Numbers Game

One lesson that is blatantly obvious yet usually ignored is that most things and life can be boiled down to a numbers game. Success is about application and consistency. Think about it.

The more you play, the more you win.

Or a more relevant music biz example:

The more beats you make, the more beats that you have made that don’t suck. The more beats you make that don’t suck, the more beats you have made that are awesome. The more beats you make that are awesome, the more likely that you are to produce a hit. Therefore, more beats = more hits. Hmmmm. Maybe that’s why successful people like B. Cox are working all the time.

Also, in addition to being productive, when you constantly apply yourself, you get BETTER at what you do. Therefore, we can adjust the previous example by adding:

The more beats you make, the better you get at making beats that don’t suck.

Therefore, by working consistently, you exponentially increase your rate of success. Now get off the computer and do something productive. But don't forget to check back later!

You Might Be a Groupie If......

You Might Be A Groupie If:

You might be a groupie if you don’t work in any aspect of the entertainment industry, yet you know more than one celebrity on a first name basis.

You might be a groupie if we are listening to music together and you tell me which street the artist has a condo on. Go home.

You might be a groupie if you ask me if I know Jermaine Dupri. How come Jermaine Dupri doesn’t ever ask me if I know you? (Credit: Bertell)

You might be a groupie if I text you that I almost crashed my car into a ravine and you respond back “I sat next to OJ the Juiceman tonight!”

You might be a groupie if I have seen you at the studio multiple times, but each time with a different rapper.

You might be a groupie if you get invited to the studio from Club Onyx at 3:45am. Period.

You might be a groupie if you get a call from any rapper’s bodyguard to come to the studio.

You might be a groupie if you are sitting peacefully on the studio couch and the artist gives his security the evil eye and has you replaced.

You might be a groupie if dropping the rapper’s name to get in VIP doesn’t work so you drop the ball player’s. Apparently you really do know them both, what a coincidence.

To be continued...

Have No Fear

I was talking to Jessica of TeLuv the other day, and we had a very enlightening discussion about fear. Specifically, we were talking about the fear of failure and its ability to prevent action. The fear of failure can stifle you because you will always feel like you should be reserved, just in case something goes wrong. Therefore, you never give your all. In order to be successful in anything, you have to come to grips with the idea that you might screw everything up and fall flat on your face, accept it, and go hard anyway. I can think of a million examples, and I had to learn this fact the hard way.

When I first moved to Atlanta, I had an internship at a major studio. The internship was six months long, and when it was over, there was a hands-on test to see if I would be hired on as an assistant engineer at the studio. I was anxious to be an engineer, and this test weighed heavily on my brain for the entire six months. I was thinking, “Shit, this is it. I have to pass this test. What will I be able to do if I can’t work here?” It was as if my entire future depended on the outcome of this single test.

The effect of worrying about this test so much was that when it came time to take it, I was overly anxious, and performed poorly. I was trying TOO hard instead of just using my brain and trusting in my talent and experience. I could not think clearly, therefore I could not troubleshoot. As a result, I was not hired. However, with a recommendation, I got an internship at another major studio, and a second chance.

This time I made up my mind not to be afraid of failure or mistakes. I decided that ACTION would be the theme from now on. I figured if I made a mistake, I could fix it afterwards instead of worrying about it beforehand. It is rare that a mistake is made and there is no opportunity to correct it. There is a phrase that I have always tried to incorporate into my belief system:

“More is lost through indecision than a wrong decision.”

With this in mind, I made moves. I stepped up for every opportunity, and even before my internship was over, I was an assistant engineer at a major studio in the market of my choice.