Motivation is good. But getting motivated is tricky business. This is especially true for things that are optional. Take, for example, the act of rehearsing songs you've played hundreds of times.
I now have musical motivation. It's right there on the calendar: January 31, 2009. It's listed in the local newspaper each week. Advertisements and posters are showing up with my picture. My upcoming show at The Shedd Performing Arts Institute is a big deal and I am determined to be at the top of my game. Can't let the home folks down, gotta give 'em their moneys worth. This motivation is real and powerful. And it makes me happy.
Even when my motivation slides, I still play guitar every day, at least for a little while. But now I'm sharpening my chops. I have summoned a higher level of concentration and I plan to nurture it passionately for the next couple of months. When my musical concentration kicks in, good things happen.
New song ideas keep popping into my head and old songs seem to possess a new energy. Ever notice how artists sometimes vary the musical arrangements of their old songs, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse? My old songs are morphing a bit these days and I'm determined to let this happen spontaneously, hoping that the changes will add depth and nuance. The audience will decide and I do not wish to let them down.
Sometimes I regret that my day job and other commitments interfere with my music. But mostly I'm grateful that I have the freedom to live the way I do and that music, even though it isn't my sole career, still occupies a huge and important part of my life. On January 31, I will have the opportunity to show folks in my hometown what I'm musically all about these days. I can't wait.
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