Quartet #9: Five Questions to Ask Yourself When You Start a Project, A Powerful Tool for YouTube Creators and More!

Lots of major professional changes on the immediate horizon for me so I'm scrambling a little. All good and meant to be, but some major changes.

Glad I'm able to stick to a schedule like getting this newsletter out (which is progress for me when I start to get overwhelmed!)

And without further ado, here are this week's ideas...
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Quartet of the Week

1. Five Questions to Ask Yourself When You Start a Project​
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Having a portfolio career usually means lots of projects. I sure wish I had seen this list before I started some of mine!
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2. John Wooden and How to Practice​

Learn why legendary basketball coach John Wooden kept practices short and why he was obsessed with small details. This 10-minute podcast episode has essentially nothing to do with basketball and everything to do with how we “practice” various skills in our life.
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3. In-Depth YouTube Analytics​
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I use this tool at Pedal Note Media and it is invaluable. It uses data to identify things like the best hashtags to use on YouTube videos - which is something that's really important.

If you are at all serious about growing a YouTube channel (and you should be with so much of the world moving to video) you should check out this tool.
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4. 9 Things Productive People Do Differently​

There are some nugggets of wisdom in here including a concept that is new to me: priority dilution.

That is when the sheer number of obligations we’ve committed to keep us from the work that matters most.

I have experienced this myself countless times and seen it regularly in my TEM Coaching clients over the years and glad that I now have a name for it!

This Week's TEM Episode

In TEM278 I share a super cool YouTube trick that helps remind you that even the most polished creators of art started as beginners.
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My Final Thought of the Week

Here's a quote to send you on your way:

“Man, sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself.”

—Miles Davis

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So if you are new to songwriting or teaching or marketing or talking into a mic or new to anything, it is going to take a long time until you sound like yourself.

So just start and you'll get there faster!
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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Quartet #8: The Best Piece of Advice I've Ever Received, a Free Image Resizer and More

The weather is finally gorgeous here in DC and I am fighting the urge to just go hiking every day instead of doing any work!

Trying to strike a balance between staying in shape/maintaining my mental health through hiking and keeping my portfolio career moving foward. Happy to report that I think I'm doing a pretty good job but it remains a work in progress.

And without further ado, here are this week's ideas...

Quartet of the Week

1. Free Social Media Image Resizer Some of my favorite tools are ones that do one thing and one thing really well. This is a perfect example of that.

There are plenty of places on the internet to resize photos but this one is super easy: Drag and drop the image, click the social platform you need it for and you're done. No Googling the dimensions for each platform - it just does it.

This tool doesn't do much but what it does it does well! I bookmarked it.

2. What We Can and Can Not Control I occasionally need a reminder about the things in my career and in life that I can control and equally importantly, the things I can't.

This infographic from Reddit reset my mindset in a way that I appreciated so I'm passing it along!

3. The Best Piece of Advice I've Ever Recieved The best piece of advice I've ever received came in the form of some tough love and I didn't neccesarily want to hear it at the time.

But it was very generous of that person to share it with me and I'm forever grateful they did.

4. A Personal Digital Reset I just found this article so haven't had the chance to implement any of it yet but I am absolutely going to do so. I appreciate articles like this one that give a broad point (making the case for a digital reset in your life) while also laying out specific steps you can take to implement change in your life.

I was especially intrigued by the mention of encountering only intentional information online. That point really has my brain churning!

This Week's TEM Episode

TEM277 features a quote from Leonard Cohen about the dangers of waiting for inspiration. His insights are nuanced and wonderful and got me fired up!

My Final Thought of the Week

Here's a quote to send you on your way:

“Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.”

—Vince Lombardi

Everything I'm doing today, both good and bad, is shaping who I am to become tomorrow.

In terms of my career, how am I spending my time and energy today? Is it based on decisions I made in the past? If so, would I make the same decision today?

As Seth Godin likes to point out, all of our previous work is a gift from our former selves. But it's a gift we don't have to accept.

Alll I know is that whenever I make time to evaluate my actions, habits and character, I'm always happy I did.

Cheers, Andrew The Entrepreneurial Musician

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Quartet #7: Starting a Movement, the One Trait Every Successful Musician Possesses and More

You didn't hear from me last week because it has been one hell of a stretch but this time in a good way!

Last weekend I got to perform with Jonathan Fishman, the drummer for the band Phish, and it was a dream come true. It left we speechless.

I also got to perform with soprano Denyce Graves which gave me goosebumps.

Then I saw Pearl Jam for the first time in 31 years and a group that is very special to me, Medeski Martin & Wood, for only the 2nd time in 10 years.

Lots of rewarding gigs and lots of shows attended have reminded me of why I do this whole musician thing in the first place!

And without further ado, here are this week's ideas...
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Quartet of the Week

1. How to Start a Movement​
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This is an absolutely brilliant video from Derek Sivers. In under three minutes he breaks down how to start a movement.

There are so many lessons to take away from this super short video. It is a must-watch!
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2. The 5-Hour Rule: How to Turn a Wasted Day Into a Successful One​
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I like this simple system for making learning a priority. Reading is something that I have to make a priority or it doesn't end up happening.
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3. The One Trait You Will Eventually Need​
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There is one trait that literally every successful musician I know possesses.

Some need it early in their careers. Some need it late. But you will need it eventually.
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4. Share Files Using End-To-End Encryption via an Automatically Expiring Link​
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This is one of the tools I have no use for whatsoever until I suddenly have a use for it and then it's awfully handy!

It allows you to share files up to 10 GBs with end-to-end encryption. And the link automatically expires so any creative work is not floating around the internet if you don't want it to be.

This Week's TEM Episode

​TEM276 is all about how you shouldn't ever decide for someone else that they're not interested in what you have to offer and why anytime you do it is the fear talking.

I also get into how this mindset is not a license to spam people with frivolous requests and how to tell if your request is legit or not.
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My Final Thought of the Week

Here's a quote to send you on your way:

“Music frees your soul from the dungeon of your mind.”

—Wiss Auguste

From meeting and playing with one of my heroes (I still can't believe that happened!?) to seeing some spellbinding concerts over the last two weeks, my soul had an awful lot of freeing from the dungeon of my mind.

It has totally left me energized for all aspects of my portfolio career - even if a little exhausted from a lack of sleep.

But I'll take it!
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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Quartet #6: Breaking Bad Habits, a Cool Checklist Tool, and More

It has been a week! (I get into it a little bit below.)

Feeling very thankful for a lot of things this week and especially for all of you on this TEM journey with me.

And without further ado, here are this week's ideas...
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Quartet of the Week

1. How to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Habits​
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This guide to habits from James Clear is must-read. He breaks down what a habit is, three ways to form better ones, three ways to break bad ones, how to make a habit stick and gives some recommended books and articles on the subject.

Reading and acting on even one idea featured on this page will help every aspect of your portfolio career.
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2. Bob Dylan on What You Can Learn From a Child and What You Can Learn From a Thief
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Bob Dylan dropped this list in an interview back in the 80's.

It features three things you can learn from a child and seven things you can learn from a thief and it's good stuff.
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3. It Is Never Too Late​
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If you ever catch yourself believing that it is "too late" to begin a new chapter in your life there's a good chance you are lying to yourself. It's just a line we use to let ourselves off the hook without losing face.

And people like Sharon Jones and Toni Morrison are the proof that it is never too late in life to start anything.
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4. Free Checklist Maker Tool​
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The further I get into my career, the more I appreciate tools that do one thing and do it well.

This is a website that allows you to make checklists from scratch but it also has templates for checklists to track things like drinking enough water during the day or 12-week plans that could be used for things like planning social media posts or practicing routines.

This Week's TEM Episode

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There is no TEM this week because my father had a seizure early Sunday morning and life turned completely upside down for a few days. Luckily I was in Massachusetts with them when it happened and was able to help them navigate things.

The good news is he is doing much better and is out of the hospital. If you're the vibes type then send them his way!

TEM will hopefully be back next week.
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My Final Thought of the Week

Closing this newsletter with a quote has been working well so here's another one:

“Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.”

—Denis Waitley

If you've got your health, cherish it. And only spend time on the things that truly matter because all of us will be out of time at some point.

Here's to a happy and healthy week!
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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A Quartet of Ideas - September 1, 2022

Yesterday was my first day teaching at West Chester University. I am filling in for a friend, Dr. Jonathan Fowler, who is on sabbatical. I have 17 (no that is not a typo!) tuba students for the semester, on top of my Hitz Academy students and TEM responsibilities.

It is going to be a busy and very fulfilling fall. Wish me luck!

And without further ado, here are this week's ideas...

Quartet of the Week

1. 20 Small Ways To 10x Your Personal Development

I like the premise of this list: Small things you can focus on to implement big changes in your life.

This is a great list. I especially like #2, #13 and #17 but think #15 is kind of dumb. But this entire list made me think!

2. Avoiding the Sunk Cost Fallacy

The Sunk Cost Fallacy describes our tendency to follow through on an endeavor if we have already invested time, effort or money into it, whether or not the current costs outweigh the benefits.

Avoiding falling into that trap is really difficult. And really important for any entrepreneurial musician.

3. Tool I Couldn't Live Without: OneTab

OneTab converts your tabs into a list and not only gets you more organized but also speeds up your browser. You can even share a list of tabs with someone which can be very handy for teaching or collaborating with someone on a project.

I've only been using OneTab for about a year and I can't remember life without it. Check it out!

4. The Joy of Tiny Projects

We can create our own momentum by choosing something incredibly small to share with the world and that sure beats feeling overwhelmed!

This Week's TEM Episode

TEM275 is all about the power of starting small and it was inspired by idea #4 above.

And in that vein I put video of TEM275 up on YouTube! This is a major step for me and I'm quite proud of it. (There were a number of TEM episodes that went up on YouTube a while back but the person who did those stepped away from Pedal Note Media and I hit pause on video for the last year!)

It is absolutely nothing fancy but I worked my tail off this week using the brand new beta version of the Descript app called Storyboard. I'm proud of how it turned out but hopefully within a few months it will be clear that TEM275 was me just getting started!

My Final Thought of the Week

I will again leave you with a quote this week:

“Perfectionism is a disease. Procrastination is a disease. ACTION is the cure.”

—Richie Norton

Take some action, even especially if it's small and watch what happens.

Here's to great ideas and to executing on them!

Cheers,
Andrew
The Entrepreneurial Musician

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A Quartet of Ideas - August 25, 2022

Quartet of the Week

1. YouTube Shorts Algorithm Explained in Q&A Format​
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YouTube has an official Creator Insider channel which shares tips, strategies and data on everything related to the video platform that is the second largest search engine in the world.

Thanks to the rise of TikTok there has been a massive shift to shorter video content across a number of platforms. If you make video content, or are thinking of starting, you must check this out.

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2. James Clear on the Daily Stoic Podcast​
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This Ryan Holiday interview with James Clear is wonderful. He talks about saying no to things, being flexible in life, taking tiny and specific actions to move yourself forward and much more.

I highly recommend at least throwing this on in the background while you do things around the house. But I'll warn you that you might find yourself stopping what you're doing to take notes.

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3. A Minimalist Calendar With a Twist​

This is a very cool tool. It is a super stripped down calendar that only shows you one week at a time and there isn't any hourly scheduling. It's kind of brilliant, actually.

I have laid out the big things I have to get done for the week and which day they will get done. It's surprising how effective this is at clearing away the clutter in my head.

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4. The Best Quote I've Ever Heard About Being an Artist​
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The latest from TEM Blog is titled "Just Create" and features the single best quote I've ever heard about being a creator of anything and it comes from the legend pictured above.

Every once in a while a certain collection of words frees you up and helps you to be your best self. And that's exactly what this quote did for me.

This Week's TEM Episode

​TEM274: The problem with simply working hard features wisdom from Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca (who would have made one hell of a music business coach!) as well as some insights from Simon Sinek on the concept of passion, but from an angle I'd never really heard before. And one that totally relates to being a musician with a portfolio career.
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My Final Thought of the Week

I leave you with a quote:

"The purpose of today’s training is to defeat yesterday’s understanding." - Miyamoto Musashi

So happy training!
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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A Quartet of Ideas - August 11, 2022

I am off to the Berkshires today for one final visit in 2022. Nothing recharges me creatively more than that place.

And without further ado, here are the ideas of the week...

Quartet of the Week

1. Write a Letter to the Future This site allows you to write a letter to yourself that you schedule to be delivered at a specific time in the future and it is a surprisingly personal experience.

This exercise immediately brought my priorities into better focus. Highly recommended!

2. How to Create a High Impact Press Page and Why Everyone Needs One This is a great breakdown of why everyone needs a press page and how to make a good one. It also serves as a list of things to collect as you go through your journey to help tell your story to others.

3. The 7 Types of Rest That Every Person Needs I enjoyed how this doctor laid out the different kinds of rest and explained how rest does not only equal sleep.

I fall short on some of these fronts and need to do better!

4. How to Batch Create Social Content Whenever I get overwhelmed, the first professional thing to go is my presence on social media. That's because it never has to get done so it is always a candidate for getting put off for later.

This infographic is a great blueprint for how to batch the creation of your social media content and stay on top of things.

This Week's TEM Episode

For only the second time this summer, there is no TEM episode this week! I'm actually quite proud that I've only missed two weeks. But I'm also trying to be okay with the fact that between getting out of town and my wife giving a presentation out of state that I just don't have the bandwidth this week. Being patient and kind to myself is something I'm working on!

Be on the lookout for TEM274 next week.

My Final Thought of the Week

I challenge each of you to do something this week that intentionally takes you out of your comfort zone.

Could be music/career related or something else entirely. Could be a small thing or something huge.

Here's to leaning into the things that make us grow!

Cheers, Andrew The Entrepreneurial Musician

A Quartet of Ideas - August 4, 2022

A Quartet of Ideas for the Week

from The Entrepreneurial Musician

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I could use your help!

I already have a ton of tools and links to share with you in the Portfolio Career Playbook so I'm not lacking material.

But that being said, I know you all encounter really cool and helpful things from time to time as you "surf the internet" as old people like me used to say.

So you'd be doing me a huge favor if you ever share some resource that has helped you in your musical journey by replying to one of these emails.

Thanks in advance!

And without further ado, here are the ideas of the week...
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Quartet of the Week

1. An App That Combines a Pomodoro Timer With Priorities​
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I love Pomodoro Timers! I always feel like I get maximum results from my efforts whenever I use one because I'm forced to pace myself.

But this app has an added benefit. It also gives you clarity on exactly which tasks will most move the needle for you.

Peak focus plus crystal clear priorities is a successful recipe!
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2. Should I Work for Free?​
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There are legitimate reasons to work for free but sometimes we convince ourselves that we should when in reality we are being taken advantage of.

This flowchart is quite helpful when trying to decide whether you should work for me in any given situation. And it's pretty darn funny, too.
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3. How to Start a Blog that Changes Your Life​
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Starting my first blog at andrewhitz.com back in 2010 really did change my life. It not only lead traffic to my website but the simple act of putting my musical ideas into words and sharing them with the world made me a better teacher and player.

This article is a thorough step-by-step guide to starting one. If you've ever thought about starting a blog, you should!
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4. What Is Tension and Why You Should Seek It Out​
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The latest from TEM Blog is about the value of intentionally getting yourself into situations where you don't know whether something will work out or not.

And I share a story about a specific gig I played early in my career that ended up being very important for my development (because I didn't know what the hell I was doing!)

This Week's TEM Episode

​TEM273: You might not be the problem - This week's episode contains a great passage from Seth Godin about a comedian who bombs on stage but it's not their fault. Maybe this is you in some aspect of your portfolio career right now?
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My Final Thought of the Week

I can't believe it's August already!

A new school year is right around the corner which is sad because summer is almost over but also exciting because I will have more time on my hands to work on projects I'm excited about.

I'm just trying to live in the moment and enjoy the remaining time I have with my family before both my son and wife go back to school and I'm suddenly alone with the dog again.

Have a great week!
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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A Quartet of Ideas - July 28, 2022

A Quartet of Ideas for the Week

from The Entrepreneurial Musician

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The very first issue of the Portfolio Career Playbook is finally here!

I have already amassed a ton of tools and resources to help your portfolio career thrive and I can't wait to share them with you moving forward.

Thanks for being on this journey with me!

And without further ado, here are the ideas of the week...
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Quartet of the Week

1. How to Get Your Most Important Work Done Today​
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The vast majority of my coaching clients feel the need to be more productive. There's just too much to get done and not enough time to do it.

But almost to a person they don't need to work harder. They are already working really hard! They just need to work on the right things. Follow the link for a system that helps you get the most important work done.
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2. Make Any Website Dark Mode​
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I look at computer screens a lot these days! Whether I'm reading music (which is all digitized now) producing content for TEM or answering emails, I stare at a screen for hours every day.

This tool allows you to make any website dark mode. Your eyes will thank you!
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3. A 3-Minute Video to Test Your Mindset​
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Are you above the line or below the line?
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4. It's Easier to Make Yourself an Expert Than You Think​
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Why you are only two books away from knowing more than 98% of the world does on any particular topic - and why that's good for a musician with a portfolio career!

This Week's TEM Episode

​TEM272: Different is better than better - Some invaluable wisdom from Sally Hogshead that is the key to gaining traction in the music business.
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My Final Thought of the Week

I am trying to strike a balance this summer between being productive (like launching this newsletter) and recharging myself (spending time in the Berkshires with my family.)

I initially had huge plans for getting things done but then realized that what I was asking of myself was unfair to me and to my family.

So I examined my priorities, decided exactly what needed to move forward now and what could wait, and proceeded accordingly.

Because I was thoughtful about it (for once!), I don't feel bad at all about the things I haven't gotten done and the projects that haven't moved forward this summer.

I hope you are able to find that balance for the rest of the summer (for those of you in the northern hemisphere!)
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Cheers,
Andrew
​The Entrepreneurial Musician

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