Here’s the problem with any activity, skill, hobby, or craft that takes a considerable amount of time to master…

You might even find this counter-intuitive but it’s: “memory.”

Here’s why:

The first time you do something is always a journey of discovery. You’ve never done the activity before so your mind is taking in all the minute details and making lots of connections. Your receptivity to learning is at its height.

There are no labels or memories or comparable experiences to prejudge the new experience and thus learning is at its highest.

However, after the hundredth time of doing something, the experience is usually different.

For most people, the repetition brings about unconscious competence. This is when you really don’t have to think about what you’re doing. Like Nike, you “just do it.”

In fact, we engage in many activities in an unconscious way, unaware of details that once fascinated us. We, instead, rely on our memories, labels, shortcuts, and experiences from the first time we did it. Unfortunately, this is when learning and discovery drops to zero because memories of past experiences take over.

But if you live “TODAY” based on your memory of yesterday, you miss the gift of the present moment totally!

“The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present!”
-Bill Keane

When you sit down to the piano, do you sit down with a fresh mind, open to learn new things? Or have you gotten stuck in what you “already” know?

It’s great to have mastered things “unconsciously” but it could also be holding you back from mastering new things! In fact, the world changes so much that if you’re living based on a memory of the 70s, you keep from seeing things as they truly are.

The next time you’re at the piano, try an exercise where you “forget” what you’ve learned about a particular chord or progression or key, and just approach it with a newness and freshness like never before.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS!

You’ll discover a whole new world. You’ll grow a whole lot faster and improve a lot quicker.

It’s called “BEING IN THE NOW.”

My brother in law was over during the holidays and it’s become a tradition for us to dust of my xbox 360 and enjoy a game of Nba 2k or Madden Football. (I can’t stand playing the computer so the only time I engage in video games is when I can play a real person… “in person.”)

Well, every year is the same. He tends to beat me by about 40 points in Madden Football.

And while he’s whooping on me, he loves to talk “mess” too! He’ll look over and say “ready to throw in the towel?” … “ready to give up?” … “want to start over?” … “you suck!” … “give up already!”

And my answer is always the same. “NO.”

And Sarah and I make sure to teach our kids to “NEVER GIVE UP… no matter how the odds are stacked against you.”

NEVER GIVE UP.

In fact, we have this little motto: “The Griggs’ Never Give Up.”

(Jadyn, our oldest is so funny when she says it. She lowers her chin and puts on this deep voice… “Griggs Nevaaaa Give Up!”)

I don’t care if it’s the biggest decision of my life… or a video game — the concept is the same.

Being a musician ain’t easy. Learning to train your fingers takes time. Things don’t come overnight. But I want to encourage you to NEVER GIVE UP.

Something led you to this. You want to do this. It may be a lifelong dream of yours, a passion. And like my brother in law, you may hear these whispers encouraging you to take an early defeat.

Don’t throw in the towel.

As they say, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Remember that.

You’ve heard it before… “Practice Makes Perfect.”

You may have heard it this way as well: “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.”

I prefer the latter because you can definitely practice something incorrectly and get “perfect” at doing it WRONG.

But at the end of the day, it’s about making and putting in the time.

In other articles, you’ve probably seen me talk about the 10,000 hour rule. It’s true – it takes about 10,000 hours to get to a master-level at something.

And sure, you can spend time reading materials, watching dvds, listening to cds, engaging in discussions, etc… and these things all have a role in your success. But according to the study below, none of them trump “PRACTICE BY DOING.”

What this chart tells us is how effective each of the modes are at helping us retain information (“learn”).

When we’re lectured on something, we only remember 5% of what’s told to us.

When we read something, we only remember 10%. Ever read a book and a week later, can’t even remember most of what you read?

When you hear and see something, it doubles your effectiveness to 20%. When you’re demonstrated something, you’ll remember 30% of the information shared with you.

When you discuss something in a group, you’ll remember 50%. That’s why college courses often require a separate discussion meeting.

See what happens when you practice by doing? It takes your retention of what you’re practicing up to 75%.

(And there’s even a level that beats practicing. That’s when you get to the point where you can teach others. That’s when information really sticks. When you’re teaching, just remember this study and to mix up these modalities because if you stick to merely lecturing, your recipients will only remember 5% of what you say while you will be retaining 90% of what you’re teaching. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that teaching is more beneficial to the teacher than the student. Most professors that get the big bucks get paid for their research… not for teaching us in the study hall. But when they’re teaching us, it’s only making their research that much easier. Interesting. Thus, why I love doing it so much!)

So we’re back full circle…

Ya gotta practice.

Yup, I said all that to encourage you to make a commitment to practice.

And not just practice but on a consistent basis.

One of my “6 Ps To Productive Practice” deals with “Planned Practice.”

Psychological studies prove that if you do a routine at the same time everyday, you’re more likely to stick with it. You’ve made it a habit. It’s a ritual and a part of your life.

On the other hand, if you sit down to practice whenever you want – here and there – you’re most likely to break the commitment and be unsuccessful at sticking to it.

Experts say habit formation takes about 21-30 days. And the most difficult of those days are the first 10. This is where you have to literally defy gravity.

There’s so much gravity trying to push you down. Gravity of “the way things are.” Gravity of “old ways.”

And like a space shuttle needs most of its fuel at takeoff, you’ll need most of yours to get past your current “atmosphere.”

In the beginning, do what it takes to keep the commitment. Most likely, this will be pure “will power.” But as time progresses, getting yourself to sit down and practice will become a way of life… a habit… and thus, easier to stick with.

But remember, you’ve got to do it consistently for 30 days at the same time every day to start building this momentum.

This is the key to real growth this year.

-JG

I’ve been fortunate and blessed to see 28 new years in my lifetime.

And while I probably didn’t understand what was going on for the first 5 (my daughter’s kindergarten class is currently studying time relationships… i.e. – today, yesterday, last week, last year, next year, tomorrow, next week), I’ve been cognizant of at least 20 of them.

And so, for at least 20 years, I’ve seen how excited we get about the New Year. We make resolutions. We make goals. We make decisions to cut off or cut out things that are not good for us. We set out to lose weight, increase our productivity, make more money, reach a lifelong dream, etc.

And that’s all good and fine. It’s certainly better than not having a recurring reminder.

But I’ve noticed each and every year, this excitement wears down. Momentum slows. And soon, we’re back to our old self.

So ponder this question:

“It’s a New Year but what are you CURRENTLY doing to ensure a New You?”

And more importantly, what needs to happen to ensure the New You sticks?

One thing I know for sure is that time operates with or without us. Every year, every day, every hour, every minute — heck, every second is a unique miracle you’ve never seen before… an opportunity to make a decision to be a “NEW YOU.”

A NEW YOU that is always “becoming.”
A NEW YOU that is always “progressing.”
A NEW YOU that is always “growing.”
A NEW YOU that is always “learning.”
A NEW YOU that is always “loving.”
A NEW YOU that is always “forgiving.”
A NEW YOU that is always “striving.”

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
-Ezekiel 36:26

It starts with a decision.

A real decision.

What’s a real decision?

It’s when you make it hard to revert back to before the decision was made.

The word “decision” comes from the latin word dēcīsiō, which literally means “a cutting off.” Or decidere, which means “to cut off.”

When you make a real decision, you literally cut off all other options.

If that decision is to stop smoking, you throw away anything remotely related to smoking. Any item that will cause you to recidivate or relapse. You even go as far as to proclaim to other individuals that you’ve stopped smoking and if they ever see or smell the scent on you, they are free to embarrass, call you out, scorn you, etc.

If that decision is to improve your piano playing, you tell a spouse or friend that if you have not completed a predetermined goal (that can easily be described or perhaps demonstrated to them on youtube so they know what to expect), you will either give them your piano or keyboard or sell it and give the proceeds to them or charity. Or worse, book yourself a gig in front of a “real” audience months into the future with a penalty for not being able to perform when the time comes.

I know these examples sound silly but the point is — make it hurt.

When have you known for a “cut” not to hurt? If you accidentally cut yourself with scissors (which is related to the same decision word… like “incision”), it’s likely gonna hurt.

Cuts hurt.

And so when you make real decisions, they hurt.

Not necessarily in the physical realm. But it may be emotional, spiritual, psychological, mental.

As humans, we don’t like change. The elements that operate the body like maintaining homeostasis (it’s vital). We’d rather keep things the same. That’s how we are.

So when you make a real decision, it hurts.

Fake decisions or delusional “New Year” hype won’t hurt… and therefore won’t last.

Real decisions are about cutting off all other options. Heck, Will Smith said it best: “There’s no reason to have a Plan B because it distracts from Plan A.” Now, that’s a real decision!

In closing, a quote from the the 1937 classic, “Think and Grow Rich”:

A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy’s country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing the men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores unless we win! We now have no choice—we win—or we perish!”

They won.

Decide and you will win too.

If you haven’t signed up for the 4 free video lessons, I highly recommend it. Click here.

After watching the 4 videos, student Tosyn Omojola had these touching words for me:

Aug 12 2011 03:37 PM tal******yne@yahoo.com
================================

Subject: TOO MUCH WORDS FOR YOU.

Jermaine,

Throughout the period of this special video release, I’ve been preparing for a professional certification, but I ensured that I watched and learned from the videos.

My soul keeps blessing you each time.

Let me tell you what you’ve achieved in me…

I never had problems picking the key to a song. I sort of have ears for music (even before I started playing Lead and Bass guitars), but in all of the four videos I learnt these two crucial lessons that I will always be grateful to you for.

1.
I have always known there are 3 major (1,4,5) , 3 minor (2,3,6) and 1(7) diminished chords in a scale. You know what the puzzle is over the years? I never knew what makes a major chord major, nor what makes a minor chord minor let a lone a diminished chord. I used to think those were the names given those chords by the inventors of musical theory.
Now in this video series I learnt and now understand why a major is a major and why a minor is so called, likewise a diminished (7th) chord.

2.
I have read books talking about the cycle of fifths or fourths and, somehow, I always carry the image around in my head trying to figure out its meaning and application. Recently, I started playing keyboard in church and, because I promised myself not to ever transpose but play any song on its natural key (which I’ve been faithful to, with some challenges of course, for a starter). When I play bass accompanyment, I placed my left hand on the keys such that my little finger and thumb rest on the key octaves while my index finger rests(automatically) on the 5th note of the octave. This has been part of me such that I dont have to look at my left hand. I just know once I locate my target note, the 5th note will harmonise it and others would follow depending on how I choose to play.

So I’ve been trying to find a relationship between each root note I play and the corresponding 5th tone. After I watched this video four…I almost cried…I felt you’ve been spying on me. I felt like shouting. The Circle (or cycle) of 5ths just sank deep in me. That is what I’ve been looking for.

You made it happen. I don’t know what to say to you. You transformed my understanding. Now my playing will be impacted in a BIG way.

T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U. GOD BLESS AND INCREASE YOU. You have been megaly helpful. I will always treasure you.

My response:

Tosyn,

While I’ll take credit, you’re the true hero here because you temporarily suspended any thoughts of “I already know this” and continued to study the videos anyway. And your breakthrough came in the minor details that eluded you in times past. I applaud you for your eagerness to learn and I appreciate your kind and encouraging words. They’ve made my day and I just had to share them with the rest of the community.

Keep up the great work and continue to excel. Applied knowledge is power.

All the best,
JG

If you’ve read my story about being born severely bowlegged with little chance of walking properly, then perhaps you’ll understand why mom and grandma kept me away from sports.

(To be honest, I think my grandma would’ve kept me from sports regardless. She had some very unfortunate lethal tragedies with BOTH of her sons, my would-be uncles, at very young ages so I can understand her fear of “EVERYTHING.”)

But somehow, pop warner football slipped through the cracks and I found myself playing tackle football for the first time in my life. I was 12 and boy was I thrilled!

Prior to that, the closest I ever got to football was stuffing my pants with socks and towels like they were real pads… all while putting on a bicycle helmet. I’d go “heads up” against my sofa like it was William “The Refrigerator” Perry.

While I was banned from ever thinking about playing football (or any other sport) for years, the ironic part was that my family, especially grandma, LOVED football. After all, her daughter’s boyfriend was Gary Jeter from the former Anaheim Rams, among other NFL teams.

So now I was the real deal. I had real pads. A real helmet. A real uniform. No more prancing around in home-made articles.

Instead of going “heads up” against my sofa, I went heads up against my teammates… and ultimately against my opponents, come game day. (Oh yeah, “heads up” just means lining up in the classic football stance and ramming into another person, or in my case, object!)

But apparently, I didn’t understand you weren’t supposed to solicit your classmates and go “heads up” in the back of your 7th grade English class while the teacher wasn’t looking (Yes, I was quite a character… more on my class-clownishness in another post).

There we were. My already 6 foot friend, Travis and I going heads up in the back of the class.

“Down.”
“Set.”
“Hut.”

I ram forward as hard as I can and he unexpectedly goes really low. Really low.

What happened next changed my life.

I literally flew over his back into the corner of the wall… face first, splitting my upper lip into two.

All I could feel was numbness. Blood poured out of my lip. I vividly remember my shirt soaked in blood.

I don’t even think the teacher fully discovered how I busted my lip. Everyone was sworn to secrecy. In fact, I don’t think I ever told my mom the whole truth. She knows I ran into a wall… just not how!

(Incidentally, she reads this blog so I guess I’m busted now. Sorry mom!)

That whole ordeal ended in several stitches, a week out of school, 3 missing football games, and a permanent scar above my upper lip that will forever remind me of my audaciousness.

I bet you’re wondering how I’ll tie this to music?

(Gosh, why do I always have to tie my stories to music anyway? Can’t I just tell a story to tell it!?!)

Haha, I’m joking. I don’t mind because there *IS* a message here.

The message is there’s always a time and place for everything.

Yes, I was excited to finally be playing real tackle football. To the next kid who had been playing since 7, it was perhaps just another year of ball. For me, it was something I wanted to do for years!

Going “heads up” isn’t a bad thing… WHEN ON THE FIELD, UNDER SUPERVISION!

Going heads up without the proper equipment and in the wrong setting is BAD. It wasn’t the time nor place to be engaging in such a thing, and unfortunately I paid the price. Everyday, I see the manifestation of “bad time and place” on my lip (although, now disguised a little bit by my mustache.)

Undoubtedly, as you excel in your music and learn new chords, voicings, patterns, and ideas, excitement is going to overwhelm you.

You’re going to want to play everything you know in the first 20 seconds of your performance. You may even have the urge to be super busy sneaking in a “lick” or “run” after every other chord.

This is no different than my desire to go “heads up” all the time, whether against inanimate objects like sofas or in the back of classrooms. Rather than saving and harnessing that energy for the RIGHT TIME, I was like a 2-year old at Chuck E. Cheeses.

There is a time and place for everything.

Veteran musicians know when someone is new and inexperienced because the new guy will “pull out all the stops” right from the beginning. They’ll start the song with the same intensity and dynamics they should instead end with. They’ll be “flipping” and reharmonizing melodies from the first chord! (Don’t get me wrong, “flipping songs” and making things your own is the name of the game but you gradually build up to that.)

The experienced one, on the other hand, will approach their performance thoughtfully and strategically, “keeping their powder dry” until the right time. They may start the song very basic. The next time around, they may add a little something more. And as the song progresses, they’ll include more and more of them at the right time.

They understand the importance of “time” and “place.”

So the next time you feel tempted to act this way, remember my lip.

You’ll have plenty of time to go “heads up,” don’t worry.

Silence is more musical than any song.
Christina Rossetti

And that goes for anything in life!

Balance, my friend, is the key word.

Over a decade ago, I heard someone say something that has stuck with me ever since.

He said: “You are the average of the 5 people you associate with most.”

That really impacted me on a gut level.

Simply put, if you hang around all “10s,” you’ll be a 10.

If you hang around “3s” and “4s,” you can’t help but to be somewhere in between.

That’s why, at an early age, I made it a point to hang around superstars — people who were “9s” and “10s.” In fact, I didn’t mind being the underdog of the group because in doing so, I was raising my average.

Just do the math:

10 + 9 + 10 + 10 + 9 = 48

48 divided by 5 = 9.6

I don’t know about you but I’ll take a 9.6 any day!

Here’s the problem though:

Most people find it difficult to hang out with people who are smarter, sharper, and more skilled than them. They either get uncomfortable, self-conscious, nervous, not confident, or feel out of place.

Other folks on the other hand enjoy being the top dog… even if they’re just a 6. They’ll purposefully hang out with “3s” and “4s” to make themselves feel better. They have a false sense of confidence.

Now, don’t get me wrong… we all come from different environments and some leave a lot to be desired. This isn’t about forgetting where you’ve come from. Rather, this is about REQUIRING everyone around you to be their best.

Sure, an old friend may be a “5″ in your estimation. The question is do they want to remain at a 5? If so, you can’t afford to have a “5″ bringing you down (sorry, it’s the truth). Because that’s exactly what will happen! Some people bring you up… others tear you down.

There’s a difference between someone who wants to grow and someone who is complacent.

I learned a long time ago: “I don’t mind hanging with someone who doesn’t have anything… but it’s a PROBLEM when I start hanging out with folks who don’t want to BE anything!”

That’s the difference.

When it comes to music, the same applies.

If you hang around mediocre musicians, you’ll be mediocre. There’s no one there to challenge you… to give you the honest truth about your music from their higher perspective.

Likewise, if you’re the best musician in your area, you’ll most likely find your ceiling soon for the same reasons.

That’s why it’s important to get around folks who raise your average. Folks that make you think a totally different way. Folks that cause you to have paradigm shifts.

Sometimes, it’s hard to get to these types of musicians in person. But thank God we have the internet and resources like “Musician Breakthrough.”

Simply put, Musician Breakthrough is a collection of musicians that are “10s.” When you expose yourself to this type of musicianship, you can’t help but to be transformed.

It not only demonstrates what is possible for you (because there’s no difference between them and YOU) but it shows you in vivid detail what you have to do to get there.

I believe it is the best resource available to raise your “musical average.”

(Now, outside of music, I can’t help ya with raising your average directly but my advice above will certainly do you well. But in your music, Musician Breakthrough is your key to becoming a better musician.)

Click here for more information about the program.

So if you don’t remember anything else, remember: “You’re the average of the 5 people you hang around most” (and this can be applied to friends, acquaintances, musicians, etc).

Until next time.

There’s a popular saying I’ve subscribed to for several years: “Don’t reinvent the wheel.”

It means don’t go about overcomplicating things by trying to start from scratch… especially when someone’s already done the work for you.

Long before I started applying it to music, I used this wise advice in other areas of my life. But it didn’t start that way. It took me a while to be cured of my chronic “reinvention” habits.

For example, when I started hearandplay.com, I sought out to learn everything on my own at first. After all, when you start a business, you start from scratch right? You go through the school of hard knocks and learn everything it takes to start, manage, and grow it, right?

At least, that’s what I thought until I met my first business mentor. I quickly learned it wasn’t about doing things on your own. It was about finding out who’s already accomplished what you want to accomplish and piggy-backing on their success. Doing what it takes to learn from them, copying what they’ve done to become successful.

In many cases, they’ve had to invent the “wheel” (or at least started with a smaller wheel and made a bigger one) — but you need NOT do it again. In fact, it’s foolish to do it again unless you simply like creating wheels.

“Modeling” is when you copy the actions, thought processes, and behaviors of someone or something you want to be. And if you model correctly, you’ll surely get there.

In essence, if you want to be “great”, find out what “great” people do and model it.

My new program, Musician Breakthrough is a collection of “great” musicians. And for the first time ever, I’ve assembled a group of 7 musicians ready to let you stand on their shoulders.

Sure, they each went through the school of hard knocks because such a resource like this didn’t exist prior to the internet. But you needn’t go down that road, unless by choice… because what you have in my new Musician Breakthrough collection is a resource that will allow you to reach mastery level by studying the chords, patterns, and thought processes of pro players.

We have taken the 5 dimensions of a church service (praise, shouting, worship, traditional/hymns, and transitional music) and broken them down, step-by-step, from the perspective of 7 world-class pro musicians. That’s 35 segments in all stretched over 14 discs and 16 hours. The first of its kind!

So you’re faced with two decisions:

1) Either reinvent the wheel and go about reaching mastery level on your own (and this isn’t necessarily bad — it’ll just take you several years… say a decade of continuous practice and discovery to reach where they are now).

2) Or you can model and stand on the shoulders of giants, skipping the years of unnecessary trial & error.

You decide. Click here for more information.

But regardless of what you’re pursuing (whether music or otherwise), remember this lesson. Don’t start from scratch. Find those who have accomplished what you want to accomplish and stand on their shoulders.

Until next time -

Experts say it takes 21 days to develop a habit.

Of course, some habits are easier to develop than others. While the 21 days generally holds true for any behavior, being able to perform desired activities consistently for 21 days is typically the problem.

Skipping a few days, doing it when you want here and there, all break the pattern and inhibit habit formation.

Pushing yourself to practice for an hour at the same time everyday is a good example.

But if you can manage to make it happen, it’s a habit worth attaining.

Once you’ve passed 21 days, it’ll feel natural. It’ll be easier to keep it up. Breaking it will feel bad.

It goes without saying that those who excel in their music have made practice a habit.

Those that continue to struggle simply haven’t.

To be successful at anything, find others who already are and do what they do! Study and adapt their habits and there’s no way you’ll fail.

Until next time —

The funniest revelation came to me the other day when I was ordering pizza only to notice pizza from a couple days ago already in my refrigerator.

Now, to our defense, we’ve been doing a lot of cooking. More than in times past. But we just happened to have family over this past weekend and ordered pizza for the whole gang.

Having forgot about that, I ordered more a couple days later when I could have easily warmed up the pizza we already had.

The funny thing is there isn’t a person this hasn’t happened to at one point or another.

And funnier than that is the fact that this happens all the time in our musical pursuits.

We’re so fixated on learning new chords, voicings, “bells” & “whistles,” we forget about honing and perfecting what we’ve already attained (i.e. – learning what we already know in all 12 keys, playing fast movements smoothly, cleaning up our licks and runs, etc).

Quite frankly, we’d rather order new pizza instead of taking inventory and warming up what we already have.

What is already in your fridge that could use warming up? What could be mastered in all 12 keys? What movement could be cleaned up a little more?

It’s okay to add new groceries to the fridge but don’t push the old stuff back so far that it sits untouched, ultimately rotting and spoiling. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Quick and to the point, I know — but a powerful message nonetheless.

Until next time —

So I just came back from a business conference in Phoenix, AZ where I was honored to be speaking as a finalist for Businessperson of the Year.

We each had around 30 minutes to present to an audience of 1000+. I went last.

The first two speakers were amazing.

In fact, the first speaker, Janette, literally had folks in tears. Her story was truly amazing.

The second speakers (they were partners) were full of energy and very fun. They started a healthy vending machine company that’s poised to do some really great things… very soon. When you see one pop up in your area, you’ll know what I mean!

I went last. I talked about my story and how I started Hearandplay.com with $70 at 17-years old in my grandma’s apartment. I then talked about some of my philosophies and how I’ve managed to run a successful business for nearly 11 years.

At this point, I thought I did great! I hadn’t got anyone crying like the first speaker but I certainly delivered the most content. So it was up for grabs.

Tons of people came up to tell me how much they enjoyed the presentation and that I had won their vote. Gosh, I must have shook at least 300 hands that day! I was exhausted. The signs were good!

(I should add, just making it to a finalist in this event meant we were all winners and we even talked about that amongst ourselves. It was a very supportive environment and all of us felt it could be anyone’s title).

But then a few “experts” that I knew from years back approached me! “Ahhh Jermaine, my vote went to you but the first gal’s got this! I’m rooting for you though!”

Then another guy jumps in, “you needed more emotion! You had the facts and the philosophies but you didn’t make anyone cry!”

Then my dad, who was standing next to me says, “yeah J, that’s what I was talking about. She had a hole row of women crying! I don’t know J!”

Of course, this was all in fun. I didn’t take them too seriously nor did I take myself too seriously. But who leaves 3 kids and a wife, and travels to the next state over NOT to win right? :-)

So I start doubting myself.

“Maybe I should have done this or that” … “Maybe I should have left that out” … “Maybe I should have did more of this or that…”

“Should…” “Should…” “Should…” (a very bad word when used like this).

Up until that point, I felt great receptivity from the audience. I had shook so many hands. I knew I gave people what they wanted. They were coming here to learn how to have successful, prosperous businesses and I believed I dug deep to deliver this from my many years of experience.

But still, I let folks talk me into doubting my decisions despite my history of having done literally hundreds of talks, presentations, and even sermons.

And when they announced my name as winner, guess what?

Those same folks came marching up saying, “Jermaine, I’m glad I was wrong.”

But the lesson wasn’t for them — the lesson was for me!

(This wasn’t the first time this happened. It took me back to 2007 when I was involved in another conference that crowned a “Business of the Year.” The same thing happened. And I won there too.)

So as I pondered these events, I learned many things.

1) If you’re doing something good, you MUST have doubters.

It’s one thing to quote this line. It’s another thing to remember it when in the midst of doubters.

At a gut level, I knew this. But, it’s something you have to be constantly reminded of.

When you’re doing something good, you’re going to have doubters.

There are dualities in everything! When there is good, there is bad. When there is certainty, there is doubt. When there is love, unfortunately there is hate.

So rather than saying, “Hmmm, they’re doubting me… maybe I’m not what I thought” … you say, “I can check that off the list. A few doubters… check! That let’s me know I’m doing good!”

2) Respect others’ opinion but don’t let it alter yours

There’s this phenomenon called “social proof” and it’s very powerful.

As humans, we rely on others to make various decisions we are unsure about.

If you’re at a fast food place and don’t know whether to leave your finished meal on the table or find the nearest disposal area, you’ll look around and see if others have left their meal on the table. If you find a few that have, you’ll leave yours.

That’s social proof.

It can be very helpful in shortcutting decisions in various situations.

It becomes bad when you let others make you think differently about yourself. Especially when you know WHO you are and WHAT you are capable of!

That goes for music and everything else!

3) Be certain

If you’ve done good, you’ve done good. If you’ve done bad, you’ve done bad.

Don’t let doubt worry you!

Pick a feeling, and simply stick with it.

Honesty is important here.

You’re not talking yourself into something false. You’re simply coming to grips with whatever is making you feel negative.

Doubt has a way of tearing at you. Because you keep thinking of the same thing over and over like a broken record.

That’s why you hear people saying things like, “You have to BE, before you can HAVE.”

You have to become the person, the musician, the professional you want to be even before you become it.

And you can’t become that person if you’ve got doubt running rampant in your mind.

If you’re nowhere close to becoming that person, you need to come to grips with that and put together a solid plan that will get you closer. If you believe in your heart you’re that person, throw away doubt and walk in confidence! And that lesson is for me too! :-)

Athletes must always believe they can win… even if they’ve lost the last 12 games. The past is never indicative of the future.

Boxers must always believe they can get a knockout. There’s no room for doubt or they shouldn’t be in the ring (that’s where self-honesty comes in).

So the next time you’re faced with a similar situation, remember this post!

Jermaine

P.S. – My wife and kids were glad I brought back the title and a $6000.00 vacation. Hmmm, where should we go?

Many of you know I’m taking golf lessons on the side and have practically fell in love with the game.

But I just had a revelation from golf that could help you with your focus in music (and truth be told, some of the biggest breakthroughs come from other “places” like this.)

Think about the golf course for a second…

There are 18 holes.

You start at hole 1.

There is no way to move to hole 2 or 3 without first completing hole 1.

You can’t take out your driver, hit the ball halfway, and then decide you like hole 4 over to the left… and start aiming for it instead of finishing the hole you’re on.

There is an order and structure you have to follow. It’s inherent in the game.

Hole 1 leads to hole 2… then to hole 3… then to hole 4, and on to the final 18th hole (depending on the golf course).

But guess what many of us do in our musical pursuits?

We bounce around without focus… especially us ear musicians. We sit down to practice with no goals or purpose.

I attempted to tackle this issue with my free 37-pg report, “The Missing Chapter.” It talks about creating a structured practice session and all the elements that should be included.

But sometimes, it takes simple analogies like this golf one to reveal something so powerful to us. (If you want ongoing inspiration like this, listen to motivational programs by people like Tony Robbins).

So the next time you feel the urge to stop one thing prematurely and start another, remember the golf course.

Hole 1, hole 2, hole 3, hole 4.

If you finish a whole faster than you should (under par), great! Move on to the next hole… you’re ahead.

But the importance is that you have key goals (e.g. – playing a particular song in all 12 keys in 12 weeks) and you stick to them.

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”
-Tony Robbins

Until next time —

As many of you know, we’re moving into our next home. With 3 kids now, we’ve outgrown our current place.

So with that comes packing and reorganizing stuff. And since my wife has adopted this “decluttering” philosophy, it means methodically going through EVERYTHING to see what deserves to be kept, donating and trashing everything else… not just throwing stuff in boxes and figuring it out later (as I probably would have done).

In all that, I came across my old high school yearbook. I flipped to this one page and there I was, “Mr. Jackrabbit!”

You see, I went to one of the most famous high schools in the country — Long Beach Poly (a.k.a. – The “Jackrabbits”).

Not only have we sent the most athletes to the NFL but we’re a California distinguished school. If you’re from around Long Beach, you know there’s two types of people: Those that went to Poly and those that wish they had!!!

At any rate, my mind started going back to that pageant and how I was literally one of the skinniest ones in the competition.

Among us were popular athletes, jocks, popular dancers, etc.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I was ASB President but you don’t get many brownie points for that.

We competed in three rounds: Formal, Swimsuit, and Talent.

Luckily talent was double-weighted (which means whatever you score in talent is doubled compared to the other two categories).

My plan was to knock them out on the piano playing a medley of songs. I tied together 5 songs. I had a little bit of everything in there. The crowd went crazy every time I changed songs. My good friend, Cleveland, accompanied me on the drums. Even though these were basic songs with nothing extremely fancy going on, we were a huge hit!

So they announce the winners.

Formal. Not top 3.
Swimsuit. Not top 3 (and later I found out I was second to last).
Talent. First place.

“Announcing Top 3 Finalists…”

“Jermaine Griggs.”

So now I’m in the finals and we gotta answer a random question.

My question was: “If you were stranded on a deserted island, what would you bring.”

I answered: “I’d bring my bible, which represents my relationship with God, my creator.”

The crowd goes crazy! “Preacher boy!!!”

“Secondly, I’d bring photos and awards to remind me of loved ones and achievements.”

Another clap from the crowd.

“And lastly, I’d bring a laptop computer with internet access because you can still run a business, even if you’re stranded on a deserted island!”

The audience cracks up.

If you know my story, you know I started Hearandplay.com not too long before this. I was going into my senior year of high school (August 2000 to be exact)… about 6 months prior to the competition and I made sure to mention the website in my introduction.

They announce the winners.

For the girls, it was NaOnka Mixon who some of you may know from the last season of the hit show, “Survivor!” (Nicaragua)

And for the boys, yours truly!

Great times… great memories!

I learned many things from that.

First, I didn’t come with an intricate “classical” piece. These were 5 pop songs chosen from various niches. They were played exactly as I had played them in the past… no special additions. I just played! And the audience loved it!

Would seasoned musicians have been impressed? I don’t know. They certainly would have enjoyed it though.

But truth be told. I was just playing the songs. And if you know anything about popular songs, they use regular chords and the same recycled patterns over and over. Your audience doesn’t know that though.

Javad Day, from our Musician Breakthrough collection, talks about the frustration of not being able to “stretch out” when he’s on tour with Chaka Khan. He says one time all the musicians got a chance to “solo.” When they get to him, he starts doing all these jazz runs and fancy scales and licks. The audience is barely paying attention.

The next show, he decides to switch things up and incorporate the simple “Mario Brothers” theme (you know the one from Mario Brothers 1 on the classic Nintendo). The audience goes ballistic!

So as you study hard and stress yourself out about “this” versus “that,” always remember your audience. Sure, if you’re trying to impress other musicians, learn the big, phat chords and unorthodox placements. But to most non-musicians, playing a beautiful song exactly the way it was composed makes you a superstar. And if you add in learning it by ear (without sheet music), you’re a sheer genius to them.

Maybe you thought you were good because people said you were good over the years. But then you started hanging out here or around other advanced musicians that have made you doubt yourself (because they are EXTREMELY good). Don’t get me wrong… there’s a saying that goes “You are the average of the 5 people you hang around most” and it certainly applies to music. But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So if people say you are good, you ARE good. The “majority” is your audience. Don’t let advanced musicians intimidate you. Sure, they are REALLY great and they have excelled to the highest levels but always remember who your audience is. And if and when you get to their expert level, you’ll find yourself having to “dumb” things down to be appreciated so enjoy these times now!

Your audience is people who simply love music. They don’t know if you’re playing a fancy thirteenth chord or a regular triad. If it comes out the way they like, they will applaud and praise you.

Don’t let this perspective stop you from learning though. My goal is to encourage you to PLAY NOW! Go gig NOW! Go put what you do know to work NOW! Go play at a senior center NOW! Go volunteer to play music for your kid’s class NOW! Don’t wait! Exercise your gift NOW!

So keep up the great work with your practicing and find opportunities to play. Don’t wait til you arrive. No one ever “arrives.” Find an audience that appreciates what you do know and go for it! And depending on the event, you just may walk away with the prize! :-)

All the best,
JG

So my wife, Sarah, is part of this exercising group called “Stroller Strides.”

It’s a group of moms who workout with their young children in strollers. After researching the company, they have about 1200 franchises around the world.

Three times a week, she meets up at the park down the street and the moms work out for about an hour doing cardio and strength training. Since Jadyn is in school and Brendan (our 3-month old) is still too young, Layla, our 1 year old, gets to enjoy the experience with just her and mommy.

On a workout day, I’ll usually tease Sarah by saying, “How cute… you and Layla are going to get your little workout on! Don’t break a sweat!” She’ll reply, “You don’t know how hard they work us moms!”

“Ummm… right!” I say.

Until the monthly “Family Day” came around. This is my first time attending.

Here I go thinking I’m going to dust everyone. “I’ll take it easy on em’ ok dear!” That was my attitude.

So we get there last Saturday morning and after stretching and doing all that stuff, the trainer says “Ok, let’s sprint but don’t give it your all because we’re just getting started.”

Sarah is running with Layla. I have the double stroller with Jadyn and Brendan.

I pass one stroller… then another… then another. Before you know it, I’m only trailing one stroller.

I touch the target, make my u-turn, and head back to the finish line thinking I’m done.

The trainer says, “lap two.”

“Huh? Lap two?”

Mind you, between Jadyn, Brendan, the stroller, and my own 215 lbs, I’m probably at 275 lbs total.

So I turn around to sprint the second lap. This one ain’t so easy.

In fact, I’m nearly out of juice.

That first lap running uphill took so much out of me, I hadn’t saved any juice for anything else. I tried to show out and it bit me in the rear!

Then we took resistance bands and started doing strength exercises against the fence. I was out of it.

Then, the trainer said to grab your strollers and head up hill through the trail to another nearby park… a mile away! (Where we live, there’s a lot of nature and like 17 parks in a 3-mile radius.)

Everyone else is gung-ho. I’m still recovering from the first exercises.

Here I am probably the second or third stroller… from the end!

I finally get to the park and it’s another sprint up an even STEEPER hill.

At this point, the trainer asks me if I want to leave my stroller with her and just run up the hill without one. Of course, my ego wouldn’t let me do that so I kept the stroller! “Ok, only go halfway up though,” she says.

At this point, I was on my way up when Sarah and the rest of the gang were on their way DOWN! She looks at me and says, “Baby, just turn around and head back.” I went halfway and turned around to head back down.

We rested for about 45 seconds.

Another sprint up the same hill, this time without the strollers. 45 seconds of rest and one final sprint up and down the hill.

Then some more strength training with the resistance bands.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention while we’re resting, we have to sing songs like “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” and “The Wheels On The Bus” to our children. So there’s no real rest.

After some more resistance training, we run back to our original starting point, another mile! Luckily, this time it’s downhill.

We do some pushups, some cool-down stretching, and end by letting our children play on the playground at the park we started at.

I learned my lesson.

Actually a few lessons.

1) Never underestimate someone else’s efforts… in anything! You may think what they do is easy but think again before presuming.

I once heard this comedian say: “Golf ain’t nothing. Take away the stick and you just be walkin’!” I thought that too.

Come to find out it’s one of the hardest sports to master… yes, “SPORT!”

2) Pace yourself! Don’t show off

Actually, I see this a lot in music. People start off playing a song with every trick, bell, and whistle they have! By the second or third time around, they’re out of stuff to play.

Others call this “keeping your powder dry.”

I started off running with almost everything I had (or at least I didn’t know it was almost everything I had… I thought I’d be alright but I soon realized I had overdone it). The same goes for music.

There is pace and balance in everything: fitness, music, reading, studying, singing, life.

3) Quality over quantity

Some people can stay at the gym 2-3 hours. Others get everything they need out of 30 minutes.

With this group of mommies, they go for an hour but they go HARD!

When you sit down to the piano, whether you have 3 hours allotted or 30 minutes, if you go HARD (meaning, you pick a focus and really go for it, without interruptions or distractions), you’ll walk away having accomplished a lot. Do it regularly and there’s no way you can’t see dramatic change in your playing.

4) Use dead time

Those moms don’t waste a beat. Instead of sitting around talking during the breaks (which are only a minute anyway), they use that time to sing to the kids in the strollers. The kids are being entertained not only by the running (it’s like a nice carnival ride to them) but by the singing in between and the play time at the end.

What are you doing in the car on the way to work? On the train? While waiting in the grocery line?

I don’t know about you but I’m listening to something informative. It may be a motivation program like Anthony Robbins… it may be a sermon by Bishop Noel Jones or T.D. Jakes, it may be a business program by Brian Tracy, or one of my own music programs. But I’m listening to something informative.

Of course, I then have my days where I listen to music. After all, I’m a musician but I make sure to have a good balance of information in there. For you, that can be any of the aforementioned or one of our audio programs like “Piano By Ear For Starters (702)” or “Finding The Key To Any Song (705)“, etc.

5) There are no excuses

There were pregnant ladies ahead of me. The trainer, who owns this “Stroller Strides” franchise in our area, is pregnant. She does all the same stuff while she leads the group.

She also switches with other trainers she brings in and I hear the one that comes on Fridays is no joke!

A “paradigm shift” is when something so different from what you’re used to happens to cause you to change your thinking. Seeing pregnant ladies workout caused one of those for me (even though I’ve heard of Marion Jones running on treadmill at speed 7 when pregnant).

Most of us would think that is unsafe for their unborn children right? Well, they have scientific proof that it’s not. Of course, within reason.

Here’s another paradigm shifter. A guy with no fingers playing guitar.

—

So you better believe by the next family day, I would have learned from my very first experience and will do things a bit differently. “Pace” was my biggest lesson and much needed reminder.

Until next time -

I remember like it was yesterday.

I was 12 years old and my mom had just bought me my first “real” keyboard. I don’t recall much but I do remember being at Guitar Center all day long as she master negotiated the lowest deal possible. It was like we were buying a car.

By the end of the day, we walked out of there with a new keyboard, amplifier, stand, bag, sustain pedal, and cords — all for the price of just a keyboard! (I wish I could do that these days at the car dealership. I’m usually like “give me that one!” “Where do I sign?”)

Prior, I had a radio shack keyboard. Don’t get me wrong, it did the job and along with my grandma’s antique piano, I had more than enough to develop my skills (“It don’t matter where you start… only where you finish.”)

Unfortunately, the excitement of owning a real keyboard was short-lived when one day, while carrying the amplifier that was bigger than me, I tripped on a step, fell to the ground, and the amp crushed my thumb into 3 parts.

Doctors said my thumb would never be suitable for the piano and I better start learning how to play with 4 fingers. Three months after that, I dislocated my right pinky, which you can still notice til this day.

I was determined to play though. I played with one hand. I learned to play with the fingers I had left. I didn’t let any of this stop me. I couldn’t.

I once heard a quote: “A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.” (Author unknown).

I made the turn. And another. And another.

In fact, 12 was a very special age for me. I don’t remember all the things that happened at 12 but it’s a year I always go back to, mentally. It stands out more than any other adolescent year.

At that age, you couldn’t bribe me off the piano. I could hear a song and 3 minutes later, be playing it exactly as I heard it. Choir directors would bring their boom boxes to church, let me hear the song at rehearsal, and a few minutes later, was teaching it to the choir with full music, compliments of this 12 year old.

And guess what, just 1 year after that unfortunate accident with my fingers, as a 13-year old, I was playing for 5 churches and 2 regional children choirs. A couple years after that, had half a dozen part time students and started a gospel choir at my school. A year later, started hearandplay.com. Fast forward some years and now I reach over 2 million musicians every year.

Moral of story?

Don’t let your circumstances control you… you control them. If I had given up, if I had given in, if I had said “I hate this keyboard because it crushed my finger” or cast blame on my situation, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And chances are, you wouldn’t be reading my words right now.

Little turning points in life affect us years down the road. At every turn, there is a decision to make and when you turn one way versus another, the effects of that decision will be felt many miles (years) down the road.

I’m reminded of the Butterfly Effect, which essentially asserts that a butterfly flapping its wings can cause changes in the atmosphere that effect a huge weather event in another place of the world. Put another way: “Small hinges swing big doors.”

So as you go about life and strive to achieve and accomplish certain things — whether music or otherwise — think about the long term effects of your decisions and response to adversity and setbacks.

If you have little children, them witnessing mommy or daddy accomplishing something can affect their attitude towards achievement many years down the road whereas if they observe the slightest hint of you giving up, acting defeated, being easily frustrated — those things can have an impact on them in the same way.

Remember the butterfly.

That’s all I have for you today.

Until next time -

I got this comment from subscriber, Tina, that I want to share with everyone. She flat out called me a killer!

(Not that kind of killer). Read what she has to say below:

——-

Jermaine Griggs, do you know what you are???

You are a killer.

AN EXCUSE KILLER!!!

I just purchased the Song Robot with the offer you sent in the mail, and frankly, I’m just undone…I am moved beyond words at your generosity, and even more by your commitment to help others achieve their dreams.

It’s like I can hear God saying in answer to why I can’t do what is in my heart to do, “Yes you can…My son Jermaine has provided the resources that eliminate excuses.” Even the favorite excuses, “no time and no money,” have been done away with by making the learning so organized and accessible.

Yes, like so many, I’m a single homeschooling mom with almost no money or time, and ADD to boot. But, so what. It’s all right here laid out for me. I do have a computer (a gift from my dad), a keyboard (a gift to myself 15 years ago), and internet access (a gift from my dad as well).

If I don’t do this, it will be really sad and I will have difficulty looking into the mirror, because thanks to you, Jermaine Griggs, all my excuses lay bleeding and dying on the ground.

Tina

——-

Wow, such a heart-warming comment.

Tina, you and the others like you are the reason I wake up everyday to do what I do here. If I didn’t receive thousands of e-mails/comments like yours, who knows where or what I’d be doing now. But because this work gives dedicated folks like you “no excuses” to achieve their musical dreams, it fulfills a special part of me. I’m happy to know I’m reaching a countless number of people I’ve never met face to face.

To you, personally, I say: Hang in there, your work will not be in vain. As you’ve acknowledged, between our lessons, newsletters, courses, software, and daily insights, you are surrounded by everything you need to excel. You know that already. Now’s the time where you meet it halfway. Keep up what you’re doing. Stay motivated. Be pumped. Have a spirit of expectation. Read the stories of others. Learn songs with our software. Keep your mind on the prize.

There’s just no way you won’t succeed Tina. The race isn’t given to the strong or to the swift, but to the person that endures until the end.

I may be a killer — excuse killer, but the “bad” side of our conscience will always come up with new ones. You, Tina, have to be the “burier” — you have to bury these excuses so deep in the ground that they never resurface again. Positive thinking, mental associations, and steadfast determination are key!

Thanks for your awesome comment and keep up the great work.

Jermaine

P.S. – As it relates to “excuses,” see this video.

P.P.S. – For more information on Song Robot, click here

As you may know, I took up golf not too long ago.

My instructor, Tracy Roberts (a.k.a. – “Coach”), is an amazing teacher. Like me, he really illustrates the “what,” “how,” and “why” and I’m pleased to be under his guidance, now on the other end as a beginning student.

He gets a kick out of me teasing him about his southern Texas accent. When I do something good, it’s “PAAA—EERRRFECT.”

I’ve even introduced my oldest daughter, Jadyn, to the sport. I figured I could get her started early, seeing that she picks up stuff extremely fast. (3 minutes after taking her training wheels off, she was riding her bike without help. She learned how to swim at 3… something daddy struggled with til’ early adulthood and still isn’t 100% confident even now! She also picks up dance moves pretty quickly — gets that from mommy!)

This week, we started working on my “short game.”

See, in golf, you got your long game and your short game (there may be some stuff in between but I’m not there yet). At any given hole, you start with your long game. You take out your driver – or whatever club it takes to get that ball in the air the desired distance – and you go to town. If you’re Tiger Woods, you’ll hit it up to 300+ yards. If you’re average, according to Golf Digest, maybe up to 205 yards.

But once you get the ball to the green (or close), your short game takes over. According to Coach, this is where it’s won or lost. And surprisingly, I did quite well on first short game lesson. I hit a 25 footer on a pretty curved surface.

But my point is this:

Out there at the practice center, guess what everyone’s working on?

Yup, their long game.

Probably out of no less than 100 golfers there, 95 were working on their long game, trying to hit that ball as far as they could (other more sophisticated golfers are aiming at certain spots or working on getting the ball further with less effort).

Only 5 were over there on the putting green working on their short game.

In competitive team sports, they say “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.”

I think the same can be said about long and short game.

How does this relate to your music playing?

Simply put, it’s fun to work on the cool stuff. It’s exciting to sit down and play Justin Bieber. There are certainly more appealing things than others. And my goal is and has always been for you to enjoy yourself! After all, what’s the point?

But when you get more serious about this, there comes a time when you really saddle down and focus on the fundamentals. The stuff that’ll affect all other areas of your playing.

It may not be the most appealing and no one’s going to stop and applaud you for running scales, doing hanon exercises, taking single chords to all 12 keys, or practicing every chord with the circle of fifths… but these are the things that propel you to the top, FAST!

Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend 6 sharpening my axe.” That means, he’d spend 75% of his time and energy in preparation.

As the Iceberg Theory explains, you only see the tip of the iceberg above water. Majority of the iceberg, you don’t see. Grandma would put it this way: “There’s more than what meets the eye.”

Up until now, I was only working on my long game. I didn’t know any better. But now that I am exposed to the short game (much like you have been to all the techniques and fundamentals you need), I won’t forsake one for the other. I’ll make sure I focus on both.

Sure, being able to eventually hit the ball 220 or 280 yards will feel good. But unless I can seal the deal by getting that ball in the hole, it ain’t gonna do me any good.

The same goes for music. The same goes for life.

As blunt as I can say it — “What got you here won’t necessarily get you there!“

So take an assessment of how you spend your music time. Have you gotten excited over a few things, forsaking other stuff as a result? Are you following the practicing advice I laid out in this free guide.

Are you still playing a song a friend taught you some years back (i.e. – looks good and people think you can play… just like many folks’ “long game”) but still can’t pick up a song on your own (i.e. – get the ball in the hole… “short game”)?

Some things to think about.

Until next time.

If I ask you what 3 multiplied by 3 is, you’d probably have the answer really quickly — 9.

2 x 2… 4.

If I ask you what 3291 x 176 is, chances are you probably won’t be able to answer as fast as the previous questions. But you would be able to get out a sheet of paper and go through the steps necessary to solve this problem. That’s because you know the formula.

And when you know the formula to something, it doesn’t matter how large the problem… how vast the parts… how long it will take… because you are confident you’ll arrive at the right answer if you’ve followed the formula correctly.

And the bigger the goal, the longer it may take. But it’s the SAME FORMULA at work.

Sure: 2 x 2 is easy.

At first glance, 222 x 222222 seems much more complex. But once you apply the formula you’ve learned to solve multiplication problems, you’ll eventually arrive at an answer.

In the same way, music has formulas.

There are formulas for creating major scales. Like WWHWWWH (W means whole step / H means half step). All I did was come along and give you an easy way to remember the formula: “Why Won’t He Wear White When Hot.”

Likewise, there are formulas for creating chords. Multiple formulas.

You can go the intervallic approach.You can go the number route.

There are formulas for understanding chord progressions. One is the circular approach.

Then, there are entire formulas for learning songs like my Musician Transformation system. There are over 100 pages of free guides at this link.

In our latest Musician Breakthrough project, there is a 5-part formula to mastering the church service.

I can go on and on…

Mostly everything in music traces back to a formula. Understand the formula and you’ll never worry about not being able to play in all 12 keys. Understand the formula and you’ll never worry about where to use big extended chords vs smaller triad chords. Understand the formula and you’ll never be confused over what chords can substitute for others.

Ultimately, there must be a mindset shift from random thinking to formulaic thinking.

When you think you’re lost, always remember: “There’s a formula in here somewhere” and you’ll more than likely take a 180 degree turn.

Until next time.

When I was young, my mom was told I’d probably never walk properly.

I was severely bowlegged. I don’t know if it was full blown Blount’s disease (as that tends to get worse with time whereas bowleggedness tends to straighten out as children develop), but it was bad.

I wore braces. I even had surgery where they break your shin bone to place it in the proper position.

As a child, I would get teased and called leprechaun all the time. Add that with my grandma’s incessant disapproval of sports (because she always thought we’d get hurt) and you’d probably say I was destined to be a “creative musician.”

And that’s what happened.

I couldn’t tell you I was an all-american, club-playing athlete in those years but I did excel in communications — whether speaking, writing, acting, or expressing myself musically. And those are the skills I honed over the years.

I mentioned all of this to say this:

Most of the time, you’re set up to be who you are — if you heed the signs, warnings, directions, the voice.

You’ve probably heard the saying: “When one door closes, another one opens.”

The problem is: Most of us focus on the door closing so we miss the door opening. We focus on what we can’t do til it blinds us of what we can do.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus told the story of the master who summoned three servants to him. He gave the first servant 5 talents, the next 2 talents, and the last 1 talent. When he returns, he expects them to have invested these talents, returning to him more than he had given them.

The servant given 5 talents returns 10. “My good and faithful servant!”

The one given 2 returns 4. “You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

The the last servant given 1 talent doesn’t make gain. He buried his talent and did nothing with it. The master is angry with him and not only punishes him but takes away his ONLY talent and gives it to the servant with the most.

It doesn’t matter where you start, only where you finish.

Do you focus on your “Can’ts” or on your “CANS?” … what you don’t have or what you DO have?

When one door closes, do you stand nose up to the door or do you turn around and immediately search for what has opened?

If you’ve failed at one thing, do you bring the “expectation of failure” to your next endeavor or do you start anew, knowing that your past doesn’t equal your future?

Some questions to ponder…

Until next time -

Today’s post isn’t directly about music but anything you aspire to achieve in life.

In most pursuits, you’ll probably start with nothing. Heck, if you’re like me, you’ll start with less than nothing.

Well no, I actually take that back because we ALL START WITH SOMETHING… so, I admit, the title of this post is a little misleading.

On the surface, it’s easy to see “nothing.” But there’s always something there.

For me, growing up in the inner city of Long Beach, CA, most would say I started with nothing (and I’ve been guilty of this) but as I ponder it, I had MORE than enough.

I had a loving mother and grandma who sheltered me from the mean streets. I had a church community that loved and supported me. I had a gift to learn fast, which included teaching myself piano at 7 years old. And I had a knack for talking. I was always the one picked to represent the group in class.

It’s not surprising that what I do today encompasses all those strengths. Purposefully or not, I found something that harnessed everything I was good at.

I think a lot of people find themselves in situations, careers, and endeavors that don’t complement what they’re already good at.

I subscribe to the “fix your weaknesses” ideology to some extent, but I’d far rather build up my strengths and team up with or have people around me who are strong where I am weak. That way, you get exponentially better at what you do great… and you let those around you get great at what they like doing.

When you have passion (what I call “The P Factor”) for something, you’ll never go wrong. (With that said, the endeavor has to be worthwhile but assuming it is, passion will keep you there trying and trying again until SOMETHING HAPPENS).

So when people ask me for advice, I always try to pinpoint what they are already good at and more so passionate about because where there is passion, everything else will fall in line.

But passion can’t exist without ACTION. And if you’re truly passionate about something, you’ll take action to learn everything you can about it… to do everything in your power to get better at it… to strive for excellence… to live it, breathe it, daydream about it, envision yourself doing it at your best.

On another note, imagine if someone gave you $1,440.00 everyday. You don’t have to ask for it. In many cases, you don’t deserve it but it keeps coming anyway… everyday, none stop — $1,440.00 (…a lot of money right?)

The only kicker: You have to spend it because it won’t “rollover” to the next day. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Would you find a way to spend it… give it away to someone who needs it… put it to [good] use?

Well, we do get 1,440 minutes a day but most squander it. And unfortunately, when it’s gone, it’s gone.

Yet if time were money (like many people say it is), why don’t we treat it the same way?

When it comes to your dreams, goals, aspirations in relation to others, TIME is the common denominator. We all have the same amount — no more, no less. So if “they” can do it with the time they have, you can too!

So if you truly want to get “something” from “nothing,” assessing your strengths, being passionate, taking action, and being cognizant of time is where it all starts.

Gotta go!

JG

A couple days ago, I wrote about the “Michael Jordan Method To Music Mastery.” I recommend you go check it out.

But in it, I introduced a concept from Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “Outliers” which asserts that it takes about “10,000 hours to master a skill.”

I got some really good feedback both via the comments and e-mail. But one of my favorites came from J.R. Massey:

Great motivating article!!! I did some number crunching and found out:

a. 10,000 hours divided by 1 hour/day = 27 1/3 years
b. 10,000 hours divided by 3 hours/day = 9 years
c. 10,000 hours divided by 6 hours/day = 4 1/2 years
d. 10,000 hours divided by 12 hours/day = 2 1/3 years

All this says to me is that mastery can be achieved, depending upon your dedication to the task at hand!!! Thanks Jermaine!! Yah bless!!

Question to everyone: How many people actually took that stat to heart and calculated the years like J.R. Massey? How many took the time to think about it like this?

And that is my point today…

Most won’t take action and do what it takes to succeed at their passions. Only the dedicated few. J.R. Massey seems to be in that group.

And from studying some of the best self-taught musicians in the world, I’ve discovered they all have these things in common:

• Drive
• Determination
• Discipline
• Commitment
• Curiosity
• Passion
• Patience
• Persistence

They aren’t necessarily the smartest people alive. Probably got mediocre grades. No chart-topping I.Q.’s. Some illiterate.

But they go the extra mile. They do the things others aren’t willing. While others are playing, they’re working. While others are watching Kobe live his dreams on the court, they’re busy making their own dreams come true.

I heard of Jairus, the master guitarist I introduced you to a couple years ago, doing 1,000 repetitions of a run until he got it right. Have you done 50 repetitions of one thing?

A mentor of mine says it best: “Get everything you can out of all that you’ve got!”

Until next time,

JG

The first of the year isn’t the only time to set resolutions, goals, and “bucket” lists.

Successful people are always striving to be better regardless of the time of year.

So in that spirit, I’ve come up with 5 breakthrough things you can do NOW to realize transformation in your piano playing this year.

#1 – Pick a time and stick to it!

This is actually one of my 6 P’s of Practice, written about some time ago.

In fact, it’s the second “P” on the list — Planned.

What that means is you pick a time and you practice EVERYDAY — rain, snow or sleet, at the SAME TIME each day.

This isn’t by accident either. Studies show when you carefully plan a routine activity and do it close to the same time everyday, something magical happens. You “habitualize” the activity, making it a part of your everyday life. And you’re likely to not break it either.

So one of the best things you can do for yourself in this new year is to pick a time EVERYDAY to devote to your piano playing. And stick with it. Over time, you’ll be so accustomed to the daily activity that NOT doing it seems weird.

And heck, don’t stop there. Plan your exercising, your reading time, your family time, bible devotions, yoga, etc with the same attitude. It helps.

#2 – Find a shed buddy!

A guy by the name of Napoleon Hill first coined the term “mastermind” in 1937. It’s essentially collaborating with other like-minded folks that have the same desires and aspirations as you. The idea being: two or more minds together is infinitely more powerful than each, separately.

Us musicians call it “shedding” but it’s pretty much the same thing.

Just like nature, you can look at it as shedding what you know to make room for more! Even the bible says “Give and it will be given unto you.”

Another person puts it: You receive through the same hole you give through. (Is yours big or small?)

So find folks to meet with regularly and watch synergy at work.

#3 – Teach what you know!

“But I hardly know anything Jermaine!”

Doesn’t matter. Teach anyway!

To be a teacher doesn’t mean you have to know everything, it just means you have to know more about the subject at hand than whoever you’re teaching (and truth be told, some teachers don’t even fit that prerequisite).

So if you’ve just learned your major and minor scales using one of my shortcuts, teach it to someone who may benefit from it.

When it comes to how much information we retain, according to researchers, different activities provide staggering results. That is, if you simply read something, you’ll remember 10% of it. If you’re demonstrated something, it goes up to 30%. If you practice doing something (that’s why it’s so important), 75% retention!

And there are many more on the list, but you know what trumps all the modalities? TEACHING.

When you teach something, you’ll retain 90% of it!

So teaching is more for the teacher than it is for the student. A student will remember 5% of what is lectured to them but a teacher will remember 90% of what he or she teaches.

The cool part is we’re all teachers and we’re all students. If you have children, don’t tell me you’re not a teacher! You are!

#4 – Upgrade your library

If you want to sound better, you gotta listen to better stuff!

Now with the advancing of technology, there is no form or genre of music you can’t get your hands on. Youtube alone has millions of files. Itunes is another resource.

I remember hearing a quote: “You’re the average of the 5 people you hang around the most” (and I believe it).

But I think it overflows into other areas of life. I think your musical style and creativity will also average out according to what you listen to.

Just like what goes up must come down, what goes IN (your system) will come OUT.

Research all-time favorites in your chosen genre, make lists, seek out those records, and carve out some time to listen to them.

#5 – Master your hardest, most complex song in all 12 keys

This may seem pretty easy, but you’ll be surprised how many “seasoned” musicians haven’t taken the time to learn their most complex song in all 12 keys. And I don’t mean half-heartedly either!

I mean equally in all 12 keys, which means if you can play your heart out in Db major, it ought to sound that way in A natural.

If you’re not a 12-key player, this one exercise will revolution your playing. First, you’ll realize it isn’t as hard as you were making it out to be.

Secondly, you’ll observe the same chords present in different keys… just in varying “roles” and that connection will be priceless to you.

And third, you won’t be scared to hop on a “REAL” piano at second’s notice (in fear of not being able to play in the chosen key). You’ll be prepared.

And that’s way this is all about — PREPARATION.

The really good musicians have put in the time, the energy. In his book “Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell talks about the folks who are at the top of their game and quotes 10,000 hours as the average amount of time it takes to become a master.

How many have you put in?

These 5 tips are “game changers” and if you take them seriously, you can’t help but to realize breakthrough growth this year.

All the best,

Jermaine

Brought tears to my eyes…

He’s joking around in the beginning but around a minute into it, he gets serious. If he can have this much hope and joy for life, then what excuse do most of us have?

This weekend’s first motivational post is a youtube video I found very inspiring.

It’s a poem with the simple message… “Don’t Quit.”

Check it out…

It’s so easy for us to sit around and focus on all the bad things that are happening. That’s just human nature.

A million good things can be happening (like the invisible molecules that make up the oxygen we breathe everyday) but when one thing goes wrong, sadly, it has the potential to take all our joy away. Or should I say, we give it the permission…

Let’s make everyday “Thanksgiving” — not just one day out of the year.

I read in a recent study that just setting aside a few minutes a day to be reminisce about all the things you’re thankful for can go a long way in keeping you healthy and less stressed. And you know what? I believe it!

In church, they put it this way: “When I think about the goodness of Jesus and all he’s done for me…”

Be thankful for…

God’s grace
Life
Health
Ability (…just “the ability to”)
Spouse
Children
Parents
Family
Friends
Career
Music & gifts
Accomplishments
Overcomings
Your testimony!

When you think about all the things that do go right, you will find that the “good” always outweighs the “bad.”

And I’m preaching to myself! After a long day of the website being up and down… up and down yesterday, I could be sitting here sad that so many people were turned away because our website just plainly DIDN’T WORK. But I’m thankful for all the many people that did join and the benefits they are going to receive. I am so “thankful” for YOU ALL!

It’s just a matter of the glass being half “full” or half “empty.” I choose to look at it being half full!

Be thankful everyday! That’s my message to you today!

Happy Thanksgiving…

Although Will Smith is addressing “kids” and “teens” at the Nickelodeon awards, he has a pretty good message.

I admit… I’m not a committed “runner.” I start running for a few weeks — I stop — I start again — I stop. When I “stops,” I “stops!” :-)

And his point about that little “person” telling you to give up because you’re tired and your body can’t take it anymore — that’s the same voice that tells you all the other things you supposedly can’t do. “Running,” according to Will, helps you defeat that voice. (I’ve gotta admit, I’m going to “start” back up again).

For my first motivational weekend post, listen to Will on the “keys to life”…

I’m a big fan of Anthony Robbins, the world’s authority on peak performance and achievement.

And one of the lines I always hear on his audio programs is…

“Repetition is the mother of skill.”

And it’s true.

If you expect to grasp something by only doing it a few times, you’re going to be sadly disappointed at the results.

This applies to your music playing, exercising, reading, hobbies, time management — just about anything you can think of.

On the other hand, however, if you commit to the thing you want to accomplish and support it with repeated action, you will succeed. The person who fails just didn’t try enough… point blank.

They say it takes at least 21 days of doing something for it to become a habit. Now, whether you agree with the specific number or not, it is undeniable that you must stick with something in order for it to become habitual. Heck, that even applies to negative habits. One who is overweight didn’t get there overnight. One who smokes oneself into lung cancer didn’t get there with one puff. So it goes both ways.

So the next time you’re tempted to give up, remember that in order for you to birth the skill and mastery that comes at the end of the tunnel, you must endure a moment of pregnancy — then, and only then, will the result emerge. No one desires a premature pregnancy.

“Repetition is the mother of skill.”

Until next time —