The Client Letter
May 9, 2013
The Northland
Drearrrrryyyyyy 39 Degrees
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I had many amazing lessons with my teacher back during my days as a musician.
He was a master performer, of course. But even more important (for the world) was his ability to teach. And his willingness to be bluntly honest about how things are in the real world.
I remember an odd thing he told me once during one of my organ lessons. At the time, I really don’t think I believed him. It just didn’t seem possible.
But the wisdom has stuck with me to this day. And it’s turned out to be true well beyond the world of music.
What did he tell me?
He told me that there’s plenty of room “at the top.”
Or in other words, the bar is pretty low in the world of music.
Like I said… I didn’t get it at the time. But after I left school, I realized just how mediocre everything was.
Mediocre was an understatement really.
To be frank, I was really, REALLY disillusioned by this. Musicians who couldn’t seem to play their way out of a paper bag got awesome jobs while amazing players went unemployed.
“What was wrong with the world?” I asked myself. “Is this what I signed up for?”
I was young, angry and stupid at the time. So I didn’t see this fact as a GOOD thing. I didn’t see it as the enormous opportunity it really is. Instead, I saw it as a sign that the real world of music wasn’t somewhere where I was “appreciated.” (Hah!)
Back when I was auditioning for a big church job, I was up against people way older than me with TONS more education and experience.
I got the job. I wasn’t even out of college yet, so why did I get picked?
Because my playing had something in it that the other’s didn’t. Something that spoke loud and clear to the audition committee.
In fact, I remember one of the members telling me (a professional musician himself) that he told the audition committee to hire me or he was walking out.
I may have been an awesome player, but I didn’t have staying power.
And so my flame burned itself out and I quit.
There IS plenty of room at the top. But cream doesn’t rise immediately. It takes TIME.
This has little to do with innate talent and EVERYTHING to do with sticking around long enough to make a dent in the world.
I’ve been writing the Client Letter for going on two years now. I only JUST feel like I’m starting to get the hang of things.
Same thing as a copywriter. I GET IT now. I look back at my understanding of things six years ago and I just chuckle. WOW.
You want to know the funny thing though?
I can’t really trace my progress back to any one or even a few “breakthrough” moments.
Instead, it’s been inch by inch by inch. Almost too slow to notice.
That’s why you always hear people say “it’s the journey” that’s important.
That’s because, if you don’t love what you’re doing, there’s absolutely NO way you’re going to stick around long enough to become a master.
If you want to rise to the top, you have to stick around. You pick up the skills you need and then you practice and practice and practice some more. It’s simple and it’s hard all at the same time.