Not a face value kinda guy..............

Hey Heroes,

It's true, you know. I have a hard time taking anything at face value. I don't know if it's my Buddhist leanings, or if it's my Punk Rock background, but I question everything. That's right. EVERYTHING.

I've held the belief, for as long as I can remember, that in order for a person to honestly believe something, they have to completely deconstruct the belief and analyze it from the bottom up. In essence, blind faith is for the weak minded who can't think for themselves. Harsh? Maybe, but that's how I feel.

So, you're asking yourselves, "Paul, what the fuck does this have to do with music?". Well, everything actually. How do you know that the latest trend in PR is right for you if you don't question the motives, actions, and tactics necessary for pulling it off? How do you know if the record deal you're contemplating is right if you don't question how many hands are in the pot and where the incoming money is going to? You see, questioning things can make a big difference in the outcome of our efforts.

It can also play into who we surround ourselves with, what venues we play, what sponsors we align ourselves with, and much more.

It's all about being aware and knowing what it is we're signing our names to. It's all about taking responsibility for the outcome of our efforts. It's all about understanding the consequences of our actions.

Leave the blind faith to the thoughtless masses and question what it is that's shaping your life and and your future. What could be more Rock and Roll than that?

Later,

Use every moment

Hey Heroes,

So, I've talked before about taking every opportunity, and making the best of it. Let's talk a little bit about taking a moment, just every now and then, to evaluate our own progress and make the little tweaks needed to get ourselves steering true.

The greatest thing about having come out of a punk background is the solid need to question everything. Couple that with several years of Buddhist study, and I've also developed a strong need to question even my own motives. Kind of a constant self diagnostic test. What do I really think, and why? Does my answer hold water with me, or have I been fooling myself again? Yep, it happens. A lot, sometimes.

What it comes down to, for me, is the need to evaluate where my activities have lead me and determine if I'm on the road to where I want to go. It takes just a little bit of time each day, and yes, it's another EVERY DAY thing. In case you haven't figured it out yet, all of my solutions are a never ending, every day, necessity.

Take just a minute to really look at your progress. Are you reaping the benefits you expected? Is there one aspect of your plan that's keeping you from achieving your goal, or is the plan even working at all? By doing this daily evaluation it allows you to realize any shortcomings early in the process, and make the changes you need, and it might even save you a lot of wasted time and money. Resources that most of us don't have a lot of.

So, make your plans and check on them often, make changes as needed and save yourself time and money. I like it.