The Blog

Last week Tristan and Sean, our coop student, spent some quality time cleaning up the old MCI JH-500C series console (seen here with all modules removed).

All of the time I run into a lack of motivation….

People always ask me how I continue to do things, or how I get things done so fast…  I always answer by saying: ‘I just did it.’

As simple as it sounds, that is exactly what I do… I get things done!  I don’t worry about how long it will take, or how much work is involved… I just do it.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people in my life analyze problems to much… I mean this to range from something as simple as a broken guitar-string, to something larger like a broken car, or loosing a part-time job.  I think people worry to much, rather than correcting things…

This whole topic kind-of refers to the term Gumption, that I learned from my favorite book: Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance… by Robert M. Pirsig.

I think a lot of people are discouraged from the solutions to their problems, because of the amount of personal effort that they know they need to invest into them…

Here’s an example… I have a pair of KRK Speakers that I need to fix for someone… They are buzzing, and I narrowed the problem down…  The solution I have involves me simply moving the Power-Supply Transformer.   No problem to move it, just a little bit of time. But when I move it, it leaves a large-hole in the back of the speaker, where the transformer used to be bolted to!   …   The speakers are working, and good-to-go-back… except that I have to find something solid to fill in this hole.   I know the best thing is to find a large bolt/nut.

^^^   There is my problem, and I know the solution.  I now just have to go to a hard-ware store, and find what I need, and install them… Super simple!   …   But why have these speakers been in my possession or almost 2 weeks then?  Lack of gumption… The closest hard-ware store is a little bit out of my way, and I’m always going out in the opposite direction… So I never stop in!

How am I going to solve this?  Tomorrow, I am going to go out to my car, drive down the street, and walk into the store… Buy what I need, and finish off the speakers.  I am going to go out of my way, to get this task done… That simple.

There is an intro to a song is constantly stuck in my head…  ’Are you Happy’  by Primitive Radio Gods.  The part that sticks with me, is the line:  ’Hey, are you happy? If you’re not, then why? If you’re not, then why?’

Why are you un-happy, or what is the problem that you are facing?  When you can answer those questions, you can now work out a solution.  When you know a solution… Do it!

-Tristan

I had a coffee last night around Midnight with a good friend of mine; we talked about a lot of things…

The topic that I’d like to share, relates to the idea of everyone having a hidden talent… She tried to convince me that everyone can be great at something, and the whole time I was telling her that I already agree with her.

We both believe that everyone is good at something… Anywhere from Playing Piano, to Guitar,to Singing, to Soldering, to Drawing, to Ranting, to Math, to Mechanics, to Sports, to Installing Windows, to Beer Brewing, to Cleaning… Everyone has one specific thing that they can be great at!  …  Unfortunately, we don’t think that most people know about their specialty, and even less pursue it…

I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing this…

She told me that at a very young age, an artist asked her to draw a picture… What she drew amazed the artist and he instantly saw that she had some potential… He told her father to keep an eye on her, and to encourage her drawings…  (She is now one of the best visual-artists that I personally know!)

After she told me this story,  she summarized her point by saying something similar to: ‘Sometimes people just need someone amazing to tell them to do what they are good at.’

From there, we talked about how people that are already amazing, inspire others to be amazing, all it takes is some encouragement to make people try their best…

I did not tell her, but during this entire conversation I thought about my relationship with Dan… He was my amazing person, and he made me realize what I’m good at…  That artist years ago was probably hers.

Do you do something that you are naturally great at? Who motivated you to follow it?

If you think you have a secret talent, or if you think you can excel at something… then try it!  I dare you to!

I bet that if you give something all of your effort, you will not be disappointed.

-Tristan

(I asked my friend if I should change anything, or remove anything from this post… and her response was: ‘Hell no its stays the way it is!’   …   Yes I know there are spelling mistakes, but that’s what you get in the world of Text-Messages!)

During my short experience as and adult, I’ve always been looking for ways to live that help reduce daily stress.

One tip that I recommend people is: ‘Slow down!’

When you’re doing something, do not rush through it… Take your time and do it right.  Double or triple check things… so that you don’t have to fix errors later!

Knowing that something is done and over-with takes a large amount of stress off of your shoulders!

…

Last night I skipped my own advice… I was in a slight rush to leave the studio; to meet some friends… I packed up quickly and did a quick clean-up… then took off.

When I arrived at a friend’s house, I reached for my Cell-Phone to check the time and messages… I unclipped it from my pocket, and started pressing buttons.

It took me about 20 seconds to realize that it was not my cell-phone… but the cordless-phone from the studio!

In my rush to get out, I forgot that I had the phone on me!

The moral is… Slow down!

-Tristan