I am a sucker for a motivational anything. I have books, I have podcasts, I have graphics saved on my phone, I have tweets favorited, I have t-shirts with positive messages written on them. There are a million and one people who will preach at you from their Youtube channels and their blogs and their books, all with the exact right way to do things. All of this is good, though much of it fades, or is a passing phase in my constant need to try and be better than I am at any given moment.

Except…Gary Vaynerchuk (or GaryVee as most of the world calls him) has changed my life more than a little bit. I saw him speak at SXSW a few years ago, and I got his book. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by his message and his absolute no bullshit way of putting things. DO STUFF. STOP COMPLAINING. START NOW. I’ve heard him say more than a few times that people should stop watching his videos and go out and do something, which is the most honest thing I’ve heard anyone say on Youtube…well, ever.

Most recently, Gary put up a video challenging people to start a side hustle — finding things at yard sales and thrift stores and flipping them. This was right up my alley for a multitude of reasons, and I thought the worst that could happen was I ended up with some stuff I had to donate back to the thrift store if I couldn’t flip it. But…turns out, I’m pretty good at flipping, and I love the thrill of the chase. Flipping stuff over the past year or so has supplemented my music/teaching/social media income and funded things like, oh…the Taylor Swift concert I am about to go to in a couple of weeks. Thanks, Gary.

While I can’t say I sat down specifically to write a GaryVee song, I know deep down that listening to his amazing rants and yelling at me through Youtube has a profound impact on my motivations in writing this song. Do The Work. Just start something. Stop thinking you’ll do it tomorrow. Hard work will win the day, even if the results are not immediately evident.

Sometimes I get really discouraged because this indie music folk pop songwriter scene is…well, it is what it is. Sometimes it seems like we’re all floating on our own little islands and I can’t seem to reach anyone else’s. Losing out on opportunities and then gaining others that weren’t even on my radar. Gathering Spotify spins, trying to get people to share the EP if they like it, explaining that yes, onetwothreescream is me and Mark and my songs that I wrote and an unabashed love of pop music and maybe, would you take a listen?

GaryVee is right though…keep at it, put some hustle into it, and realize that we live in a time when opportunity and access are more plentiful than ever.

Make something important, make something permanent. Do the work.