Compass in your gut
Your instincts have a compass that points two directions:
- what excites you
- what drains you
No matter what advice anyone gives you — no matter how smart they may be — you need to let this compass guide you.
Whatever excites you, go do it.
Whatever drains you, stop doing it.
For example: Many musicians get into music because they love playing their instrument. They love it so much they want to do it full-time. But then well-meaning people say, “If you’re going to be in the music business, you have to read this book on music business law, and you have to learn networking skills, and marketing, and tech skills, and accounting, and writing good newsletters, and blah blah blah.” Soon those musicians are spending all their time doing everything but playing their instrument, and decide it’s not worth it! They give up, get a dumb job, and lose interest in their instrument, because a career in music seems tedious and overwhelming.
But nothing is worth losing your enthusiasm. Nothing!
Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it. You have to pay close attention to that compass, even in little day-to-day decisions.
You get offered a gig. They’re on the phone waiting for an answer. Does it excite you or drain you?
You hear about some new technology. People say you need to check out this new app. Does it excite you or drain you?
If it doesn’t excite you, don’t do it. There’s almost nothing that you must do.
Whatever you hate doing, someone out there loves doing it. So if it’s necessary, find them and let them do it.
Work toward this ideal, and soon you’ll be doing only what excites you the most.
Then you’ll find that doors open for you, opportunities come your way, and life seems to go easier, because you’re doing what you’re meant to do.
Derek,
This is exactly what I've been working on for myself this year. I love CD Baby and really appreciate all the work you put into it and the money I've received from the sale of my cds and digital downloads.
You are a genius!
Love, Light and Music
Diva Joan Cartwright
Derek,
You are right on the money about the gut feelings about doing my music
on CD Baby the whole band laughed at me said no one will buy your CD!
I just put my CD out with hot guitar player that I met at on line Jam site
http://harmonicajam.com/index.php where most the songs where born!
I play Blues Harp wrote the songs and sang them, so I went CD Baby
put them up with lot help from the CD Baby crew, got it going with out
any promotion they are selling out the gate! when I promote lot more
the sky is the limit!
I'm glad I fellowed that gut feeling took chance went with CD Baby I'm
living the dream of my life and I owe it all to CD Baby; thank you so much!
Bro.Bob
A lifetime of playing music and have met many people but none likeDerek Sivers I have enjoyed reading about your life and now understand ---somewhat .why you are so sucessful.Thank you so much for everything you have done and are doing.Flo Dreyer
Total truth. Put this together with the idea of 'now living' and you have all you need. Thanks Derek
thanx for the inspiration
Derek,
I just wanted to say that I have been up all night on this website. There are very many sites that I go to for information and inspiration, and I believe that this, for me is number 1: the reason being: it put's together the creative and the practical in such a way that I wish I had read this 10 years ago, but thank god I'm reading it now. You have helped me so much and I just wanted to say Thank You!
Like I said in a previous post. I'm an internet marketer. I love what I do. I've just recently decided that this is what I'm going to do with myself for the time being. I used to work for a company that made me hate what I did. Then I worked crap jobs, then I got fired over a pair of pants. Instead of getting upset I looked at it as a swift kick in the ass to do what I'm meant to. I love music, but don't have the ability or drive to be a musician so I promote them instead. I believe this page right here shows a valuable life lesson in general. Love what you do and the world will love you.
This is a great reminder for us to be enthusiastic about and love everything we do. Whenever I am in the joy of the moment when I go to call a club owner to get a booking, or contact a promoter for consideration for a spot on their music festival, or call another guitarist to see what they are doing, something good always happens. We really have to feel good in our gut during all our activities to be successful.
Thanks Derek for your continued inspiration!
Hi Friends,
I was just reading a great book, 'Divine Intuition' by Lynn A. Robinson. Derek's blog (this one) flashed in my mind when I was reading chapter 4 'Intuitive Nudges', especially pages 27 and 28.
I can't suggest this book enough!
Amazon has used copies for next to nothing...
http://www.amazon.com/Divine-Intuition-Lynn-Robinson/dp/0789467682
Take care,
Pete
Very True. I Like This..
Amazinnggg post Derek..Thanks a lot.
Derek,
I love you.
-Booda
That's very true. I just wish I knew what my compass was telling me....
Great advice... for the "find them and let them do it" part, it helps to either be very rich, or have lots of friends :D
excellent advise as always Derek!
Very well put- any specific suggestions on increasing focus so u can work on what excites you?
Pura Vida
Jose
Amazing article. And one day I hope to start living by that. Maybe just for an hour tonight. I wonder what it would feel like, throwing ought and should out the window?!
I love this from artist Richard Stine:
Title: WOMAN TRAVERSING OBSTACLES BY FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING HER OWN COMPASS. (See image here)
http://thumbs.imagekind.com/member/2f8b8db4-7536-473a-95a5-c15bd86c0acf/uploadedartwork/450X450/115ece22-3a0b-40dd-ac1d-bfd34b0d2ef4.jpg
great article, there is indeed a lot of bad advice in the DIY movement in music.
I couldn't possibly agree more. I've been going through this lately and know that it's hard to listen to that compass, but you must! I think not listening to it comes from a fear of failure, making the wrong move. But it IS possible to make money at what you're good at, so keep doing it!
Very true. I see it all the time in university, I consistently do much better in courses I am actually interested in.
There are even times when I wish I could just pick whatever courses I want to do and assemble my own degree. Who knows what future that might lead to?
In the mean time its back to management accounting for me.. :(
Derek. I can't agree more and thank you for this brilliant reminder. I graduated as an electrical engineer but I discovered a passion in me while programming my homework in my hand held HP calculator and decided to become a programmer. After 27 years of punching the keyboard I've never got tired of it. I've been having a happy life because I followed my passion.
Sometimes the Compass in Your Gut is a curse that torments you.
Sometimes reality can't be reconciled with whatever grandiose idea your compass might be pointing towards. For example, your compass says be an artist...but you're well-compensated for a mind-numbingly boring gig slinging code for soul-less corporations and you have a spouse and two college-aged children depending on that income. Just saying.
Derek...I love it. All your posts are well thought out and always share some of "your" experience. Thanks again for so many great posts and such enthusiasm, it is contagious. Your insight is valuable and I am glad to receive it and smile. Thanks and peace, and congrats on the nuptials.
Thanks for this, Derek.
You're the real deal :)
I think I'm starting to listen to that compass... I climbed two mountains with my family this week!
Awesome. I loved reading this & re-reading this. Thank you.
~ de Vie
Derek, this may be the best essay you've posted. I'm saving it.
— Derek
'nothing is worth losing your enthusiasm'
I hope it's okay if I steal that line for my own motto.
yes, please.
This one answered my question to a tee. Every time I get excited about a project I get bogged down in all the other aspects of it. Then I lose interest because the fun is drained. Thank you again Mr. Sivers.
Jim Z.
Greatest advice I ever received. Now I just have to find the courage to follow my guts. But then, your other advice covers that too - whatever scares you go do it. Thanks Derek. ;-)
I think this is a little like a muscle. Your inner compass is like a muscle. If you exercises the compass it will work better. If I listen to the compass and take action. The output of the compass becomes stronger. Could this compass be used when meeting someone new? Or deciding what to do next? Is this compass sort of a Muse? Does it whisper in my ear the next creative endeavor. Wow I love this topic! Keep being Awesome! Love your work it is so refreshing. You have nothing to pitch me or sell me. Trust me I have tried to buy things from you because I feel obligated because you have helped me so much. I did buy your audio book. You are helping people for the sake of helping people. I once heard Jim Carrey say something to the effect that he wished everyone would get rich and famous so that they will realize that its not the answer". You sort of lived that my sell CD Baby. So whats on the other side of all the money you could every want or need?----- I think it is Just Help People. Or just help that person right in font of you. Thanks for letting me rant on your blog.
Wao. A masterpiece advise. Am tweeting this right away to help others. Thanks for showing us seemingly obvious but uncommon ideals.
I am still trying to accept that I will always be a typical academic with "too many" books cluttering my home.
Some one once told me, "Face it, Sean, you're an intellectual. Does it energize you to have a clean house? Do you feel good as you clean?
The answer was no and no. I feel depressed after I waste man-hours de-cluttering.
...but a stocked bookcase is energizing...
Wow, fabulous! Simple and true, turning it into a desktop background!
Thanks again Derek,
Gabe
They say it takes merely a generation for the public to forget the horrors of war, inflation and allowing a leader to be like a bully on the playground: making the laws to suit himself. (Except the Russians, they forget every day)
It takes me merely a couple of years to forget sensible posts. (Sigh!) I need to return here more often.
“once you do something that scared you, you’re not scared of it anymore”
If only. But maybe with enough repetition? I was scared to drive, then I became a professional driver. I'm OK with it now, but still get a bit nervous. Scared to speak. Started a PhD and had to give regular talks. Still scared but I get up every time. Scared to publish. Started a Substack. I don't know if it'll ever get easier. It's new, so we'll see. Scared to make a fool of myself. Here I am doing it again. Thanks for your wisdom, Derek. :)