Mike Monday

Inspiration On Demand

Are You a Perfectionist?

Some people say “I’m a perfectionist” with pride.

But the pursuit of perfection is just an advanced form of procrastination. Here’s 3 good reasons to stop trying to make it perfect.

You’ll never achieve it

How are you going to achieve perfection?

You won’t, it’s not possible.

So how will never being able to achieve what you’re striving for make you feel? Confidence is key to creation and your pursuit of perfection will kill it.

Perfection isn’t the same as good

Why assume that something perfect is better than something imperfect?

Our Western ideal of beauty and perfection probably comes from the Ancient Greeks. But this isn’t the only way to think.

The Japanese aesthetic of Wabi Sabi – beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete – makes much more sense to me than any ideal of perfection.

Failure equals growth

Success is 99% failure
– Soichiro Honda

A neverending quest for perfection has its roots in fear of failure.

But if you build your courage, you’ll learn to accept and expect failure as a natural and important part of the creative process.

Fail, fail and fail again. Because when you fail you learn.

A caveat

I’m not suggesting you want to immediately release a load of crap. And I’m assuming that you care about what you do and make deeply, and you always want to be your best.

But assuming this, forget about perfection. Because it is more honest, courageous and useful to your development to get on with it, finish it, and get it out the door.

Worry whether it’s any good later.

Regrets? I’ve Had a Few…

Why do people say they don’t regret anything?

I’m proud to say that:

“I regret not pursuing live performance.”

“I regret spending more time in airports than with my family and friends.”

“I regret avoiding the internet.”

Why? Because I’ve learnt from them.

Here’s the Quickest and Easiest Way to Triple Your Studio Output – #9 of 100

It’s incredibly simple.

Forget how it sounds in your head.

If you can’t start, finish, or always get stuck, I bet it’s because you keep trying to make it sound the way it does in your head.

The music in your head is an excellent place to start. But unless you’re Mozart, striving to make it exactly as you imagine it will end in failure and frustration.

You see, the way it sounds in your head is just that. In your head.

When I realised this simple fact, the quantity of work I finished (at least) tripled. The music was better too.

4 reasons to stop

1. You’ll miss moments of genius.
By concentrating on what’s in your head you’ll ignore or reject the other (possibly brilliant) ideas that come out of nowhere. These are gold dust. Jump on them. Hint – they’re what most people call inspiration.
2. You’ll lose momentum.
If you’re going to finish your music, momentum is key. Trying to make it exactly the same as the music in your head will bring you to a screeching halt.
3. Danger! Boredom!
You’ll tweak and twiddle for hours in your quest to make the sound in your head. And after listening to the same thing over and over you’ll get bored of it. You probably won’t even remember what you were trying to do in the first place. The only thing you’ll remember is that you didn’t do it.
4. You won’t hear what’s really playing.
This is the kicker. If you focus on what’s in your head you won’t listen to what’s coming out of the speakers. Then you’re in danger of hearing what you want, not what it is. Which (because you spent ages trying to make it sound like the music in your head) is probably a pile of crap. When you say “why is it so awful this morning when it was so good last night?” – this is why.

How to forget what’s in your head

Yes – start by trying to make what you hear in your head.

But when you have a vague approximation, stop thinking about the music in your head and start listening to what’s coming out of your speakers.

Do something crazy. Be creative. Play. Have fun. That is why you’re doing this – right?

Reframe it. Play the same part on a different sound. Play a different sound on the same part. Try a different rhythm. If it’s not working, try something else.

While you’re jamming, constantly keep your ears open for the ideas that were never in your head, but which sound amazing.

When they happen (and trust me – eventually they will) jump on them, even if they’re not what you were expecting. Especially if they’re not what you were expecting.

But above all, make it sound good in your ears, not in your head.

How to Turn Your Inner Critic into Your Greatest Asset

Mark McGuinness recently explained why your inner critic is your best friend, but I have a different take on it.

Your inner critic is your most reliable guide of what not to do.

So when that voice in your head says you’ve not got the right tools, use even less. When it thinks you’ve gone too far, go further. And when it tells you it’s not good enough, finish it anyway.

Go wherever you feel the most resistance, because this is where the magic happens.

Because if you’re anything like me, your inner critic is a very nasty piece of work. It will say anything and everything to stop you from doing what you were born to do.

It wants to feel safe. It wants you to be scared. It wants you to stop.

So trust your natural critical faculties. They’ll remain intact even when you’re flying in the face of your inner critic.

In this brave new connected world, the winners are those who are unique. And trust me, your inner critic wants you to do anything but stand out.

Be The Change

Why do you conform?

To be accepted by your peers? To be part of a tribe? To be respected by your teachers?

What if you don’t?

Shock your peers. Lead a tribe. Challenge your teachers.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi