Seven Decisions (Part 2)

This week I am going to finish up with part 2 of Andy Andrew’s Seven Decisions. The
remaining topics are: Have a Decisive Heart, Choose to be Happy, Greet each Day with a
Forgiving Spirit, and Persist without Exception. Let’s jump right in:

Have a Decisive Heart.

This means that once you make a decision you must stick with it and not only that, but be able to
make the decision quickly. The more successful your career becomes the more decisions you
will inevitably have to make. It is then important that you learn to make a decision and stick it
out no matter what the initial backlash or failure. For instance a marketing push you go with that
seems like a great idea to you and your band members may bomb incredibly when you bring it to
the public.

Many people would then cut their losses and move on, but the smart marketer would continue to
see the plan through. The more and more people hear a song, slogan or image the more and more
they begin to connect with it. This is the technique that most large corporations and radio
stations use to push products. Through using the same commercials, music, and slogans over
time you unconsciously begin to notice and even try the company’s product that months ago you
would of never tried. This is why being decisive is so important to your career, without
decisiveness you can end up failing only due to the fact that you didn’t stick it out long enough.

Choose to be Happy.

A happy person is more useful, easier to get along with, and is more likely to look beyond the
problems and find the solution. Choosing to be happy will make studio sessions, tours, and
financial tiffs your band may have over time smooth out easier. Thus saving you much needed
time and keeping your group functioning as a unit, which is necessary if you plan on treading any
of the industry’s ground. There are many people and obstacles laid out like mine fields just
waiting to rip your band apart as it is, so why add to the challenge of getting along and staying
together by being a sour-puss. Choose to be Happy those that have to deal with you on a regular
basis will love the change in your attitude.

Greet Each Day with a Forgiving Spirit.

Greeting each day with a forgiving spirit simply will open you up for the new day. Each day has
its own set of problems, and circumstances that need your attention so why drag yesterday’s
problems into today. One of the industries secrets of the top executives is that they greet each
day looking for the problems and difficult issues expecting them and thus putting them on the
offense against them. This state of mind then opens them up to focusing on the more positive
issues of their day. Give it a try and forget about holding a grudge against yesterday’s problems
and find today’s solutions.

Persist Without Exception.

This ties in with the having a decisive heart. As a musician you have probably had many people
come up against you offering their brand of unsolicited B.S. about what you should be doing with
your life and how you should be spending your time here on the Earth. It is in these times that it
is important to not get side tracked and stick to your guns. Just because being what you feel
called to do doesn’t fit into someone else’s image of you doesn’t mean that you are any less called
to do whatever it is you are attempting. In fact their opinion has to do with their own disbelief in
their own dreams and they look at those attempting to reach their goals as naive, when really they
themselves wish they had the courage to venture out on their own dreams. Go beyond problems,
setbacks, and loved ones scoldings and persist without exception and you’ll eventually see
yourself reach that goal you desire.

So there you have it! The seven decisions that will help you in your musical career and/or life in
general. Again these come from Andy Andrew’s phenomenal book Seven Decisions, check it
out, it will surely help you out in numerous ways.

Get Out There And Manifest Your Career’s Success!

~ by bmarcel on April 22, 2008.