Either make it great, or make it suck less.
I used to go to see live music all the time. For real, like all_the_time. It seemed like I was either playing a show or out seeing a show. It’s what I did. It’s where I felt most comfortable…in a poorly-lit room with a band playing too loudly. It was, for a while and still to some degree, my element.
Then, you’d see some amazing shows and see some total clunkers. It was all a ratio game — the more shows you see, the more good one and shitty ones you’ll get. After bad ones, it was no big deal because you knew you’d make up for it soon enough. Meh. Whatever. On to another night.
But these days, not so much. We don’t get out with the same frequency as before, so when we do get out, it’s a bit of a production. Babysitters, maybe dinner somewhere before the show, etc. The whole thing. It’s more difficult these days for many reasons, but also more important these days for those same reasons.
Sunday. Sunday. Sunday.
Sundays are kind of hard already. We’re trying to wind down an eventful weekend, we’re trying to start the weekend off strong (not already exhausted from a late night), and trying to enjoy all of it. Yeah I know, really only three things, but they’re three big things.
This past Sunday, though, we went to a show. It’s an investment of time, money, and to be honest, energy, but screw it. We were going. A lot was riding on this night out and we realized that our threshold for crappy shows is currently at about a zero. We can’t afford them anymore. Is there any way we can just be guaranteed a good show? Please? No? Oh man….please don’t suck. Please don’t suck. Please don’t suck.
Good thing for us, we went to see The Wood Brothers at one of STL’s premier venues. I’ll be honest, I don’t think The Wood Brothers even know how to have a bad show so yeah, it was amazing. Sunday show not missed and it delivered.
The Ratio Game
Turns out that starting a business from scratch also involves a threshold. Building Magic Room Brand from scratch takes a lot of work, yes, but also investment of time, money, and energy, not to mention patience, a little stubbornness and a shit load of luck. A lot rides on every decision and I can’t be guaranteed good results every time here, either.
Maybe the best any of us can do when a lot rides on every decision is to be in a position where you make them as often as possible. Seems counter-intuitive, right? But if we’re playing the long game — and you should be — then it will all wash out in the end, if not lean in your favor.
That’s why champions always always always want the ball when the clock is ticking and the game’s on the line.
That’s why leaders thrive when making that critical decision.
The key decisions. The big moments. The we’re-all-counting-on-you situations. Don’t avoid them because they’re difficult, pursue them because the more you do it, the easier it will get.
3…2…1…
#bewhatyoumake
