MasterMind Drummer
Newsletter #22
May 20th, 2024
By the power of grayskull… I have the power!
I hope you took the time to hit the link above, and appreciate that great moment…
Welcome back!
Cutting straight to the chase, what I wanted to do this week, was to dive into the MasterMind Drummer concept a little more, and explain what it all is, in more detail.
I probably should have done this a few newsletters back, (maybe even as early Newsletter #1), as we are now up to #22, BUT, as they always say, better late than never!
Look, I’m assuming you all catch my drift with what I’m up to here, but still, I want to take a moment today, and really break down what it all means to me, and why.
And then, after that, I’ll fill you in on what I’ve got going on here, as these newsletters are very much about what I am doing at my end, working as a professional drummer, as much as they are about sharing ideas, concepts, and lessons I’ve learned, to help you level-up and move forward, on and off the kit.
So, now that I’ve outlined my intention here, let’s not dilly-dally or waste any time whatsoever. In other words, strap in, and let’s go!
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At my MasterMind Drummer clinic I held recently, (Auckland tickets now available HERE) I opened by first thanking everyone, and then dove straight into explaining what the MasterMind Drummer concept is, and that’s what I want to do here for you now.
So, let’s begin.
To explain what it is, we actually need to start with what it is not…
The term MasterMind Drummer is NOT a declaration. Let’s just make that clear. It’s not a statement that “I am the MasterMind Drummer!”.
Nor is it a guarantee. “Stick with me kid, and you’ll become the MasterMind Drummer” (as I erupt into maniacal laughter).
No. It’s not either of those. Of course it’s not.
This should be obvious, but you never know, so it pays to clarify these things.
And look, I’ll be honest, I wish it was. I wish I could guarantee that if you stick with me you’ll win the drumming race, and become the MasterMind Drummer, but alas, I can’t, and you won’t. Hahaha. No one is the ‘MasterMind Drummer’. As quite simply, that does not exist.
Side note – For some reason, as I write this, I can’t help but think of He-Man, as he yields his sword and yells “I have the power”.
Anyway, that is NOT what MasterMind Drummer is.
What is it then?
Well, for me, it’s made up of 3 things.
Firstly, let’s determine specifically what I mean by ‘MasterMind’, as that in itself is the anchor of everything here.
1. ‘A MasterMind’ is a group of like-minded people on a unified path.
This is my own definition that I use to explain the concept, and I really like this quick summary.
So where did I first hear the term? Well, MasterMind was coined back in 1925, by one of my favourite authors, Mr. Napolean Hill, in his book The Laws of Success.
He was in the process of writing what would become his most successful book (released 12 years later) – Think and Grow Rich, but it was in The Laws of success that he first used the term.
He wrote – “The ‘MasterMind’ may be defined as coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”
So basically, he’s saying a MasterMind is when two or more people get together, and discuss big ideas and concepts, to help them move forward. Using each other as a sound board, as well as for accountability, too.
For example, the clinic I held recently, well that was a MasterMind, as we were all there to learn, get better, do better, and be around like-minded people on a similar path, etc. Also, something as simple as catching up with a friend to bounce some ideas off, that is also a MasterMind.
A group of like-minded people on a unified path.
I actively have people in my life who I consider my MasterMind peers. People that I hold in high regard. They are people that are like-minded, driven, keep me accountable, and help me stay in the ‘zone’ in and among my day-to-day routines and responsibilities. The stuff we all have and face in our day-to-day life.
Do you have those people in your life? People that you can count on, to hold you accountable? People to keep you encouraged, keep you motivated, to share ideas with, and who can help you move forward? Think about this. Its important.
This is the essence of what MasterMindDrummer.com is.
It represents the collective idea of progress. It’s a place for players who are interested in going to the next level, not only on the kit, but off of the kit, too, and doing so under the concept of MasterMind Drummer.
This is ALL anchored by my flagship coaching program, The MasterMind Drummer 30-Day Coaching Program – designed to develop the person alongside the player.
I’ll actually get into a little later, as I have some exciting news regarding this program.
So, for me, this is it. Once you start dialing in everything off the kit, as well as on the kit, and consistently, growth is much faster, and quite exponential. #resultsguaranteed
Ok, so what else is MasterMind Drummer? Well, it’s about
2. Mastering your mind.
I say this quite a bit, but drum curriculum has not really changed much over the past 100 years. As educators, we choose what we believe to be the most high-value ticket items, the things that resoante with us and that we see worth teaching, but it’s all already out there, and has been for some time, yet people are still struggling? They are struggling to –
A. Know exactly what to practice.
B. Make time to practice consistently.
We all want to be the world’s best drummer, yet we can’t connect these simple dots.
What’s the problem here?
Why are so many people lost?
Well, in short, it comes down to the mind. We need to strengthen it, as its weak. That’s it, plain and simple.
Now, hang on. Don’t worry, that was not an accusation. Not at all. We are ALL dealing with the weaker sides of our mind, in some shape or form. And its tough.
This is just the reality of living in this day and age, with all the distractions we battle on the daily.
This is something I am personally working on, EVERY… SINGLE… DAY – Mastering the mind, and maintaining control.
I have to work on it every single day, as, guess what? The world is relentless! It never stops. Every single day, something is going to attempt to derail you, and your focus too. Every day you have to battle with something or someone trying to steal your attention.
That’s not avoidable, it’s a guarantee. So what are you going to do about it?
Well, what I do, is I keep chipping away at becoming better. Thats it.
Building a better body, a stronger mind, being a better father, husband, and friend… etc. This is something you never ‘win’ at, you just keep working on.
It makes me think of this great Jim Rohn quote –
“Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”
There is so much power in that statement, and I think about it every single day.
Life is not the problem.
So what else is MasterMind Drummer?
3. Well, because MasterMind Drummer has the word master in it, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that this is also about your own pursuit of self-mastery. This is a lifelong and very personal journey, and we should all be working towards our own version of what that mastery is, whatever that means to us.
There is no such thing as ‘Drum Mastery’, but there is very much the idea of your own ‘personal mastery’, and that’s also what MasterMind Drummer represents.
So, in a nutshell, this is what MasterMind Drummer is to me.
A – A group of like-minded people on a unified path.
B – The idea of mastering your mind.
C – The pursuit of your own personal mastery.
I didn’t actually intend on this section dragging out as long as it has, but you all know me well enough by now, and once I get going, well… I get going! And to be honest, it all had to be said.
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So, what have I been up to since our last chat? Quite a lot, it would seem.
On Friday night, I had the pleasure of playing to a sold-out crowd with my band, Black Comet.
We opened for a group called Corrella, and its fair to say the energy in the room was huge. We are actually also joining them again in Auckland this Saturday, at The Powerstation, which will be another great gig, no doubt.
Friday was also a big day for another reason, too, as we released the first single off our upcoming debut album. The track is called “Ooh Yeah Baby,” and the response so far has been incredible! It’s a Sunday morning, coffee-in-hand, crusiy track, with some nice changes, and a super strong melody. Check it out.
In other news, I’m in full prep-mode for some upcoming shows with the uber talented Georgia Lines. This includes a performance at the New Zealand Music Awards at the end of the month, then her album release party, and then the actual album release show, both in early June.
I pulled back from Georgia last year, as we were about to have my son, and needed to just stay local, and focus in on that. Well, he’s 8 months old now, and is doing fantastic, alongside mum too, so I’m available once again. Her team reached out a little while back, and asked if I could jump back in, to which I said of course.
I enjoy playing in the Georgia camp. Not only are they a fantastic crew, but it’s the perfect example of session work for me, where I’m hired exactly for what I do. I play some pocket, but search for tasteful moments of colour and character, where I see fit. It’s a lot of fun.
In other news, I’ve just started Week #3 of the May MasterMind Drummer coaching program.
This week’s focus is on Single Kick Development, alongside the topic of Wellbeing.
So, on the kit, we are building a stronger conversation between hands and foot, and off the kit, we’re diving into how we can manage our own Wellbeing, better.
We’re not victims in life; things happen, but its how we respond. Everything we allow into our world eg. news, media, pointless scrolling etc, it ALL impacts our Wellbeing, whether we realise it or not, or choose to admit it.
So I discuss all this, bring it to the surface, and talk about taking the power back. I do this by suggesting opting for books, audio, and people, that positively influence your life and keep you motivated as a person, as well as a player.
We are in FULL control of what we choose to let into our world, and what we choose to let impact/influence us. So it’s just acknowledgment of that, owning it, stepping up, and making hard but positive changes towards shaping a better day-to-day.
We have MUCH more control over our lives than what we choose to believe. I realise it doesn’t always feel that way, which is exactly the point of MasterMind Drummer, to bring these conversations to the surface, and to let you know that, once again…
Don’t forget it!
Now, that leads me to my latest announcement.
The MasterMind Drummer 30-Day Coaching Program is now available as a ‘self-led’ program! Yes, that’s right!
This has been one of the top requests I have received since starting this MasterMind Drummer journey, offering the 30-Day program as its own ‘self-led’ course. So that is exactly what I have done.
This is a fantastic opportunity for those who want to work at their own pace while still getting all the valuable insights and lessons from the course.
If you are interested, you can learn more HERE.
So, for now, lets leave it there. Just remember…
By the power of grayskull… You have the power!
As always, thanks for taking the time, and thanks for all your feedback, too, I appreciate it.
I read them all. So please, if you have any thoughts, send them through, and let’s get a dialogue happening.
Thanks for your time, stay hungry, and see you next week.
Stan