You don’t get extreme results without extreme actions

You can’t just normal your way through this.

Extreme talent requires extreme practice — training like an Olympic athlete.

Extreme success requires extreme focus — saying no to distractions and leisure.

Extreme fame requires extreme ambition — taking the spotlight and its pressure.

You can’t do what everyone else does. You can’t watch 63 hours of everyone’s favorite TV show. You can’t get two dogs that need you to be home. That’s for normal people who want a normal life. That’s not for you.

The music business is no place to be normal. The more intense, the better. Normal people will think you’re insane. But your fellow achievers will welcome you to the exclusive club.

When you are not practicing, someone somewhere is practicing. And when you meet him, he will win.

Throw yourself into this entirely. Find what you love and let it kill you.

Your thoughts?
Please leave a reply:


Comments

  1. Gordon Anderson (2009-10-14)

    For some reason this one stood out, screamed out at me.

    I've had everything given to me on a plate, its a fact. I think that's why I sometimes manufactured a bit of failure, so I could start from scratch again and build it up myself.

    But those were only workouts, this is the main game. so now I'm ready. the fire in my belly is burning white hot, like it needs to be to win this.

  2. Laurence Petre Allen (2010-07-25)

    What die for your love? Extremity is were a lot of life's problems dwell - this is a balancing act we all perform - living. Extreme is ok temporarily but should not be permanent. I agree having a passion is a healthy thing - it depends on your definition of success. It's all choices and consequences and living with them.

  3. Jamie (2012-07-15)

    I don't think you mean to use the word extreme, so much as completely and with total dedication.

    Extreme seems to be too easily a negative thing for highly creative people.

  4. Ron King (2012-11-16)

    Hi Derek,

    I recently found out about you and your web presence and I have been devouring all of your articles here since! I recently started a blog about motivation and inspiration in which I set out to motivate others to do things using my weight loss as a catalyst. Please check out my site if you have a chance.

  5. Sean Crawford (2017-11-10)

    I can relate.

    Just now some people I know are trying to write a book in just a month, as part of national November writing month, nanowrimo for short.

    And I am doing a sprint of what I like best. It won't hurt me, and at the end with less guilt, and more accomplishment, I will lift up my head and take stock. Maybe being "extreme" will have suited me very well.

  6. Joel Rubin (2020-08-03)

    No thanks. I was very good at what I did and I worked hard to be so. However, there was more to life, such as being a good partner, a good father, a good friend, being socially engaged and politically active. I chose those over being the very best I could be at what I did and now that I’m an old man I’m rather happy with the choice I made.

  7. Mauricio (2020-09-12)

    "Find what you love and let it kill you".
    Is that the best phrase in literature or what?