Happy New Year!
Can you believe it’s 2024? The strikes are finally over, and our industry is finally really busy again. While the rest of the world thought LA was drowning from the storm, the truth is, much of the city was just busy rocking! At least the music stars were, who the rain did not keep away!
Yes, the Grammys were held last night February 4th, 2024, and were amazing! One of the best shows we have seen in years, Dua Lipa kicked off the show, who is always stunning, and a true, great talent. Check out more Grammy coverage in our “Music’s Greatest” section here at our table of contents.
Back when I was in 6th grade, I had a class where we had to tell everyone where we would be in 2020, and what we would be doing. I said that I would be working in the music or movie business, and would be living in NYC or LA. I made it to both cities from the Midwest and am now happy to call Los Angeles home. Where will you be at the end of this year? Or in 5 years?
Studies have shown that those that write down their goals, and review them daily, have a very good chance of achieving them. But those that don’t write down their goals? It’s like they don’t exist, and they rarely happen. One study I read stated that over 76% of New Years resolutions are not kept. That number is probably higher, because they are not written down or taken seriously.
If you have not already, take a few minutes right now and write down your goals. What are your top goals you want to achieve by the end of 2024? And 5 years from now? Write them out, read them morning and night, and then work on each target and step necessary to get you there daily. Take at least some small action-or a larger action-every day, to achieve what you want.
Who Do You Hang With? Winners? Or Losers?
Other studies show that the people we surround ourselves with are a reflection of what we will become like. Are the people in your social and work circle more successful than you? Or are they broke? Are they optimistic and speak good of others? Or are they negative and criticize people at every chance they can get? Are they impeccable with their word, or do they flake regularly and make excuses?
People that criticize, condemn, and complain all the time are exhausting to be around. They drag down everyone around them. They have a victim mentality that is toxic. People that tell you they are going to do something, then don’t on a repeated basis, not only disrespect you, but also disrespect themselves, as they are not living in truth with themselves.
Be around winners who are succeeding, setting goals, and achieving them, finding the good in others, giving praise, and are not jealous and hating on strangers they don’t even know. Keep friends with those who respect you and your time and do what they say they are going to do. Surround yourself with victors, not victims.
I hear countless people that often criticize those who are rich and famous, just because they are rich and famous. “Who does she think she is?” I heard one say. “They are evil!” I saw one post recently, “They are all congratulating themselves with their stupid awards!” Yet, these people would evidently rather watch, read, post, gossip, and slander the stars they obsess over, rather than ignoring them! They get a sick sense of pleasure out of hating people they don’t even know. This is toxic. Don’t fall into this trap yourself, and don’t listen to it.
Don’t Over Plan–Just Act!
Another obstacle to success is when people spend too much time on their goals, planning, and strategizing, and never take action. Or they may take action, but not soon enough, quick enough, long enough, or strong enough. Once you get the basic idea of what to do towards your goal, just start and do it. Sure, if you are climbing a mountain, you need to be prepared. Bring survival gear if you are going far. Know your directions. Have an emergency plan. But there is a difference between being obsessed with success and being obsessed with planning. There’s a difference. The successful don’t wait for perfection to take action. They start, and then improve along the way. The unsuccessful wait until things are perfect to take action, often never learn that things are rarely ever perfect, keep waiting, and never take the action needed.
What You Believe is Who You Become
What we think is true, is how we live our life. If we believe lies, then a part of our life becomes a lie. Beware of what you let into your mind and accept as truth.
The line of “It’s not the destination that counts-it’s the journey, is a lie. Don’t buy into it.”
People that say it’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts, are lying to themselves and others. If you want to travel to go see your loved ones, what counts most, getting there and seeing them, or the journey getting there? Let’s be real. Don’t buy into stupid cliché’s some people make up or repeat year after year to try sound enlightened. The destination is what counts.
The line “It’s not whether you win or lose that counts-it’s how you play the game, is also a lie. Don’t believe it.”
Of course winning is what counts-not how you play the game. You can enjoy the game, sure. And you should play fair-of course. But winning counts. And so does the destination.
If you watch sports, do you watch the game and then shut it off before you find out who wins, because winning doesn’t count? Of course not. It matters to you who wins.
Don’t get duped by stupid philosophies by people that say such things, or that say things like,
“You can’t get it wrong; you just have to feel good.”
I read that one recently too. We can get it wrong. And sometimes we have to admit we got it wrong and failed or got defeated so we don’t repeat the same mistake again.
Success takes a sacrifice of our time, doing some things we don’t want, to get something bigger we want more.
Sometimes it takes doing things that do not feel good before we get to what we really want. That’s how the world works. If we just do things that feel good 100% of the time, then guess what would happen? A person living such a way usually ends up drug addicted and homeless, and then how good do they feel?
Success takes a sacrifice. It takes discipline and willpower. It takes hard work, and action. Don’t make excuses for failure and don’t surround yourselves with people that settle for anything other than the best. You deserve it. Or maybe you don’t deserve it yet, but don’t you at least owe it to yourself to make yourself a person that DOES deserve it? I think you do.
Which leads to my final thought for you today;
“Everyone deserves to be rich and famous.” Have you heard that? Don’t believe it. It’s another lie.
No, everyone does NOT deserve to be famous, or rich. Fame and wealth are a top condition of success that is generally earned by mental and physical toughness and hard work. A LOT of work. Most people deserve to be where they are in their life.
Does the guy who spends his whole life playing video games and drinking beer deserve more fame and money than the woman who has trained hundreds of hours per week for years and years, becoming a sports star, and entertaining millions? No. Most people who are rich and famous got there because they deserve it. And if you think they didn’t, so what? Hating others’ success only stops our own by creating mental obstacles. And there is enough fame and fortune to go around for anyone that wants any.
“If you have nothing good to say about someone, then say nothing at all.”
Now that’s an old adage that is reasonable. It’s not easy to follow, and the best of us can make that mistake. But it’s worth trying and following overall. Put good vibes out there into the world, think well of others, and speak well of others. Be a positive force for change. Your life will improve because of it.
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will be held February 4th. Check out Music’s Greatest at the table of contents for more Grammy coverage.
