•		persistence is proof of passion
•		struggle is proof you haven’t been conquered
•		persistence is a decision you make

There seems to be this misconception that getting signed to a record label, or becoming a big music star is simply being at the right place at the right time....or who you know. I should tell you that having studied the careers of many very high profile musicians in all genres, I can’t tell you how profoundly ignorant this line of thought is. It is no accident that people like Pat Metheny, Steve Vai, or John Coltrane are who they are (were). Their success certainly had nothing to do with being at the right place at the right time. These are people who practiced 10-15 hours a day for extended periods of time throughout their lifetime. There are stories of how John Coltrane would between sets on one of his gigs, go out to the back alley of the club and would start practicing until it was time to go on again. Sonny Rollins used to climb up into the rafters over the bridges of New York and practice long hours. These people fully committed their lives to becoming the best musicians they can be. They toured extensively, sometimes sleeping on floors and getting paid next to nothing in the early stages. The intensity and the determination people like these demonstrate is absolutely awesome.

For me, this is the model that I use. These are the musicians that I look up to, and when I see what it took for them to get to their ability level...it really makes me stop and think about how I choose to allocate my time.

This is such a no brainer concept, but maintaining a persistent attitude at all times in all situations is not always something that comes easy . Let me reiterate one statement though...persistence is proof of passion. If you’re truly committed to something, and truly passionate about it, giving up is never an option. This is true in any relationship one might have...be it the relationship they have with their career, or relationship with another person. When you’re truly passionate about something or someone, it’s amazing the sacrifices

(Continued on Page 3)