The Scientist

When I was about 10 years old, I wanted to be a scientist. I was fascinated with chemistry - the test tubes, the numbers, the formulas. There was something about mixing chemicals together and getting a reaction that intrigued me.

There was this chemistry set that I wanted to get from Cave Shepherd but it was too expensive for my Mother to buy. However, my late great uncle Charlie saw my obsession and decided to get it for me.

I felt like the happiest kid alive. It took a lot of work to learn on my own; besides reading the books it came with, there wasn't anything else that took my knowledge further (the internet wasn’t a thing yet so I didn’t have the tools). It was only me who had this interest. I had no one to challenge my knowledge or anyone to bounce my ideas off of. Unfortunately, the motivation died and the interest withered away as I couldn’t see anything further from where I was.

But, it didn't matter what else I got into. Since then, I have always carried the fundamentals I learned from science.

After a while, I got into producing music. I never learned how to play an instrument and I was never good at music theory, but with computer software, I was able to make music, and it was kind of like chemistry. Adding notes together that make a melody, then putting another element around that melody and building on it, instrument after instrument. Depending on how all of these elements were mixed in and balanced determined the result and how it sounded. Some songs were pleasing, some were not, but it was always fun.

That took me to the next chapter in my journey: becoming an entrepreneur. I brought the same scientist mindset. Each project was treated as an experiment.

This kind of took the pressure off, mainly because I know that an experiment can succeed or fail, and if I do fail, I can try other formulas and combinations. It’s a mindset that sets you up to try new things.

In some cases, you can feel excited no matter the result. Whether it's negative or positive, it’s still a result. When I failed, I thought, “Hmmm, okay, that’s interesting,” because I perceived it as a lesson - a lesson that can take me closer to the goal. What matters is what you do with the data and what you do with the failure lessons. From there, I began to realize success isn’t a linear upward graph.

You then have to question what success is. Define success in your own terms, what it really means to you to be successful. Not to the rest of the world, but to YOU!

When I started to shift my mindset in this direction, it gave me a sense of freedom. I started to dictate my own pace. I realized it wasn’t a race and I was able to find my rhythm. When you turn that switch on, it turns off the other switch that’s connected to fear, anxiety, and comparisons. Those are the things that can paralyze you.

Social Comparison... let’s face it, there will always be other people with your skill, your talent, and may even be better.

Whatever you are selling at a glance is only a by-product that one million people can access and could be copied over and over again. However, they can’t copy your personality, your energy, and your vibe. Because of this, what you are actually selling is the aura of your brand which is made up of a combination of purpose, position, and passion. As long as you keep your brand authentic, no one can ever duplicate you, and that’s what makes a difference.

You weren’t born different to die as a copy - you were born different to make a difference.