'Bear Basics - The Masters Series Pt 5:' by Tony Mantz
Author: Tony Mantz
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
It's been quite an eventful month for yours truly, comprising mainly of constructing my new studio facility in Melbourne. It has also been a time of reflection, seeing just how far I have come in my 25 years in the music biz. Additionaly, it's provided the inspiration for this week's diatribe.
The thought that kept going through my head was "Wow I'm building my own studio……..this is what I always wanted. If I can do this (achieve my goal)…then ANYONE CAN!!!!!!!!!!"
And so, my friends, the gist of this article is not to bathe in self-glory, but rather hope that I can provide some inspiration to you. If you have a dream, a goal, believe me you can achieve it. As I said: if I can do it, you can.
But first it's important to understand the difference between a dream and a goal, and there is an important distinction. A dream is a goal but it is just a mere thought. A fantasy if you will. A goal is the same thought but there is a TIMELINE and that's the main difference.
For example, if you said "I want to be a headlining DJ at Glastonbury" then that is a dream. However, if you said "I want to be a headling DJ at Glastonbury BY 2008" then that is a goal.
We all have dreams but usually they remain just that, never coming to fruition. This is because they have no focus as to when you will turn them reality. It's important to be realistic when you set your goals and also to assess your progress by being honest with yourself. It doesn't matter if you don't achieve your goal by the first deadline. You just re-adjust and keep your focus.
Your goals should comprise of smaller goals, stepping stones is a way to describe them, that don't seem so far off and will keep you motivated and inspired. Getting to this point for me has taken almost 35 years from the moment I had the crazy thought of rockin' it in my own studio.
I always hoped it would happen sooner but life has a way of throwing you off course on occasion. It has taken many steps to get there, and not always forward. Sometimes I took a sideway step and sometimes a backward step was necessary.
It is important to have belief in yourself. There will always be doubters and knockers but just remember, they never built a monument or erected a statue to honour a critic. While I don't have such lofty ambitions as being the pin up boy of Australia Post, I do believe that if you know what you want, plan for it and execute it with the all important timeline then there is very little that is not possible.
Look ahead, and don't look back. You can't drive too far forward by continuously looking in the rear view mirror.
Best of luck in your endeavours. Go out and set some goals. Now is the time - the time is now.
Catch ya on the flipside.
Tony Mantz aka Jack The Bear has been a mastering engineer since 1981 and his clients include a who's who of Melbourne, Australian and international artists and record labels. For more info email him at mastering@jackthebear.com.au or check out his website at the link below.
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