“Success is my only mutha f*ckin’ option, failure’s not”
– Eminem on “Lose Yourself“
In this krazy journey we call life, there’s a lot of challenges that’re presented to you. And yes, it’s really easy to make excuses when things don’t go your way. From “I’m too tired” to “it’s someone else’s fault”, it’s really easy to blame someone or something else for your shortcomings. As an up-and-coming artist in the music biz, I’m around it often. I’ve been doing a LOT of reflecting this past month (what else is new, right?) and it’s gotta be said: it’s time to stop making excuses.
Hello one and all to the Ajaxxx.com Opinions Column. This is the sole spot in the entire stratosphere where you can explore my brains and find out what’s goin’ on (had to keep it zombie related with all the recent zombie news, namean?). For those that’re new to the site, I’m glad that you can join me. And for those that’re returning to the site, glad to have you back. I’ve been doing some thinking this past month and I wanted to talk about it…it’s time that all of us take responsibility for our actions.
Common Excuses
I’m sure you’ve heard ’em before: “I can’t do it”, “what if it doesn’t work?”, and “I’ve failed at this before”. I could go on for days. It’s super easy to come up with excuses why you can’t do something or why you can’t get somewhere, isn’t it? So first things first, get rid of that negative attitude completely and shift to a more positive outlook. You’re gonna’ make it extremely difficult on yourself to excel unless you start taking on a more optimistic approach on everything. The first step to getting anywhere is to believe in yourself. You have to have faith. And guess what, that has to come from within you. So instead of complaining about how you can’t, start reminding yourself that you can.
So let’s say you’ve got a goal of losing ten pounds in three months. Great. Stop blaming others for taking you out to eat or society for its pressures and just do it. Let’s take that further – pretend you’ve got an important test to study for and you end up on Facebook. Sign off the computer and dedicate yourself to the work in front of you. “I lost track of time” isn’t gonna fly. And let’s say you’re not where you wanna be in life. Stop blaming the next guy for what you don’t have. Open up a book, learn how to get there, and move towards that goal. Stop using scapegoats.
What I’m tryna say is (and you may agree or disagree), you’re responsible for your decisions. I always hear people tell me “I can’t” or “I don’t think I can” or “it’s really hard”…something along those lines. You act like you don’t control your own actions. Man the f*ck up and do something about it. Stop being lazy, unmotivated, and unproductive. There’s so much out there in the world – stop being stagnant and work towards getting it. We’re only getting older.
You Live and You Learn
For every mistake you make, stop and really take a close look at it. There’s a wealth of information that you can learn from your missteps. For example, a few years ago I was working with a really talented engineer. He was really good at what he did, but he’d always half ass the work he did with me because he was lazy. Whenever I’d ask him to fix or update something, he’d blame it on me like it was my fault. “You didn’t make this clear” or “I don’t have time”. I’m like dawg, what’re you saying?? Anyway, after a stretch of bad experiences, I broke away from the situation and started working with other people. What’d I learn? Collaborate with people that have good attitudes, work with those that listen, and of course distance yourself from negativity.
Looking Forward
Whether you hate your job, have a goal in mind, or just want to get better at what you’re doing, you’re capable of doing whatever you want. Everyone who is reading this probably has access to a computer with Google. USE IT! Google is a WEALTH of information that can guide you in the direction you wanna’ go. Leverage your resources. Ask fellow people in your industry for advice and suggestions. You’d be surprised how helpful people can be, especially those in a similar boat as you. And keep a positive outlook on things! It’s so easy to blame so-and-so for the situation you’re in, but let’s face it – so-and-so isn’t living your life, you are. So again, get up, pull that shit outta you, and make these moves.
So where’s all this coming from?
I dunno, I had a lot of time off from stuff to reflect on where I am and what I’ve been up to these last few years. I did a bit of traveling this month where I was with new people. And, I did some recording where I was like “damn, how is this song THIS old and I still haven’t dropped it yet?” I realized I’m guilty of a lot of things. Whether it’s the gym or the mic or design, I’ve slipped up…we all have. Granted, sometimes you are at the mercy of others, but you can always learn things yourself or build different relationships. I’ve been burned by producers, engineers, artists, promoters, websites, editors, ex-girlfriends, friends, colleagues, everyone. I’ve faced setback after setback after setback and often used that as an excuse. I really can’t afford to do that anymore.
It’s tough. No. It’s REALLY tough. But if you really want it, you’ll find a means to get it.
And guess what? If you don’t get to the place in your mind, that’s okay. You’ll still end up in a pretty good place. You worked your ass off and did your best. And honestly, that’s the most that anybody could ask of you.
With that in mind, I leave you with my favorite video of the month – Nas with “Daughters”. Great song from a great artist…and someone that didn’t take “no” for an answer.
Stay up, stay safe, and hold ya’ head. Ajaxxx signin’ out…PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Photo credits:
neuroticworkaholic.blogspot.com
technorati.com
thumpress.com
