December 31st in Toronto seemed to experience a never-ending amount of rain. However there were times throughout the night when I could actually see the moon, and then finally this morning a bit of light has cracked through.
Listen to what it sounded like when the photo above was taken.
What I Realized I Want
This week I had a lot of time to think, and when it was all said and done I realized that I don’t want to think so much. So simple yet something that could be a lifelong pursuit in the making: I want to be like a flatscreen monitor that is on but is showing nothing on it. Can you visualize what that looks like?
The reason for this is not to disappear into the Himalayas but to inch forward to where I want to be and do the projects I want to work on. This realization is not life-altering because it’s just an idea, so I take it in a similar fashion to the light cracking through in the photo above.
The Time I Got Rid of the Internet
Many years ago I once went to a warehouse party one night and when I got home I unplugged my router and then got rid of the internet connection in my home. The internet wasn’t the problem though, I was the problem.
The rabbit hole of being online can offer new inspirations and ideas. But nothing beats a long-form podcast or a book. Or better yet, getting to focus on something you want to make yourself.
2023: Year of Focus
So this year I want to spend more time thinking about focus and its overlap with music, because the two topics are some of the most interesting to me.
Starting in 2020 I began to take up the guitar again and as of today, it is one of my life priorities. Not because I want to show off any particular skill but because every session is an opportunity to look into my habits and tendencies.
With the guitar in my lap I will see and hear every fear come to the surface, and after the notes start, those fears will dissipate.
The other benefit to guitar is the structure of learning a piece of music. There is a system and routine involved that can unlock almost any piece of music for you by breaking it down into small passages.
The Power of Routines: Not for Everyone
Dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp starts the book The Creative Habit by talking about her routine of going to kickboxing at the crack of dawn. While I am not as disciplined as she was at the time of writing that book, I value routines like this which kickstart your day.
However we are not robots and it is very hard to stick to rigid routines. I think it is more important to hold onto a mindset instead. In this case, the mindset that I am working on is one that values being able to focus on something for a good stretch of time without checking my phone or the news.
One practical tip I have is to use the website Focusmate. You get paired up to work with people randomly. Most people I suggest this to think I’m crazy but it works. I get things done when I’m in a Focusmate session. When i’m not in one it’s very easy to get distracted after 5-10 minutes.
No Podcast This Week
I intentionally did not record a podcast this week as I wanted some space to consider things.
Feel free to send me any feedback you have about what I write and record, and if there is anything you want to hear more about in the weeks and months ahead. You can do this by commenting on the newsletter or just replying back.
Wishing you a Happy New Year
Thank you and I wish you a happy new year. May you find the power to focus on the things that are most important to you, be it family, friends or projects.
Elliott
p.s. In the old days people used to “start a blog” when they had something they wanted to share. I have enjoyed using Substack for this publication, so I wanted to encourage you to try starting one yourself.