Tales From The Lane

When I moved to warm and sunny Bermuda from cold and dreary Boston back in 2016, I knew I wanted to do 2 things: 1) to bring more of my entrepreneurial side to my music career, and 2) to grow food year-round. 

I had ZERO idea what either of those things looked like.

As far as my music career had always gone, I just waited for opportunities to come from others–contractors, presenters, administrators, conductors, etc. I wanted to have more control over what, where, and with whom I performed. As for my garden? The idea of growing through the winter, and into what was basically a bed of limestone rock was totally intimidating. 

Both were going to involve a lot of learning, and likely quite a bit of investing in time, energy, and money. 

Unfortunately, I had also just given up a significant portion of my income, and I didn’t have a ton (or any, really) money to spend on said learning. 

 

 

Back then, I turned to freebies like podcasts and blogs for my business, and youtube and the free (and, it turns out, pretty toxic) “compost” available at the dump. (Remind me to tell you about the time a truck dumped a car-sized mountain of crappy “compost” at my (very steep) driveway just as a hurricane was arriving.)

Ah…good times. 

I didn’t have extra cash to put towards these projects, but I did suddenly find myself with loads of time. So that’s what I invested with for those first few years. The time it takes to piece together bits of free info from podcasts, and the time it takes to turn kitchen scraps into the perfect soil. 

Now, 7 years later, I regularly dedicate a portion of my income each year on coaches, courses, retreats, and masterminds in order to get expert eyes on my business, build relationships with my peers, and learn from the best. We’re also now able to spend more on materials to build raised beds, organic compost, and fertilizers, and water lines for the garden. 

But there are plenty of options between that free podcast and a $15,000 Mastermind, and there are pros and cons to all of them. I want to outline some of the options at every stage of the game (and we’ll drop the gardening metaphors….for now… and stick to building careers in the arts  ;- ) 

 

 

Whether you are a performer looking to book more concerts for yourself or your ensemble, a writer looking to grow their audience or someone with a creative dream project you are eager to get off the ground, there are GREAT ways for you to start investing in yourself at any price tag. 

Okay, here we go! 

 

Level 1: It’s Gotta be Free! ($0)

1. Podcasts

2. Blogs

3. Youtube

4. Joining someone’s Mailing List (often via a freebie that you get by entering your email address) Bonus–gets you some great (also free) material in their weekly emails/newsletters as well. 

I’m listing all of these in one place because they all give you similar experiences with similar Pros and Cons. One of the most important lessons I learned–a concept I think about every single week in my career, is something that I learned from a podcast. And even though I’m now at a point where I can invest in great coaches, I STILL take in free content on a daily basis. (Read to the end for a listing of a few faves.) And…shameless plug, you should hop onto my mailing list. I send out a weekly email each Friday with a few bits of info/tips/hacks that I think you’ll find useful.

Pros:

• Obviously, the fact that it doesn’t cost you anything is the biggest one. 
•  Because there isn’t an initial buy-in, you’re free to try multiple people’s content on for size. 
• You can take in the material however and whenever you want. 

Cons:

• While we all give out great content for free, no one is giving out ALL of our content for free. So you need to understand that while what you’re getting will get you started, it will only take you so far. 
• It can get confusing and overwhelming if you’re taking in content from several different people at once.
• You don’t have access to any of those people. You can’t ask them questions about your own situation. You need to take what you hear and see if it applies to you. 

 

 

Level 2: I’m ready to dip a toe in and see how this goes (between $25.00-$500.00)

 

1. Webinars and Online Bootcamps

Most webinars and bootcamps (short, 1-5 day online challenges) used to be free, and some still are! But with the end of the Pandemic came busy schedules, and fewer people stuck at home, waiting excitedly for ANY adult human interaction and hosts started finding that people would sign up for a free event and then blow it off. However, when people pay, they pay attention, so even charging a minimal amount like $25, was getting them into the metaphorical room. 

With Online Workshops, Webinars, and Bootcamps, the teacher is usually offering it right before the launch of a bigger program. We all do it to gather people who might be a good fit for our program, get them started, and then let them know about the bigger offer. Is it a sales tactic? Yes. But I don’t know anyone out there who isn’t busting their butt trying to give amazing content and information in these free or low-ticket events.

The last thing we want is for anyone to feel like they wasted their time with us.  This is NOT, I repeat, this is NOT one of those time-share scams where they get you in a room and the ONLY thing you learn is why you should give them all of your money.  The idea, rather, is to teach you something truly useful, and give you a chance to see what it’s like to work with them. 

Pros: 

• They are short-just an hour, to a couple of days.
• You get to see the teacher in action in real-time, and can often ask questions and interact with them live.
• You’ll come away with at least a few clear action steps or ideas
• A great way to find out if you want to invest longer-term (or higher ticket) with a coach or teacher.

Cons: 

• You’re getting just a taste
• Not getting in-depth coaching or long-term help
• Only offered for a limited time, and usually have limited access to any replays.

 

2. Digital Mini-Courses: 

You can find various mini-courses on all sorts of topics. From how to master Instagram to SEO, to Excel Spreadsheets. These are pre-recorded and when you pay for them, you’ll get login information to access the course. 

Pros:

• You can pick and choose exactly what you need to learn. 
• You can learn it at your own pace and as your schedule allows. Binge all 8 modules in one sitting, or parse it out 10 minutes at a time. 
• You’ll have access to them forever. I have many digital courses in my Kajabi Library  (a popular platform that “houses” digital courses) that I refer back to often. 

Cons:

• Again, there’s usually no personalized support from the teacher themselves.  (some people will launch these mini-courses at a certain time of year, and offer a FB group for a certain amount of time–but this is usually peer support) 
• They don’t go very broad,  But again, if you just wanted info on 1 particular topic, these are perfect. 

 

Level 3: I’m ready to make a real investment ($2000-$100,000+)

 

1. Group Coaching Programs

These group offers generally run between $2,000 and $8,000 with some running significantly higher depending on the length of time, number of trainings, and other factors. 

Generally, these sessions are held live and online. 

One of my best friends is someone I met in my first live coaching group, 3 years ago. We Voxer each other multiple times a day, every single day. 

Two people who were in one of my first rounds of Profit Pivot just met for the first time IRL–2.5 years later! They were at the same conference and sent me a selfie that warmed my heart. 

Pros:

• You have an amazing group of peers that you get to meet and interact with and bounce ideas off of. This kind of work gets lonely really fast–and having others there alongside you can go a LONG WAY. 
• You have real-time access to the coach. You can ask questions, usually have a FB group, or a way of communicating with your coach via Voxer, or email, and you’re getting their eyes on your work on a semi-regular basis. 
• Small and intimate groups. Usually, these groups are between 3 and 20 people. Any larger than that, and I think people can start to feel lost in the shuffle.
• The Coach is fully invested in you, gets to know you and your projects, and will help you see success.

Cons:

• You’re sharing the coach’s time with the others in the group. 
• You’re following a syllabus that may or may not align perfectly with what you are doing/needing at the same time. 
• You need to be available for the coaching times, or watch the recording later on….alone…and sad that you missed out on the fun. 

 

2. 1:1 Coaching

Again, this varies greatly in price depending on the kind of coaching, the experience of the coach, and how much access you get from them. They can run from $500 a month to (I kid you not!) $50,000 a session. To give you an idea, I see my 1:1 clients alone every other week for 90 minutes, hold office hours every week (basically just a giant work party/Q&A session that all of my group and 1:1 clients are invited to) and they can Voxer me whenever. My fees are now around $1,000 a month. 

Pros:

• Your coach is focused on your work, and helping you succeed. 
• With 1:1 coaching, you have the time to thoroughly work through mindset and thought issues that there just isn’t time for in group coaching settings. 
• Strategizing is specific to your needs and on your specific timeline. Whatever you need help with at that moment is what you’re getting. 
• 1:1 coaching can lead to incredible growth, and you’ll see the fastest level of personal growth.

Cons:

• Usually there’s no peer support (that’s why I hold my office hours, so all of my clients can meet each other)
• It is a big investment. 
• I’ll be perfectly honest with you. With 1:1 coaching, things get real. It can feel uncomfortable as you face your own limiting beliefs and are held accountable for the things you say you want to do. As a coach, it’s important to both encourage a client’s growth, and to always meet them where they are at that moment, and as someone who is regularly on both sides of that table, it’s important, and sometimes uncomfortable work. 

3. Masterminds

There are 2 basic kinds of Masterminds, but both lean heavily on the peer dynamic. A paid mastermind is put together by a coach, and the members are hand-picked or can apply, but the group is held to a certain standard (income level or type of work are typical) Instead of following a training syllabus like in a group program, masterminds give each member time in the “hot-seat” to talk about their projects, and ask questions, talk about where they are getting stuck, and get ideas and insights from the rest of the group. 

Unpaid masterminds are put together by a group of peers themselves. I was in one with a couple of friends back in 2019! And it was a huge kickstart to the early days of my business. Brendon Burchard put one together with his besties (Amy Porterfield, Jenna Kutcher, Lewis Howes, etc.) and although they don’t pay to be IN the mastermind, they all commit to getting themselves to wherever they are meeting in person–covering their flights, hotel rooms, meals, etc. (*Also, what I would give to be a fly on THAT wall!) 

Some of the better-known mastermind groups can run up to $25,000 or $50,000. But then, you’re paying for access to the greatest business minds out there. 

Pros:

• You get the true inside-scoop. What worked, and what didn’t? How they did what they did. The nuts and bolts. 
• You can ask for help, resources, and connections. One person made a “shot in the dark” request for an email introduction to a very famous person in the Theater world,  and it just happened that Super Famous Guy had been a teacher, mentor, and college advisor to another member of the group. Connection MADE.
• At the highest levels, these masterminds are like mini-marketing departments. They speak at each other’s events, promote each other, and help to create a serious buzz.

Cons: 

• You’re expected to keep up. Mastermind is meeting up in Cabo for a long weekend and everyone is staying at the same 5-star resort? You’re going to Cabo, and you’re shelling out the big bucks.
• This is not just about you. You’re there to help everyone in that room. (while they are also helping you, of course)
• It’s a big investment. You want to be absolutely sure you have the time, money, and bandwidth to take on a group like this, and you want to be absolutely sure this is the right group for you. It will change your life, but you have to be willing to show up.

 

Conclusion:

Looking back, I can’t believe how far I’ve come. From pulling the old dead plants out of the dried-out pots or the garden beds with 5-year-old soil I had them in, and planting new ones in their place. No surprise, they weren’t terribly successful.

Eventually, I learned that I needed to build up that soil with nutrients. Good nutrients–not cheap chemicals. And that those good nutrients could be free with compost that I made slowly and patiently, one banana peel at a time, or with slightly more expensive bags of compost or chicken manure that I bought at the garden center. Those things allowed my flowers and vegetables to thrive and succeed, and our careers are no different. 

Investing in ourselves is a necessary step in our growth, and I have yet to see anyone succeed without doing it in some form. If you have all kinds of time but are short on cash, go for the free things. It will take you much longer, but you WILL be getting good information. If you have less time, and or, a bit of money to put towards it? I can promise you it’s worth it. It will fast-track your growth and get you there a lot sooner. 

It took me from 2016 to 2020 to get to the first step with free content, and then a year of a group coaching program to get to the next step, and less than that with my current mastermind group. 

 

 

Would I have done anything differently? No. Honestly, at first, I wasn’t perfectly clear on what it was I wanted to do, and I didn’t have cash on hand to pay for programs or courses. The free content got me started. I felt inspired and encouraged to keep going. 

But I will say that I am SO glad that I DID, eventually choose to invest in that first coaching program and each course I take gives me so much new knowledge. I think it does need to be done at some point. It’s worth saving a little bit each month at the beginning in order to start seeing real growth and progress at some point. 

I’ve experienced it first-hand, and I’ve witnessed it with my clients. 

Have you taken a course or participated in a group program, or do you have a favorite podcast? Let us know in the comments so we can all share resources. You can find my round-up of favorite podcasts for creative entrepreneurs HERE. It’s a bit outdated and leans toward musicians, but while a couple of these podcasts have changed hosts, they are still around, and are all still amazing! I’ll do an updated post with some of my new finds soon (and I’d love to include some of yours, too!) 

Cheers, 

Kate

 

P.S. If you enjoyed this blog post and want more insider info on how to thrive as a creative, be sure you get on the list to receive my Friday “Weekend List.” Each one is loaded up with additional tips, tricks, and things to think about, including a new curated list of articles, books, podcasts, and things that I think you’d enjoy.  Click Here to Get the Weekend List! 

Many of you know I’m currently working on a book, and the subject is Potential. Defining it, Striving for it, Reaching it. 

And it’s brought up a lot of questions for me. One of which is this: At what point does striving toward what we perceive to be our peak potential create more stress in our lives than it’s worth? 

In other words, how does one achieve greatness without having to give up, well… a life. 

On one hand, we’re being told to rest, meditate, take time off, and avoid burnout, and on the other, we’re being encouraged to shoot for the stars, to achieve our wildest dreams. 

I was relieved when I was listening to a re-released podcast episode with Brene Brown and Tim Ferriss and they brought up this very question. 

Where is the line between Self-Acceptance, and Complacency? How do we go from “Meh, my life is just fine the way it is” to “I can achieve my wildest dreams” without completely losing ourselves in the process? 

I think part of it has something to do with the 1% rule. 

You know the one. Where we aim to get 1% better each day (or week, or month) coined by Darren Hardy, author of The Compound Effect, and doubled down upon by James Clear in his Atomic Habits. 

Getting 1% better, or moving 1% closer to your goals each day allows you to enjoy your current life. Truly appreciate all that you already have, while pointing your nose in the right direction. 

What does that look like in the wild? 

 

1. Dream: To become financially independent

Goal: Get 1% closer to being financially independent each day. 

Reality: every day, spend a little less, make a little more, and learn a bit more about investing. Become more financially literate each day. 

 

2. Dream: To Become Principal of a major orchestra

Goal: Get 1% closer to winning that audition each day

Reality: every day, work on excerpts, have lessons with members of that orchestra, study the sound of the orchestras, play mock auditions, work on your technique, learn and study scores, become a better sight-reader, and work on your craft. 

 

3. Dream: To speak 5 languages fluently

Goal: To get 1% closer to fluency in a language every day. 

Reality: Use duolingo, join a meet up group where you get together and speak a different language, travel, read literature, and watch TV shows in that language. Anything. But if you learn 3 new words a day, you’re doing great. 

 

 

So this is the question I have been asking myself each day now. As I’m writing this book, I’m thinking more deeply about my own potential, and what it would look like to reach it. And if I were to point myself in that direction and make 1% progress each day, what would that look like? Sometimes it’s super easy and quantifiable. 

Q: How many words need to be written per day to get 1% closer to my finished book?

A: 700

 

 

Sometimes it’s not quite as quantifiable: 

How do I become 1% better at gardening? I trust by doing it every day. I’m assuming my knowledge and experience are compounding themselves. I feel like I’ve done the same things in my gardens for years, and yet—they are better every season. 

How do I get 1% better at my marriage? My friendships? my leadership skills? Are there metrics? # of times I compliment my husband? # of times I text my friends to check in and say hi? 

It’s hard to say, but I suppose we need to look for the small mini-leaps and make as many of those as we can. And here are 3 small and subtle mindset shifts that I think can help us out along the way. 

1. Reframe Self Acceptance

Instead of thinking: “I’m perfectly fine just as I am and I don’t need to change” you can think: “I am an ever-evolving human being. I accept myself for where I am at this moment, and appreciate who I will be tomorrow.” 

 

2. Stay in the present while being mindful of the future. 

I can be fully present while I am setting up the coffee machine before I go to bed at night. It is part of my routine of putting the house to rest at the end of the day. And…bonus…Future Kate has a hot pot of coffee waiting for her when she wakes up. 

 

3. Make growth part of your current identity. 

If you see yourself as someone who runs, you’re not thinking. I’m lazy, so I need to improve myself by running. You just run. It’s who you are. If you consider yourself a ‘lifelong learner’, then you’re not seeking out knowledge because you weren’t smart enough before, it’s just part of you. The side benefit of that subtle identity shift is that you are experiencing constant growth in a direction that aligns with your potential. 

 

 

And it truly is both a subtle and profound shift in thinking. I think we all recognize the difference in the student who practices consistently, eager to try new things, improve their skills, and learn new repertoire, and the one who is only chasing after a goal–beating themselves up to be “good enough.” It’s the first one who finds success. 

The one who was both accepting where they are, AND refusing to be complacent. 

Cheers, 

Kate

 

P.S. If you enjoyed this blog post and want more insider info on how to thrive as a creative, be sure you get on the list to receive my Friday “Weekend List.” Each one is loaded up with additional tips, tricks, and things to think about, including a new curated list of articles, books, podcasts, and things that I think you’d enjoy.  Click Here to Get the Weekend List! 

When someone asks you to do something, and I’m talking about the whole gamut of asks, here: from “Wanna grab some dinner after rehearsal?” to  “Mom, can I sleep over at Molly’s house on Friday?” to “Can you perform all 6 Bach Cello Suites in a private concert next Saturday?” What is your usual default reaction? 

Do you always start with “No” and then find reasons to justify it? Or do you say yes to everything and then regret it? 

I think one of the biggest signs that someone has the potential to be successful is where they stand on the “No-Yes Spectrum” (I totally made that up–consider it trademarked)

Say yes to too many things and you can get overwhelmed, spread yourself too thin, and not have the capacity to do really good work on anything. 

 

Say no to too many things though, and you get stuck, rigid, stop taking risks, and avoid growth. 

 

I think most people, whether they do it consciously or not, generally default to “No.” Our brains have been sold a thousand reasons why we cannot do certain things. Seth Godin calls it our “Lizard Brain”, Stephen Pressfield writes about it as resistance in his book “The War of Art” and Scientists will start talking to you about your amygdala and why it keeps saying “No, because”  over and over and over. You can also blame your parents, teachers, and general surroundings for your knee-jerk reactions to new ideas. 

• Can you be a doctor? No, because medical school is expensive and takes forever. 
• Can you live in France? No, because you don’t have an EU passport. 
• Can you make millions of dollars? No because we’re not “those” people. 

You get the idea.

More often than not, we are defaulting to “No” as a way to keep ourselves safe. Avoid the risk. As creatives, we are geniuses at coming up with reasons why we should say no–even when our heart is saying yes. 

Whether it’s about taking an artistic risk (I can’t play it that way because people will hate it) or a career risk (I can’t enter that competition because I’m not ready) or a tactical risk (I can’t work with a coach because I don’t have the money). 

We rarely ask ourselves if that No is serving us in the long term, or whether it’s just keeping us safe and comfortable at the moment. Sometimes, the no is stemming from a long-held belief in what is possible and what is impossible for our lives. 

 

 

 

My friend Jason once worked as the General Manager of a big organization. He was a wonderful guy that everyone got along with outside of work. In his role, he was in charge of the budget and, more importantly, making sure the organization stayed within that budget. He was also in charge of 6 very hard-working staff members, and he took it upon himself to make sure that they were happy, fulfilled, and not overworked. 

 

Like I said, great guy. Except that he said “No, because…” to everything. 

 

• An exciting new project! “No, because we don’t have the time to plan it properly.” 
• A new opportunity to collaborate with the perfect partner! “No, because everyone is already maxed out.” 
• Some fun swag for our volunteers? “No! Because there’s no money for it.” 

 

It’s hard to argue with that. Those are all valid reasons. But it wasn’t long before everyone around him, from his staff members to the CEO, were utterly frustrated with him. He was not to be swayed. According to Jason, It was everyone around him who was the problem. “They want the moon,” he’d cry “and they don’t see how impossible it is!” 

After a few years, the organization, sitting dead in its tracks, had been outperformed by the competition. Other groups were doing more, had more visibility, more collaborations, and better initiatives. 

But Jason’s budget was balanced! Problem was, It was the exact same budget he had been working with for 3 years. There had been zero growth. 

His replacement, Terry, brought a different attitude. Instead of answering “No, because” to everything,  they responded to each request and idea with “Yes! If….” Sometimes it would be determined that the “if” in question either wasn’t feasible, or wasn’t worth the effort at the moment, but often, it opened the door for creative thinking, a more engaged team, and exciting new projects. 

• A new summer initiative? “Yes, If two of you are willing and able to take on some extra hours over the next 4 weeks. It’s a tight turnaround, and we are already short on available work hours. But if we can find an extra 10 hours a week, we can make this happen.” 
• A new collaboration? “Yes, If the other partner has the necessary manpower available, we can contribute our space and do the mailings. Our staff has its hands full with current projects, but we can make this work”
• Some fun new swag for our volunteers? “Yes, If we can find a corporate sponsor to donate it.” 

 

Terry knew how to turn the Impossible into the Possible. It didn’t mean the team would decide to act on every idea, but thought and input was given. They could look for creative solutions and then decide their next best step from there. 

Suddenly, the whole world opened up. They experienced tremendous growth AND the budget remained balanced. 

Terry was scoring high on the No-Yes Spectrum. 

 

It takes a lot of courage. 

 

It’s far easier to reason ourselves OUT of doing something new, risky, or challenging.  We justify the no with perfectly valid reasoning (usually having to do with a lack of time, resources, or money) and then feel a sigh of relief, knowing that we don’t have to figure anything out. We got ourselves out of doing the hard work (preparing for the competition, cutting back on spending, or planning the trip) 

Phew!

Unfortunately, we’ve also cheated ourselves out of the potential reward. Winning the competition (or even just the knowledge that we could, in fact, get ourselves prepared enough to do well) Having the coach, or the new instrument, or the studio space we needed (and hey–by not going out for meals for 3 months to save the money, your cooking skills got a serious upgrade!) Experiencing a new country in the best possible way

 

 

So every time you hear your Lizard brain’s amygdala start to utter the phrase “No, because”,  call up your inner Terry and flip it around. Instead of the “No, because” default, you look for the “Yes, if” possibility.  

 

• Can you be a doctor? Yes, if you put a plan in place to cover expenses while you’re in school and look for some great scholarships/financial aid. 
• Can you live in France? Yes, if you married someone with an EU passport, or if you get the right visa. 
• Can you make millions of dollars? Yes, if you create an offer or product that people want and serve them well, you can be both an awesome human being AND a millionaire. 

 

Give it a shot.

Take something that you think you have to say no to, and ask yourself “What parameters need to exist in order for this to be a yes?” 

Are they feasible?  Is the reward worth the risk? Will you experience the kind of growth you are looking for? 

 

Cheers,

Kate

P.S. If you enjoyed this blog post and want more insider info on how to thrive as a creative, be sure you get on the list to receive my Friday “Weekend List.” Each one is loaded up with additional tips, tricks, and things to think about, including a new curated list of articles, books, podcasts, and things that I think you’d enjoy.  Click Here to Get the Weekend List! 

I heard a story several years ago on a podcast about a kindergarten teacher who asked her students to draw a picture of what they wanted to be when they grew up. Most of the kids drew pictures of doctors, people in suits, firefighters, ballet dancers…the usual. But the teacher grew concerned about one boy who had drawn a picture of what looked to be a guy delivering pizzas. 

The teacher called the student’s mother, who, after a deep exhale, explained that the boy’s father was in prison. His older brother had died of an overdose, and his uncle was in a gang, but he had one older cousin, James, who wasn’t in a gang, didn’t do drugs, and had never been to jail. He was currently working as a pizza delivery guy to pay for some community school classes, and her son thought he was the most amazing and successful person in the whole world. He wanted to be just like James when he grew up. 

 

We can only aspire to what we can see. 

 

 

Growing up, it was made clear to my brother and me that there was an expectation that we would go to college. Both of my parents made the choice to go to college–a choice that was NOT expected of either of them. In fact, my mother had to hide the fact that she had applied to college from her overbearing father until, with bags packed, she simply announced to him that she needed a ride to campus. 

So I grew up knowing that I came from an educated family, and getting a college degree was just what you did. It wasn’t until I got to high school (in the very affluent Chicago suburbs) that it became clear that choices and decisions like these are all relative (literally!) For my friends’ families, not only was it assumed that they would go to college, it was assumed that they would go to A Very Good College. Most likely Ivy League.

 

 

Sometimes, we are aware of other choices, but external opinions and comments dictate whether we see them as “Possible” or “Impossible.”  Maybe everyone around you blasted artists and musicians as irresponsible, substance-abusing, MORONS. Making your desire to be an actor seems like an impossibility. 

Or maybe it was the opposite. It was successful (read: Wealthy) people who had their priorities messed up. But getting a degree in English or going to Music Conservatory? Those were worthy pursuits.

 

Creative, Artistic, Humble. Possible. 

 

I knew at 15 that I wanted to be a cellist. All of my friends were great musicians, and most of their parents were professional musicians. Good ones–not just your average freelancer, but they were in the Chicago Symphony, or in world-renowned string quartets, and were highly respected pedagogues. That was my world.

And in my world, going into music was just what you did. It was possible. Playing at a high level? Possible. Getting into a top conservatory? The best festivals? All Possible. 

Someone asked me once at a post-concert Q&A, why I had chosen to become a professional musician, and my answer was “because it’s the only thing I actually know how to do!” tossed off with a laugh. 

In hindsight, I realize that wasn’t true, but being a cellist was the only thing that I knew was possible for me. 

My 8th-grade teacher told me I’d make a great US Senator (and back when I was in 8th grade, that was a compliment!) I thought about it for a second, but when I told my dad, he laughed and said “Nah. Politicians are all corrupt. You don’t want to do that!”  and that was the end of that idea.

 

It was put on the “Impossible” list.

 

 

And for most of us, that unspoken and unwritten list is something we’ve been carrying around with us without realizing. “Possible” on the left, “Impossible’ on the right, and we grow up understanding and taking that list in. It determines where we stand in life. How far our dreams are allowed to go.

For some, it’s an international soloist. For others, a Supreme Court Justice, and for others, a pizza delivery guy.

But now, knowing this. Seeing how arbitrary that list really is,  we can look at our life and make future decisions with clearer eyes.

Without any external input, what would you do? 

Without any expectations, what would you do? 

Without that list of Possible vs. Impossible, what would you do? 

 

Cheers,

Kate

P.S. If you enjoyed this blog post and want more insider info on how to thrive as a creative, be sure you get on the list to receive my Friday “Weekend List.” Each one is loaded up with additional tips, tricks, and things to think about, including a new curated list of articles, books, podcasts, and things that I think you’d enjoy.  Click Here to Get the Weekend List!