“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important than any other one thing.” - Abraham LincolnWhat are you resolved to do? For whom? Why? What’s in it for them?There was a time when my life’s resolution was to make a living exclusively playing music, and I did it. I reached that goal at great cost to myself and my relationships, but those that doubted I could make it happen were proven wrong. That’s the problem.The problem is not those that doubted me - it was their mistake to doubt. My mistake was leveraging my ambition to serve myself - not to serve others.Any type of leadership (self, group, political, team, musical, etc.) requires demands that you serve others. Your definition of success must be rooted in the betterment of those you seek to serve.Keep your resolutions front and center - almost more important than any other one thing; the ones you seek to serve, they are your most important.

Gigs - they are the opportunity to do something! When I show up to play, I’m doing something - not just playing the instrument, but I’m serving people. My bandmates, the singer, the audience, the venue owner, the neighborhood, the local economy, and the culture. You have an awesome responsibility showing up for others. Don’t take it for granted and love every second of it.

If “What If” questions spark ideas, “How” questions tease ideas into existence.Gauri Nanda, inventor of the Clocky (Wikipedia), went from “What If” to “How” in a pretty impressive way.Here’s what Gauri Nanda asked:What if it was harder to turn off the alarm clock? What if your alarm clock forced you to get out of bed and chase after it? What if I put wheels on it?While testing Nanda noticed the clock’s fall was traumatic… How might that shock be absorbed?How do we gear up for production? How do we handle orders? How do we launch a full-fledged business?The Clocky is still sold today. I may have just purchased it… and my future self will curse my present self for getting it.

A strategic question - that question get people to think without feeling judged - is where past, present, and future intersect. It’s the convening of what was, what is, and possibility.What could we do better?Why, exactly, do I feel as if we’re not getting along?Why do you want to change that?How would you explain the condition of your book of business to our CEO?What are you committing yourself to work on this coming week?How might we, as a family, better serve our community?Tough questions? Yes. But they don’t judge.The heart of the question is in its openness, curiosity, honesty, and a slight desire to be provocative.What are the odds that I’m wrong?

Who have we historically been when we’ve been at our best?Whom must we fearlessly become?What is true about us, at our core?Are we really who we say we are?What should we stop doing?What more can we do?What are we against?Do we want to take a shortcut here or do it right?

You’ve already found it - in your intention.You own this present moment. In it, you get to decide what you wan to do, for whom, and what change you seek to make. That intentionality is hope.Hope is you saying, “this thing that I’m about to do, yeah, it could make things better.“Instead of putting our thoughts too far into the future, what if we put our hopes and dreams into what we want 5 minutes from now to be like?

When musicians improvise solos, they compose melodies over a structure - like the outlines found in coloring books. But highly effective musicians know how to color over the lines and still create a work of art.Be an artist - be willing to play outside the changes, challenge the structure, and create your art.

Get out and play.Play with ideas, music, themes, books, words, chess pieces, your imagination, or sticks.Besides work and rest, play is an important part of life.It also helps get you out of the funks, drudgery, and slog of life.Get out and play.

When you get mad, it’s usually one or the other. Before reacting, figure out which one it is - justice or fairness?Then, instead of getting mad, say what you feel and what you need.Life is loads better when you can reinvest negative energy into something useful.