Why You Need a Drum Set
When our oldest son was a toddler, and grandparents asked whether we would like to get a mini drum set for him, we replied: “Yes, but only if we can keep it at your place”. Needless to say, the topic became mute until recently.
We finally said “yes” to a drum set, with some anxiety and anticipation.
We don’t have many rules at home, but one of them is “no unnecessary noise”.
Can this rule coexist with a drum set and three boys growing up in the house?
Friends and family seemed amused. “You are very brave,” they said. (No, we are not brave, we’re just experimenting.) “Do you have a soundproof basement?” (Nope). “Does the drum set come with ear plugs?” (No. Neither do our children. But both seem to be good ideas.)
We wanted to believe our kids know enough to understand the difference between making unnecessary noise and making music.
Turns out, they do.
At times, the boys’ drum playing does sound chaotic, which is not the same as random unnecessary noise. They are experimenting and listening for interesting patterns and combinations to emerge from the chaos.
Sometimes, this chaos serves as an invitation for one of the other boys to ask for a turn and build up on what he just heard from his brother. Other times, one of the boys picks up another instrument and joins in for an improv.
So, what does it have to do with you?
You need your own drum set, literally or metaphorically. Everyone needs one.
Don’t be afraid that your project will turn into “unnecessary noise”. Trust yourself. And if someone dear to your heart doubts you, remind them to trust you, too. Even if you don’t know what you are doing. Yet.
You need a drum set you can play when you’re moved to do so. It can be a surf board, a garden, an investment portfolio with which you can experiment without fear of failure, yoga, mountain climbing, boxing, or writing.
You need a drum set because what other people may call “random chaos” is your way of mixing sounds to find just the right wave.
Get a drum set you can play for fun, enjoyment and pleasure, whether you’re a beginner or an expert.
Play for the possibility of creating something new and interesting. Play for the play of it. Play because it is your game, it is your instrument, and it is your time.
There is no, and there will not be, any other time. Ever.
Play as an invitation for others around you to play.
Play to create.
The way you do anything is the way you do everything.
Mastering your literal or metaphorical drum set is a transferrable skill: playing drums will give you a model for approaching more weighty things with creativity and abandonment of playing drums.
One caveat is that your “drum set” had to be something that allows you to create, to work with it, to modify and customize in a way that supports your art, not “’a toy to show off”.
Your drum set is an opportunity to do your work Out Loud. To Be Out Loud, being absolutely unapologetic about it.
Just like the bearded dragon adjust to the size of his cage, the world will magically adjust to your drum set.
You are not “too much” for the world. You’re just right.
Start playing your drums, and it may surprise you how much you learn about your world through the way the sound resonates inside and outside of you.
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THANK YOU
Thank you to all of you who participated in the Magic2018 project, where I invited you to start the year with an intensive, personalized strategic planning session to figure out your next moves in your career and life. All the spots were filled, and the money has been delivered to the music programs at the local middle and elementary schools. Together, we made a huge difference!
INTUITION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
Our symposium, Intuition: Research and Practice, was once again accepted by the Academy of Management for the annual conference in Chicago this summer. If you are planning to come to AoM conference this year, please, come to the symposium, and let’s meet up for a cup of tea!
Stepping Into Your Own Power is a new workshop that I recently presented at Women’s Leadership Retreat. Does it sound relevant for your organization? Would you like to introduce your organization to research-based programs on problem-solving and decision-making at the point where data doesn’t offer additional insights, and the information you have is simply not enough? Let’s set up a call to discuss, or email me at Alina@AlinaBas.com
Are You on Facebook? I know you’re used to me posting links to interesting books, articles, TED talks and podcasts here. Let’s try something new: I post a great deal of engaging, practical, and super interesting links on my business FB page, https://www.facebook.com/MindTerrainCoaching/ You will learn a great deal about leadership, management, communication, connection, meaning and success.Need a change of pace? Is it time for a transformation? Let’s talk about it. Learn more here.
