Working Man

In a couple of weeks I’m off to see Rush perform on the Time Machine Tour. Excited? You bet! I’ve followed them and enjoyed them for a long time. They do what they do to an exceptionally high standard. You may think they are talented, I would agree. Why are they talented? Because they keep practicing.

I just watched an interview with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and they’re chatting with a reporter from Rolling Stone. Geddy Lee is talking about playing their well known instrumental YYZ and for a couple of minutes he observes stuff like “playing YYZ is tough…we sometimes get asked to play with other bands and they wanna play YYZ, that’s a tough song”. They go on to talk about the nerves they experience before playing and how much rehearsing is needed to get ready to tour. This stuff doesn’t all come easy to these guys. I don’t know about you but I’m a little relieved to learn this – maybe there’s hope for all us amateur guitar pickers after all!

Even the most accomplished artists need to practice, else they cease to be the most accomplished artist. And the same goes for any career choice. Music, art, HR, shelf stacking. From the highest paid entertainer to the humblest working man. If you want to be the best – forget “talent”, get practicing and keep practicing, and talent will find you.

Author: Doug Shaw

Artist and Consultant. Embracing uncertainty, sketching myself into existence. Helping people do things differently, through an artistic lens.

5 thoughts on “Working Man”

  1. Great message. When we start believing that we don’t have to do the hard work anymore, it’s time to call it a day. Nothing beats hard work and effort!

    1. Hello Jay, you make an excellent point. I wish I’d put it as well as you have. I love getting comments from switched on folks – adds so much more to the conversation. Cheers!

  2. *Update* Sheridan Webb contacted me via Twitter to suggest that this loop of practice and improvement is not complete without feedback. Good point and in the spirit of feedback I want to include her thinking here. I went on to suggest that in the case of Rush – their feedback is drawn from the crowd. Another reason to suggest you watch the video. Thanks for the suggestion Sheridan.

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