Give Him a Tuba and He’ll Make Art
John Lennon is someone who has gone down in history as one of the most influential artists of all time.
His songs and the songs of the Beatles were the soundtracks to one of the most important times in American history.
Among other things, one of the pieces of credit that the Beatles and Mr. Lennon often receive is that they created a wide variety of music. It wasn’t the same song over and over again. They created songs that incorporated unique instruments (see “Norwegian Wood” which used the sitar) and transcended various genres (compare “Twist and Shout” with “Let It Be”).
One of the quotes that John Lennon said that encapsulated how they were able to do this goes as follows. “I’m an artist, and if you give me a tuba, I’ll bring you something out of it.”
What this translates to is that John Lennon is not just a guitar player, a singer, or a writer, he is an artist. And artists make music regardless of the instrument.
So, what is the point of all this? What does the tuba have to do with you?
Let me explain.
Those who win the world of business, win for a few reasons. One of the main reasons is that they are experts at recognizing opportunities. In the same sense that you can give John Lennon a tuba and he will make music, you can give an entrepreneur an opportunity and he will create a business.
Like music, the basic principles of business transfer from business to business. Whether you run a software company or a beanie baby reselling shop, it is all largely the same. But, most people don’t look at it like that. Most people don’t understand that all businesses are similar so they fail to realize that they are capable of running businesses in industries where they have little experience. This isn’t to say on day 1 you are going to be perfect, but as long as you understand the basic principles of business the specific knowledge will come.
At the end of the day, it is all a game. It is all about understanding patterns and recognizing opportunities. The game is simpler than it seems, and with more practice and time in the game, you will improve.
So go out there, go pick up a tuba, and make some art.
Happy Monday.
What we are reading this week: Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind
Getting through this book a bit slower than I anticipated, but I am not complaining. This is the type of book where you don’t want to set it down because it is so interesting. Coming from someone who isn’t very well-versed in evolution, for a lot of these things I am learning them for the first time.
Quote of the week:
When people say: ‘You do so many things. You’re a musician, you’re a painter, you’re a composer, you’re a cinematographer, you’re the editor. You do so many different things.’ I go, ‘No, I only do one thing. I live a creative life. When you put creativity in everything, everything becomes available to you.’
Robert Rodriguez