About Passion and Trade-offs
Post 995:
There is a saying I heard that goes something like, “There are no solutions. Only trade-offs.” I think it refers to economics. I also think it applies elsewhere.
We are oh so very limited, and this sucks a fat one. If you haven’t been frightened into submission by the myriad disasters that might befall us, you want to work hard and play hard, achieve and enjoy the fruits.
This, unfortunately, isn’t how it works. Even if you have superhuman endurance, eventually a crash will come. Pride precedes. That old bit. Can’t have it all.
So what do you do? Is a book writing musician really talking about time-management with a sense of authority? Yes I am. (There is no authority) And let’s call them priorities. Because time-management makes me feel like I should be wearing a tie and a bad suit and understand spreadsheets. I’m not down with any of those things.
A guy or gal has to look at a bunch of variables to be effective at the trade-off game. Knowing your limits is a solid starter. People are different. For instance, not everyone is as tall as me. I’m really, really tall.
Mostly it’s about what you value. This isn’t rocket-science, but it’s actually related to a fundamental crack in the human condition. We tend to think there are clear-cut answers, simple solutions, correct ways of thinking. These aren’t all that common. Life is complicated, and knowing what’s valuable to you specifically is freaking key.
I struggle with this constantly because I’ve always been ambitious and always been stubbornly resistant to bullshitters and people that want to make me a certain thing. Turns out being a certain thing is kind of important if you have ambition. Ah… life is full of these beautiful little impasses.
In the end I am chief among the bullshitters. Though I love music, I don’t play exactly what I want exactly the way I want it. I like money and therefore made a trade. Sellout much?
This used to bother me more than it does now. In my early days I thought that trade-offs weren’t necessary, that one could be triumphant and unscathed. I can’t say I’ve seen a living example of this.
No battle comes without casualties. No plan without hitches. No living without some trade-offs. I know. I don’t like it either.
Cheers and see you after.
