You build a brand. You can’t buy it.
You build character. You can’t inherit it.
You build relationships. You don’t click them.
The most important part of the Empire State building, or whatever you’re building, is what you can’t see.
…don’t forget about this thing.
This thing is about people.
Let us not forget that.
Let us not forget them.
Would you rather be able to say “I’m glad I did” or “I wish I had”?
Would you rather have a short-term fix or be long-term greedy?
Would you rather have money or meaning?
Or would you rather pursue meaning on the way to something that is profitable?
The scary thing is this is the game most of us haven’t realized we’re playing. And here’s a shot of truth: choosing not to play doesn’t get you out of the game.
Show me your choices and I’ll show you the music you are making and the music you will have chosen to be made.
There isn’t much that should surprise us.
The music is the experience that is enjoyed and the story that is written when one’s passions, ideals, conscience, and core values intersect, collide, and crescendo in this world we exist in.
Running in circles of noise, often missing the point, it never hurts to get back to, define, and remember the point of it all.
The point is your music and your music is the point: our gift to receive and the fulfillment of your days.
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning, or effect, and even, to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.
The first problem with the concept of cliché is that those that claim something to be cliché are the non-believers. They probably never tried whatever they’re mocking and, in doing so, have never tasted, seen, and experienced its fruit and/or benefit. The second problem is that they want to put their disbelief on you. If they don’t believe, then you shouldn’t either.
Here’s the catch…
There will come a day when you offer the world your music and, probably, most will claim your venture into such creativity and offering to the world to be cliché.
However, part of music being music is that it’s not for the masses and some will call it noise. It’s for the unique few…even if that means millions…it’s not for billions.
Part of the richness of life are those joy swapping moments with the people who believe what you believe and that rally behind, around, and in your music.
Outsiders will call letting your music play cliché.
We’ll call it fulfillment.
Ashton.Gustafson 