it doesn't matter what they say, good or bad

new blog by gilli moon

"Happiness is inward, and not outward, and so it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are" - Henry van Dyke

In the early days of my time in Los Angeles, it was all about "showcasing" one's talents on the Sunset Strip, or anywhere close, to be heard and hopefully "picked up" by a record company, manager or agent. I wanted to be seen, and to be acknowledged by the music industry. I thought they would be able to tell me if I had the goods, or not. So did thousands of other artists. At the least, we all wanted good reviews by the media to stick in our media kit to help promote ourselves to record companies, managers and agents. Just when I thought I had lost hope in "being discovered", and running back to Sydney with my tail between my legs, I received an all out amazing live review of my show at Luna Park by Music Connection magazine, known to be L.A's best street music mag. I was so happy I cried. It changed my whole perspective on being here.

I felt like I had a chance, and I soaked up every word the review read. It wrote of my songwriting and performance style, but also about how MTV can't keep her away and if A&R person didn't sign me within the year, "somebody has dropped the ball". I interpreted it that I was so "hot" that someone had to discover me fast, because if they don't, then they will miss out. I was so caught up in this review, that I actually believed every word of it, for better and for worse. The good part was it inspired me to stay and continue my path here in the States. I knew I had a chance. The bad part was a year went by and there was no MTV and no A&R person. I started to think, "did someone drop the ball? Or. did I?"

Having a great review can really build our self-esteem as artists. But trying to live up to it can break you apart.

I have gone on to receive many reviews, accolades and awards. My bio and website are full of them, just in case you're curious. But I have learned, through riding the waves of criticism, adoration and the fine line in-between, that none of it is important. It doesn't matter what they say, good or bad, because all of that is part and parcel of the so-called illusion of the entertainment industry. We cannot be dependent on what someone says about us, or doesn't in order to carry on holding the artistic torch. Ultimately, we as artists must choose this path because it's in our nature not because people love us or think we are fabulous. When we can become unattached to what people think about us, or say about us, good or bad, then we truly are living with creative success, because only you alone can give yourself the approval and the love you will need to survive this business till the end.

Whatever someone says or writes about you, although flattering and seemingly true of the subject with which they write about, is not real. It's a pampering of your ego, that's all. It can help sometimes, because you can extract some good lines for your bio, to help shape your written story with good describing words, but it's just someone's perspective of you based on their own perception of life in general. Take the press and put it to good marketing use (for everyone else who laps up media reviews as some standard for success), but not you. You don't need a good review to be a successful artist, or to know if you're going in the right path. So, while it's cool to post a review on your site (I do) for great marketing purposes, meanwhile don't rely on these words to keep you positive, sane, on course, etc. All THAT is up to you, and you alone. Same with bad reviews. Yes, they will come. You get the bad with the good. It's the natural law of the universe. Life can't be perfect all the time. So knowing that, it should make you feel even more secure and confident that you can't take these reviews personally. It's just an IS in the world of art.

When reviews come, just understand that it's just someone's point of view based on their own lives, judgments, stories and experiences. It's their experience and it has no relation to who you are, how you got here, or your intention in the world. Just keep doing what you are doing, relying ONLY on your inner strength, confidence and knowing that you are the master of your own destiny - not- a victim to circumstance, and circumstantial evidence (someone's words).

When reviews come in for my music or projects that I have created, I thank them, I appreciate it, I may even use it for marketing purposes, but I don't believe them or buy into them as facts. I just appreciate them for what they are, good prose.

Here's why: I'll give you an example of how my assistant reacts differently to me in these situations, and how, in the end, my reaction ultimately empowers and saves me. (Don't worry, she knows I'm mentioning this and she is always amazed at how cool I am about it all.) When a great review or letter comes in, she usually jumps up and down with joy and wants to celebrate. She calls me or emails me with huge exclamation marks and big smiley faces and is overly excited, that she thinks that one review is going to be my next big opportunity for some magic pie in the sky wonderland of cotton candy clouds we are all going to fall into. I, on the other hand, take the review with appreciation, but then let it go. I usually say, "yeah, that's nice. Very thoughtful, glad they took the time to respond", or something in that vein. I remain cool, calm and collected. Don't get me wrong: I don't take reviews or praise for granted. No. I'm very appreciative of people who give their time to offer feedback. It's just, I am not so dependent, or influenced, by the feedback as to how the rest of my day will go. I don't like to be swayed either way. Because I know that the bad reviews come in also, and it's all a natural balance in how we operate as artists.

So, when we get a bad response, review or some negative episode happened, my assistant becomes depressed and saddened, and wants to console me or be consoled. I am still fine. I am still cool, calm and collected. I have learned not to take it personally. I know that whatever happened is not about me, but about that person's own reality, perceptions, expectations and judgments, and I have learned not to buy into that drama. Instead, I take it as feedback and then, swiftly, like the warrior, I cut away and move on.

Not taking things personally is one of the hardest things to do, but it really is the only way. Whether good or bad, I let things roll off me like water on a duck's back. Mind you, I used to be very sensitive to criticism and what people say. I guess I'm learning as I get older to not get so caught up in it,. and so is my assistant. Whether good or bad, I just keep soldiering on, no matter what, enjoying my creative process that I alone can approve of. It's no one else's right to tell me who I am or what I should be doing. This is my life. And so too, your life, your art, is yours.

I am more able to survive the ups and downs now because I don't get attached to the ego of wanting praise, or avoiding pain. In fact, ego has left the building long ago. I've come from the school of hard knocks, and that means that through all the good and the bad, I've found the middle ground,. the path of least resistance.

On an even higher note, consider this: who's to say that what you do and who you are is complete mastery and genius? How can anyone compete or criticize that when they have no credits of mastery themselves to judge you? And on what merits do we judge mastery? I suggest that we are all masters of our own art. Art is very difficult to evaluate. I studied Art Education for four years. Yep, I have a Bachelor of Education on this subject, and I still can't actually put my finger on how you can rate art from 1 to 10. You just can't. It's not about the quick exact answer, like math or science with multiple choice. Art is all subjective: held in the eye of the observer. So, what all schools rely on, when evaluating (testing) art for students, is the process. We try and evaluate the way students approach the process of making art.

Your live show, your album even, may somewhat constitute an end result of some kind, but in reality, all your performances and projects are manifestations of your ongoing process, your life journey.

On what authority and expertise can a critic's voice persuade you to actually believe their review? It's only based on a brief moment in time, and you're on a perpetual journey of becoming. Take them, leave them, love them, hate them, but no matter what, when it comes to other people's opinions, don't believe them. Just believe in you.

Furthermore, what constitutes a "talent" in the eyes of these music industry execs we are so-called "showcasing" for, waiting to be discovered by them? Do we spend our artistic lives waiting for these people to "find" us and "mold" us and tell us if we are good or bad, genius or not, deserving of some deal or no deal, or... do we just GET OUT THERE anyway and make it happen with or without them? I think you know the answer. Why wait for someone to "discover" you, when really, you've been discovering yourself for years.

- by gilli moon

gilli @ TAXI Road Rally

Last weekend i spoke about the following to about 150 people in a standing room only hall at the Taxi Road Rally's Renaissance Hotel. I spent the proceeding hour afterwards signing books and Cds. The Taxi Road Rally is probably the largest attended music conference, specifically about songwriting and attended by songwriters. I've never seen so much traffic in one place.

. Indie Artist Marketing, Touring and Promotion with Gilli Moon - In the Hancock Park Room. Define success on your own terms... professional artist development, staying motivated, how to develop the right relationships, marketing and promotional tools, and overcoming obstacles. Gilli Moon will motivate you beyond creativity, into the business world of the Professional Artist - providing tools, tips and solutions on indie promotion, marketing and touring.

Last year I was on the official Opening Panel of the conference called "DIY" amongst 5 panelists including Derek Sivers from Cd Baby. This year, everyone came up to me remembering me on the panel. Michael Laskow, the owner of Taxi, recently said to me that I'm the "hardest working indie artist" he's met. That's a nice comment from him. He has one of my quotes on his website too, on the home page of the Rally website: http://taxi.com/rally/rally2005.html

Our Songsalive! booth was FULL ON all weekend in the book room, with people constantly coming up to us. It was an amazing weekend.

gilli

www.gillimoon.com

Inner Entrepreneurship

gilli moon's blog "Inner Entrepreneurship"

Last month I spoke for my second time, at Berklee School of Music in Boston. It's such an honor to be able to do this and I thank the insightful and prolific Berklee author Peter Spellman for the opportunity, as Berklee is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. It was very timely to speak to students there, not for the sakes of the writing progress of my new book which I always feel inspired to write a chapter or two after a public outing, but also because the was so fitting with everything that i have been focused on lately. I don't know who learned more, the musician filled audience, or me. What I do know is that through my speaking engagements, i'm getting more and more in touch with my higher mission as an artist and a human being, and much of it has to do with the art of leaping forward by "going within."

I was asked to give my thoughts on the topic of "the inner game of music entrepreneurship." This statement conjured up some fascinating thought and ensuing dialogue. The most obvious cool topic is 'entrepreneurship'. To be considered an entrepreneur in this business of music by Berklee is indeed flattering, let alone the opportunity to speak about it. With everything I do as an artist, musician, author, speaker, label owner, artist community builder, I guess I am indeed entrepreneurial. What is more important here though is that I feel everyone needs to be entrepreneurial, in order to be truly powerful as an artist in this new music/arts business. It's automatic. If we want to lead our lives, or art, our business, we need to be self-driven, business minded, and a visionary. But this cannot be just shown externally. We need to feel it and be it internally too.

The next part about this topic that i was excited about was the idea of talking about the word "game". Dabbling in the music business can indeed be like a game, and it conjured up really cool concepts for me to speak about the game of music, the game of business and finally... the psychological game. This final part was the clincher in totally jumping to the cause to discuss this topic: The "inner" game is what is so cool. Everything,... everything that we do, that we want, who we are,... is based all around our inner work on ourselves, and less on the external. I have written much about this already. Thought is very powerful and a mere idea will turn into reality. Thought breeds action. How we perceive ourselves, what we ask for, how we operate our belief systems, everything about our inner dialogue, emotions, desires,... everything internal,... creates the external. So by combining this whole statement together, "the inner game of music entrepreneurship" just made me bursting with excitement to philosophize over and share. Here are some of my contributions to the subject:

I ask you, "Who are you?"

That's right... how would you describe who you are and what you do to someone in the street, at a party, at a meeting or if I asked you at one of my workshops? The WORDS you use are very important. Here are some examples of what I usually get from artists on first meeting:-

"Hi, I'm Bill. I'm trying to be a better songwriter and working hard at practising my music. One day I'd like to be a professional musician with my own band, but already I feel I'm too old and I just don't know if i'll get there what with all the learning I have to do."

"Hi, I'm Elaine. I want to be a professional songwriter one day and tour if I can. I just don't know how to get there yet. I just need to find the right people, maybe a manager or an agent. I don't know."

"Hi, my name is Tom and I am a guitarist, songwriter and producer. I run my own production house and am creating new projects on a weekly basis, building my credits and writing songs with a strong global mission of unity and human consciousness. I'm very excited by my journey and am discovering new opportunities on a daily basis."

What is different about the first two introductions compared to the third?

How we perceive ourselves, including self-worth and self-discovery, and how we express it to others, indicates why we create success in our lives or not. Clearly Bill and Elaine are not quite in touch with the law of attraction yet, compared to Tom. Bill is "trying" to be a songwriting and looks into the future as to when he will truly come into his own. He also has issues about his age and feels he doesn't know enough to consciously acknowledge his talent nor his status as an artist. Same for Elaine... desiring to be professional, but feels she doesn't know the way to get there, and feels she needs other people to make it happen for her.

These are introductions from artists I get ALL THE TIME. Ninety percent of the artists I come across introduce themselves with language like this, not realizing that it sabotages their goals and dreams in coming true. Here's the crux of it: if you put it out there, even just visualizing it, you will get it. If you are not clear with what you want, then what you want may take a long time. So let's take a look at some of these self-thoughts, and how to overcome some negative patterns, in order to create positive results:

Age doesn't matter.

Let me reiterate something I've expressed before. It doesn't matter how old you are in the world of artistry. Ignore what you hear from hearsay: you can be any age you want to be as an artist in the arts business. It all depends on the market you are targeting. If you want to go for the Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson market, then, sure, being nineteen surely means something, and the major record companies spend most of their budget on the 8-14 year olds. If you want to compete with that, give it a shot, but know what you're up against. The whole pop radio, video and retail machine is geared towards that age bracket. But you have the opportunity to find so many other markets, age brackets and genres for your music. You can be 65 years old and find your audience. Remember, artistry is for life. This is a life long journey. So take the time you need to learn, be and share.

"I am" versus "I want".

My first book was called "I AM A Professional Artist" and I titled it for a reason: to empower artists to make a positive, current affirmation about who they are, based on who they want to be. If you only proclaim that you "want" something, then all you will ever get is "wanting" without any actualization. I'm not the first to say this. It's written in many motivational self-help books. Use your words carefully. Introduce yourself to the world as someone who already is. That way you are empowering yourself to be the person you've always dreamed of being. When Tom introduced himself (above) he clearly said he was a "guitarist, songwriter and producer". There's nothing mentioned about desiring something in the future as if it's a far off dream. Talk about your future as if it's your present, and be convinced as to who you are. Then we will be convinced of you.

Learn but also be all knowing.

Be the student of life, but know you have what you need to be who you want to be. I have also always said that we are students of life. Our learning is life long and beyond college we will always be learning something, on a daily basis. Everything we do will provide us insight into ourselves and we will always be "in development". But I believe that we all have the assets and the know-how to achieve whatever we want to achieve and be whoever we want to be now. I use the term "commence-aphobia" with artists at times, when they procastinate and wait a long time to do something, like perform or record an album. It's like they are waiting for a sign, or someone to say "ok, you are ready now." But what if we are always ready? What if all we needed to do is to take one step. I see that by taking that first step, the other foot will follow, and the seemingly foggy path will clear up and illuminate the way. We don't necessarily need to wait for someone to tell us how to do it, or have our art approved before we put it out there. We don't need to read every single book on the business or go to every class in order to start a project. What we need is confidence and a desire to do the art, for the sake of doing. If we just initiate the step to start, it's amazing how much information, resources, advisors, support and opportunity comes our way, because we have internally opened up to the art of doing.

Seek no one else's approval but your own.

It's a hard statement to digest at first, but when you really consider it for some time, it makes total sense. I'm not suggesting that we don't seek advice, or that we have to do things alone. Definitely have a core few around you, which you trust, to gain feedback about your work. But at the end of the day when all is said and done, you alone are the one to decide if it's right for you or not, if you are on the right path or not. This ties greatly into the whole concept about enacting on who you want to be as an artist and the things you'd like to do. We can wait for ages to have some high and mighty record executive, or media critique, to approve of our process, but really, we don't need anyone to tell us we are doing the right thing for us. Once you agree with yourself that you have everything you need to be who you are and who you want to be, then you can enact without waiting for someone else to tell you it's okay. Every one is unique, and so what you bring to the world cannot really be judged by anyone.

The journey of art is a personal journey, no matter what competitive, commercial or public purpose you may choose to endeavour in.

Enjoy it. It is a game.

How can one possibly proceed into the world of the arts without seeing it as a bit of fun? My gosh, we are so lucky as artists to pursue a life with paint brushes, musical instruments and anything creative. Just think that about ten percent of the world's population has the audacity to make their world revolve around creativity and imagination whereas every child on this planet lived and breathed it before they were 7. What happened to most of us as we grew into adults? The world has gotten so serious! Always business, business, business... mortgages, living on credit, an ever present need for financial security and keeping up with the Jones's. I must admit though, being in the music business, I have had to be more business minded than I ever would have thought. I have had to wear two hats, and artists need to be aware that being in the arts business is about business, not so much about art. But let's use our artistic insights to survive the biz in a cool, creative way. Think of it like a 'game' and know that this game is made up of people playing the game. As my guitarist friend James Hurley says, "it's a game because people are participating in it". This business is all about relationships, strategies and dreams. Play it like monopoly or a long thought out chess game, with patience and a sense of humor. Navigate with passion, and joy, and know that at any time you want out, you can. You can always go back to a 'desk' job in the suburbs, right? You have a choice, to play the game or not. Besides, the music business in particular is all an illusion. Everything you read about fame and fortune, the celebrity lives versus ordinary happiness, ... is all wrapped up in an illusion dished out in glossy magazines. The real business is business, and hard work. The 'game' of the music business can be played with tenacity, joy and passion, if you put your mind to it.

Everyone is unique. Know your uniqueness.

We can find it all quite daunting when you consider all t he things we have to do to be creative, promote our creativity and survive it all. There's a lot of competition too. Many artists all wanting those top 10 slots on the Billboard charts right? Wrong. There is room for everyone at the 'top'. It all depends on what you want, and what you bring to the table. You may not be Britney Spears or Eminem, but you probably have something very unique about you that can tap into a market all to itself. Consider that there are close to 300 million people in the U.S, heck nearly 5 billion on the planet. You can find your niche for your art, if you know what makes you unique. I've always called this, "finding your competitive advantage." Your talent + your uniqueness = your competitive advantage, or edge. It might be that you play bare feet, or you have an interesting hair-do. Maybe your name is different. Perhaps you cross styles with your music, or have a different stage presence or image/persona. Whatever it is, harness it, focus on it, and exploit it. This will certainly help you find your own audience. In this day and age, for the new artist entrepreneur, you don't have to conform to a structure as to what you should look like, sound like, be like or the way you share your music or promote. We are in a new era where not only are audiences in control (they search for their own music based on their own tastes online, etc), but they are busting to get something NEW. Be creative and use your imagination to find new ways to present your music and yourself. This is the time to be very imaginative and to think outside the box.

Discovering you are already the creative, magical, prolific, talented and successful artist that you are, opens up the largest of doors. This is very much an inward empowerment. "Know" it, "feel" it, "be" it, and it will be realized on your outside.

This is your time to be, do, create, think, visualize, and build your empire. Be the entrepreneur, and be yourself.

And so, I ask you,… "Who are you?"

Until next time,

gilli moon

Bermuda or Bust

I just returned from THE most beautiful place. Bermuda. If you haven't been there I highly recommend it. I was there teaching for the Bermuda Artist and Songwriting Retreat which is sponsored by Songsalive! It's a yearly event and this was the inaugural one.

Richard, our host, picked us up at the airport and we drove along a one lane road (the main road!) from one end of the island to the other. English cut hedges juxtaposed towild jungles and rainforests, and the ever present turquoise blue water guiding us on our path. Bermuda is still a British colony but has it's own government. They have made their Bermudian dollars of equal value to the U.S dollar, and in fact are completely identical save for the cool colors Bermudians have chosen for their cash.

I had no expectations of Bermuda except that I was going to be on a magical journey, and indeed it was. We arrived at 9 Beaches Resort, which is on the far tip of the long island (it's only 1.5 miles wide). The first thing I noticed were the array of huts (cabanas) all on stilts in the water. Was I in paradise? Apparently this Resort had once been an eco-living place. I couldn't believe the water, and the way this "village" was architecurally designed. Quite impressive. The cabana nestled perfectly on the side of the hill overlooking the water. I really felt like I was on a tropical island. Designed in white and blue cloth, with simple furniture, i ended up living in it for 6 days with peace, tranquility and joy. My view of the ocean gave me solice and inspiration.

For three days I taught and empowered artists at the Bermuda Artist and Songwriters Retreat which was held under a huge white tent on the grass near the water. It actually rained for the first 3 days, with the heavens opening up in terrential rain one moment, and then sun the next. Very fickle weather, but all the time it was magical. I felt like we were truly on an isolated piece of property which is so perfect for a retreat.

I can't remember when i felt so tranquil as this, yet so energized at the same time.

Magic.

gilli

balance

good morning everyone! gilli moon here with some motivational tips i like to send out from time to time.

i just got back from an empowering 2 weeks on the east coast where i swam with dolphins in virginia beach, felt the zing and elecricity of new york city and rallied with a community of artistic souls in philadelphia. nothing better than a does of invigoration to set sail throughout september.

here's a lovely little motivational message from the Daily Guru that talks about balance:

---- What's your best routine? "For all my good intentions, there are days when things go wrong or I fall into old habits. When things are not going well, when I'm grumpy or mad, I'll realize that I've not been paying attention to my soul and I've not been following my best routine." -- Robert Fulghum

How do you need to bring more balance to your life? Robert Fulghum has shared, "The older I get, the more I realize the importance of exercising the various dimensions of my body, soul, mind and heart. Taken together, these aspects give me a sense of wholeness. I want to be a whole human being rather than one who limps on one leg because I don't know how to use all of my parts. Intellectual, emotional, and physical activity are not separate entities. Rather, they are dimensions of the same human being."

"There is an Indian Belief that everyone is in a house of four rooms: A physical, a mental, an emotional and a spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room everyday, even if only to keep it aired, we are not complete." -- Rumer Godden -----

and now... a chapter exerpt from gilli moon's "I AM A Professional Artist" - available for purchase at http://www.warriorgirlmusic.com/store with details at http://www.gillimoon.com/thebook

Topic: Passion, balance and time -

The ultimate ingredient of an Artist, and a professional Artist.. is Passion. This is your fire and you should never deny it because your passion is the way to self realization. You also need to balance your personal life, your art, your day to day and your passion. Life is a balance and in order for all of your desires and needs to be fulfilled, balance is the key. This means that many aspects of you need to be focused on. There's no need to be a total work-aholic without also nurturing private, relaxation time. Your various creative urges should be balanced so that you don't put all your eggs in one basket. You can even juggle your day so that all your passions get taken care of. Balance tasks with others, balance business and pleasure, balance working and time-out. I have a friend who compartmentalizes his day based on which creative projects he wants and needs to work on. Morning is for writing, and some phone calls and email. Midday he's ready to paint. By mid-afternoon he's playing the piano and also taking care of some business. Night time he's often performing with a local jazz band.

Apart from balance, you need time. You need to give yourself time to develop your professional career. Don't expect it to come overnight. There is truth in the term "paying your dues" and also truth in a friend of mine's term "becoming an overnight sensation takes ten years." Some people are too impatient. They want it all at once and now. We think that all these superstars are overnight sensations and that if our career takes five years, no ten, then we are complete failures. How fickle we are! A great career in the Arts business takes time. Firstly, don't think you have to win over who's already out there "making it." It's not a contest. It's about you finding value in what you alone can determine. This might take a life time. In fact, as I will talk about later, being a professional Artist is a life long journey. If you were to "make it" right now, what would you do then? Give up. Die? Sit back and enjoy the ride because the process is the best part. Take the time to discover who you want to be. Heed the sign "when the time's right, it will come." Life is about timing and sometimes we want to try and push that with our will. Patience is a virtue, and time is of the essence. You've heard it all before, and its all true. Take your time, develop, study, expand your business, nurture your talent, focus on your choice, and allow the universe to deliver in good time.

We often mismanage our time. Ernie Zelinski writes in his book, "The Lazy Person's Guide To Success", that time devoted to just hard work (being busy, thinking we are accomplishing something but instead spinning our wheels), is generally a poor use of time. Whereas, if we spend time on creativity and imagination (plus thought, which I will go into detail later), then this is more effective. "The wise use of the assets you have - time, energy, creativity, motivation, money, patience, and courage - is what will bring you success and happiness over the long term." Spend your time doing what you LOVE. Minimize the time you spend on things that you don't like and that are not important. There is no shortage of time. It's how we use it that's important. You CAN find the balance between work, and free time too... ultimately if you can combine creativity in all of it, you have found the key. Also, spend time with positive, organized people and it will rub off. When I was eighteen and busting to be an actor, my father gave me this one little piece of advice: "Don't hang around down and out, unemployed actors." While the statement is a little stereotypical I think you'll get the gist of it. Being around negative thinking people only drags you down. You start thinking like them, especially when most Artists are rather sensitive. Surround yourself with negativity and Opportunity goes right out the window. I find that if I choose my friends carefully, keep a strict, disciplined day of work, pleasure, creativity, mediation and exercise, coupled with an understanding that this is a life-long journey with plenty of time to achieve what i want - then I am balanced, achieving highly, creating great art, financially stable and loved by those around me. It's a long way... to the top... if you wanna rock-n roll!

by gilli moon (from her book "I AM A Professional Artist" http://www.gillimoon.com/thebook)

"It is not enough to be busy.... The question is: what are we busy about?" - Henry David Thoreau