Book #5 in my 2024 Book Challenge was The ONE Thing by Gary Keller.
For those who have been following along, or if you're just tuning in and want to join the book challenge, you can check out the ongoing list of books I've been exploring here.
Keller's "The ONE Thing" is as an incredibly useful guide for any musician or composer looking for success in their craft. I actually don't think I've ever taken more notes on a book before this one! So of course, I'm going to share my top takeaways and some action steps so that you can leverage these insights for your own music career!
🧘 Focus on What Matters Most
As the title of the book suggests, your number one focus should be finding your ONE thing and to cut out anything that doesn't help you get there! If you can find what significantly impacts your growth— techniques, style, workflow, productivity, —you'll see a huge shift in your practice and creative output!
This focus means you need to strategically narrow your activities to just the ones that create the most important growth in your career. For musicians, this could mean dedicating the bulk of your work day to developing themes and idea rather than looking for your next sample library or developing a workflow in your DAW as you go rather than waiting to start a project until your template is perfect.
🧱 Build Success One Day at a Time
Remember that consistency is key! If you can establish daily habits, routines, and rituals centered around your ONE Thing, you'll see significant improvement over time.
This means you actually sit down and set a disciplined schedule of practice or composition that targets your specific goals! Over time, these small, consistent steps will build, leading to substantial progress in your ONE thing!
⚖️ Accept the Necessary Imbalances
Pursuing a career in music often means other areas of your life might take a temporary backseat. Understanding the concept of "counterbalance" is important for musicians. It means recognizing that periods of intense focus on your craft may temporarily offset other life aspects that don't lead to your ONE thing.
It's OKAY to find yourself in periods of imbalance! It's about making informed, strategic choices on where to direct your focus, so that your time and energy are invested in activities that actually move you toward your goals!
⏭️ Practical Action Steps for Musicians:
Define Your Primary Goal: Clearly identify the single most important aspect of your music to focus on. Think about what success would mean specifically for you. It's okay to set big, bold goals as long as you take small, actionable steps to get there!
Establish a Solid Routine: Create a daily schedule that prioritizes activities contributing most significantly to your goal. It could be composing daily, studying scores, practicing challenging pieces, etc. Just make sure ensure these activities are non-negotiable in your schedule!
Make Informed Sacrifices: Be ready to say no to activities or tasks that distract from your musical goals. You might like binge watching an entire season of your favorite show on Netflix (I do too) but you might love music even more! Remember, these sacrifices aren't permanent but are steps towards achieving your larger goals.
Surround Yourself With Support: Surround yourself with a community that supports and inspires your musical goals. This could be mentors, peers, or a supportive network of other musicians and composers. Create an environment that inspires focus and creativity!
Reflect and Adjust: Regularly review your progress towards your ONE Thing. Be open to adjusting your approach based on what you learn about your own habits, the effectiveness of your practice, and the evolving nature of your musical goals!
There's so much that I learned from Keller's "The ONE Thing." It's definitely an incredible guide for musicians and composers looking to navigate the complexities of their career with clarity and purpose!
And don't forget to check out the other books I've been reading in my 2024 Book Challenge!