Getting used to being a student, musician, and a father!

 Getting used to being a student, musician, and a father! 

     It seems to be that everyone has a path to take in life, and whether we believe in fate or not we have to face the challenges that presented before us. Or we don't have to face them, but then again "we still have made a choice" as Rush would popularly coin it. The choice is the ultimate way to accept what we have to task ourselves with to feel and become accomplished. It is the first step towards making a better way for you to achieve your goal.

     Take for instance, my choice or rather my ultimatum to go back to school starting this semester. I had finally had it with juggling holding a position at a dead-end job making substantially less than what I am worth or putting forth the effort at a company where the other employees didn't pull their weight around. It was getting too stressful, and despite doing musical things as my hobby and passion, it was wearing away through my creativity as well. My wife and son could see a difference in the way I conducted myself, and it was just getting to be too much realizing I wasn't living up to my ultimate potential. I finally knew what I had to do, and it came to me as the best decision I could make to completely turn my success around. 

     I decided I was going to finish my education on the first degree plan I ever started working towards, and that was Digital Media at NVC. I immediately from that one decision, felt a great wave of exuberance wash over me, and a confidence I only experience when I am on stage performing, whenever it is I get that chance. I thought to myself, "What do I want to achieve in life?" Well, first off, success. Success is determined by what the individual sees as a great accomplishment or getting over a grand obstacle. That would ultimately be finishing school, getting my degree, and working towards a career that would further my family financially, yet connect with and virtually enhance all aspects in my life by sharing my art and hard work with the world of commerce. 

     I got onboard, started out the first two weeks here, and have found that even though the majority of my work is online, it is still a pretty tough challenge to get it all done, keep my head organized, and stay on top of my assignments. This is all the while working part-time and being a father to the most curious, over-the-top and split-tempered (working on that!)  little man named Johnny 5. He is the guiding force behind my drive to be a more positive influence on this life, and his life as well as all walks of life. He has taught me patience beyond a measure that I never felt was possible in a person like me and pushes me each day to approach certain situations in a different light, which helps spark the creativity all over again. Let me tell you that kids are a little secret for finding inspiration in art or any form of creative content. Just witness how their love for curiosity and exploring can open up whole new worlds out of imagination, and incorporate that into your own mind, and the possibilities are endless!

 

 That brings me to realizing that over the past two weeks, I have worked on quite a number of assignments for school, and also worked on some song ideas and art projects for my bands on the side. I saw at first a great mountain of work that I needed to get done, but then took another look and saw the opportunity arising to prove myself.  I put in front of me a workload and tell myself that "I can get it done, and I will do it with confidence and love." I then just jump in and it eventually it all works itself out as I let myself go into my work and flow into it. 

    

      Think about this the next time you are confronted with a problem, "what do you want to achieve out of this challenge?" Is this an obstacle blocking you from obtaining your goals? Think with the end result in mind and know that conquering this problem that is holding you back will allow you to achieve that end goal. If you know what you want, then answer to yourself what it's going to take to get it, you have made a choice right then to set yourself up for success. The next move is the first big step!