire them. Great art is more than than the stuff of technical ability and raw skill - it is the outpouring of the soul and the pursuit of beauty & truth.

The hard reality is that security & comfort tend to impede artistic growth rather than enable it. The desire to be insulated from uncertainty and protected from risk are the very things that will keep from you confidence, peace, and a sense of identity within your art. Worse, security is an illusion: struggle has a way of finding even the most protected individuals. 

The real question is not whether or not we will struggle during the pursuit of our dreams, but whether we will embrace the difficult things in light of what they will bring forth in our lives. Like the athlete in the gym or the musician in the practice room, the person who would see their dreams accomplished and their goals achieved must be willing to embrace difficulty, discomfort, and sacrifice. 


So, for everyone out there struggling today... this one's for you: