This week I want to talk about improvement.
As you know, I think about this stuff a lot. The things we do daily to help take us to the next level.
Whether it’s prioritising our health by staying active, so we get all those amazing benefits I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters. Dopamine, endorphins, serotonin. A sharper brain, a stronger body. All important pieces of the puzzle that we call ‘potential’.
Or whether it’s dialing in our wellbeing, which is extremely important, yet harder than it’s ever been. Right?
I mean, distractions are everywhere now! The very device you’re (most likely) reading this on is engineered to pull your attention in a hundred directions. Endless feeds, algorithms built to keep you scrolling, hours lost on waffle. It has never been harder to protect your focus.
I’ve said this before, but the smartphone is either a tool or a weapon, and it’s up to us to make sure it doesn’t become the latter. This is something I consciously work on daily, and do not take the foot off. You can’t.
Health and wellbeing are two of the four main pillars of personal growth I teach in my 30-Day MasterMind Drummer Coaching Program.
These pillars started as pursuits within my own journey and naturally became the backbone of MasterMind Drummer. An extension of the way I operate. The idea of developing the person alongside the player. Dial in these areas off the kit, and things get much easier on it.
I mention this again because we all need constant reminders. That’s the whole point of these newsletters. A weekly check-in to keep you motivated, inspired, and on the path of progress.
Some days are stronger than others. We aren’t perfect. But we need to set our lives up so we can stay in that zone as often as humanly possible.
Because, contrary to popular belief, if you’re not moving forward, you’re not staying still… you’re actually moving backwards! It’s either forward or backwards, so you have to keep the pressure on. Keep that in mind.
When it comes to you and your drums, you only have one true gift…
For some strange and unquantifiable reason, you happen to care about the drums. Not the kazoo, the drums. Neither of us know why. That’s the mystery. But you do. So don’t waste that. Nurture it. That’s your gift.
So with that in mind, what I thought I’d do today is give you 7 things to think about, to help appreciate that gift a little more. Let’s dive in…
1. Creativity.
In my opinion, this is priority number one.
The way I see it, creativity is just a byproduct of two things – Facility (your ability) and inspiration. That’s it. So, as long as you keep working on increasing your ability – get back in the shed!!!, and keep doing things daily to keep yourself inspired – walk, read, write, eat, be social, etc, you’ll stay in an abundant state of expression on the kit.
2. Learn the rules before you break them.
If you zoom out far enough, there are no rules when it comes to creativity, expression, and the pursuit of craft. BUT! There are definitely things you can do to become the player you see in your head. For me, that was diving into topics such as mechanics, intentional dynamics work, and chasing single-kick control at a high level. Oh, and all my chops and facility work too. Deep dives, focusing in on these topics for periods of time, have all contributed greatly to the player I am now, but also, the player I will be in the future too.
3. Challenge yourself.
Another way to word this is to walk towards the fear! If you’re not challenging yourself frequently, you’re not progressing.
You only truly need 80% of the skills required for any challenge in front of you. You’ll make up the other 20%, in the moment. That’s how progress happens! That 20% is the unknown, and yes, it’s scary, but you’ll be fine, trust me. The 80% will get you there. And guess what, that new 20% you gain in the moment, quickly becomes your new normal too. So keep challenging yourself. Keep moving towards the fear.
4. Preparation is KING.
We’ve all heard the saying ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail’. It’s very true.
You can never recreate real world situations in our safe little practice rooms, so the only way to handle those environmental shifts without compromising your performance, is in the preparation we do! That’s it.
As they say, drillers make killers. Practice your parts to death!!!! And then, do a little more 😉
5. Collaboration.
Music is built on collaboration. Get good at working with people personally, professionally, and creatively. That’s the essence of why we do what we do.
Remember, for that 1 hour onstage, there are 23 hours offstage. Are you a good hang? Are you easy to deal with? Non-confrontational? A complainer? Reflect… are you a dick? Take stock of your impact on others, and dial it in. Your presets aren’t always right, so work in them.
6. Don’t be beige!
Discover your voice. You have something to say, on and off the kit, so figure out what it is, and start saying it. Don’t be afraid.
I believe there isn’t much worse than being beige… In person, in player, in style, and in opinion. Take risks, and be you! Have a strong and identifiable voice on and off the kit, lean in, and don’t be beige!
7. Be intentional.
Arguably the most important piece of all of this… Do everything with intention!
Are you here? Are you present? Are you doing it? Then DO IT! Whether it’s the practice pad, playing in front of 100,000 people, teaching a beginner student, going for a run, reading a book, supporting a friend… I don’t care what it is, just do it with intention!
Not the half-assed attitude most people have. This is you and what you stand for, on display. Your character and personal philosophy with a microscope on it. Do it all with intention… Live daily with true intention!
I’ll end it here with one of my favourite Steve Jobs quotes –
“You can’t connect the dots by looking forward, it’s only by looking back.”
It’s purely through 30 years on the kit that I can sit here and share these ideas with you.
Give attention to some of these areas, and you’ll see growth. Give attention to all of these, and you’ll see immense growth. That’s just how it works.
Let’s leave it there this week as my young boy Maximus has just woken up and wants a morning cuddle.
As always, thanks for taking the time. And please, share your thoughts with me. I read them all, so send them through and let’s get a dialogue happening.
Stay hungry and healthy 
Stan
PS. My $17 offer for ‘The Key To Tuning A Modern Drumkit’ is back! Just use the code ‘TUNING’ at checkout.