Drums and bass are the heartbeat of any song. I love how just by hearing a simple drum beat you can feel the upcoming rush of emotion that comes from anticipating a favorite song. Give a listen to these iconic drum patterns:
If you are a fan of these songs and others like them, that drum intro is your cue to start smiling and to get ready for an intense 3-4 minutes of music. If the lyrics are the soul of a song, then the drums and bass are the steady heartbeat of it. The Avett Brothers seem to have taken this concept and written a really different kind of love song. In fact, when I first started this blog I was shocked when I realized that the Avett Brothers sang this song. I had assumed it was some new band like Walk the Moon (“Shut Up and Dance”). The folksy harmonies were gone and in their place was a stuttering scream of a song. I love it but for much different reasons than just about any other A.B. song.
A vibrant song like “Kick Drum Heart” can really change the whole energy surrounding your day. When I hear a song like this on the way to work 6:30 a.m., I am grateful because it (along with copious amounts of coffee) gives me that little bit of extra pep I need to face 21 second graders who need no external stimulant to be vivacious. After yesterday’s post I decided I needed to find a song that would help pull me out of the dejected funk that motivated it. So, today’s post will not be about romantic love but about finding that one thing that gets your heart beating a little faster and motivates you to go after a goal.
There’s nothing like finding gold
Within the rocks hard and cold
I’m so surprised to find more
Always surprised to find more
I won’t look back anymore
I left the people that do
It’s not the chase that I love
It’s me following you
My, my heart like a kick drum
My, my heart like a kick drum
My, my heart like a kick drum
My, my love like a voice
I am interpreting the “gold” the Avett Brothers are mining as the incredible songs that they have written through the years. As a writer I know that the written word doesn’t just flow in perfect order. The revisions needed for each blog post sometimes take as long as writing the first draft itself. First drafts definitely are the hard and cold rocks until you shape them into the message you wish to give the world. The surprise is that inspiration keeps coming and coming. My muse for these blog posts is their song catalogue combined with my life experience. Everytime I get an idea for a new blog post I feel the same amazement that every other writer feels when inspiration hits them.
This leads me to sharing with you 3 little nuggets of golden advice about manifesting your dream that I have mined from this gem of a song:
- Look for your muse or an inspiration to guide and motivate you towards your dream. If your dearest wish is to shoot a better hook shot, then look to those who have mastered this same desire (and maybe read a few blogs other than mine because that will probably be the first and only time that basketball will be referenced in this space). The same could be seen for wanting a change in your career, your wardrobe, or your spiritual beliefs. Look to those who have already walked the path you want to take. Their experiences can help you avoid pitfalls and gain ground in a quicker way than going off blindly on your own.
- Be prepared for lots of failure…and look forward to it! There is a reason that we have to wait so long for new music from our favorite bands. The songs don’t usually just float into the musicians’ blood by osmosis. There are a lot of starts and stops along the way. Writers are painfully aware of how much work it takes to create a final draft that communicates exactly what he/she is trying to say. Pain and perseverance are essential when manifesting your dream. Going after your dreams isn’t for sissies. When you find that ONE thing that you know you have to do, your first attempts aren’t always going to be your best ones. As I tell my students, making mistakes is more than okay as long as you learn from them. Use those first attempts as signposts on what you need to improve upon and then they will not be wasted ventures. So many people hit a few roadblocks and then give up on pursuing a goal. Those roadblocks eventually can become part of the inspiration that will lead to your goal being met.
3. Leave behind the naysayers. It is an ugly part of human nature that some people will want to drag you down just as you are beginning to make progress towards your goal. Sometimes it is done out of insecurity (i.e. If you reach this goal, you won’t need me anymore) and other times it can be out of envy. Don’t let pessimists play with your mind. There is a reason you have this goal. We are all connected to the Divine and as long as our intention is not to hurt others I firmly believe we will be supported in reaching our goals. The key is to omit any negativity that does not serve you or teach you anything on the way to your goal. Unfortunately, the strongest pressure to give up sometimes comes from those closest to us. Their motivation is not to hurt us but to prevent us from being hurt. Here is where you need to step into your power, thank them for their concern, and soldier on. If they continue to harp on you, then it is time to decide what is more important to you: pursuing your dream or letting others decide what is best for you.
Working towards a goal whether it be a huge one like changing careers or a small one like spring cleaning that one closet is worthwhile as long as it is close to your heart. If it gives you that rush of excitement and accomplishment, then go for it! And if you resent me taking a simple love/lust song and turning it into a mini-manifesto on manifestation, remember this. Sometimes having passion for a goal can override any kind of physical passion you have for a person. The only heartbreak you risk is if you choose to give up. And that fires up my drum kick heart.
One Foot In, One Foot Back 