THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

I must first admit that I have been procrastinating writing this article for some time now because I just didn’t know HOW to write it. Honestly I am reluctant to say the “I was busy!” excuse, that would be an invalid excuse from my part. As the adage say, “if you want to do something you will find a way. If you don’t you will find an excuse.” So I am done making excuses and just going to write it once.

I regard my work or Art, as compiling a continuous production of songs. Some songs will be hits and people will easily like or enjoy them. Others, people will find a bit hard to get into the “groove” of and may need time for the song to grow in to them. I mostly write out of that inspiration. And every time that I get a burst of insight and different emotions. Sometimes they are colourful, uplifting and inspiring, and sometimes they are not easy to swallow or make you feel jolly because they provoke something you may not like to think about. But in every one of them, I see it as expressing Art. I see myself as a musician, songwriter and producer all in one, (even though I have become rusted in music). Sometimes a piece will be well produced and easily flowing and at times it might need some refining.

With that being said the theme of this article is about your debut single. I am using that term as means to give you a bit of a feel what I will be on about.This article is about Your music. The music of your heart. Your heart song. It is about making that long awaited debut to the industry and field of your true genius.

When it comes to music, some of my favourite artists include Pink, Leona Lewis, and Katy Perry, to name just a few. (And yes I noticed they are all females).  Whenever I listen to these artists I am quickly reminded of how from out of the blue they came and became forces in the music industry.

For instance, when Katy Perry came into the scene with her “hit” single I kissed a girl, I really didn’t like it even though many did. (It’s typical of me to like something people don’t like and not like something people do like). But as I look back to the year of her debut I wouldn’t have thought that she would be so big let alone that I would end up being her admirer. I had some unexplained skeptism, boredom rather, of someone singing about kissing girls; my own prejudice just took control then. But as the months from her debut went by and soon turned into years we started being accustomed to Katy Perry and the more I admired her, even her first single. Once I heard that her parents who were fundamental Christians didn’t approve of it because it “promoted sin/lesbianism,” I then liked her since.

Leona Lewis is my Beyoncé. I love this lady, she is elegant, beautiful, well mannered and has an amazing talent (my opinion). We first got introduced to her on X Factor and I bet you all know her rise to stardom and her Hit Singles “Bleeding Love”, “Better In Time”, and one of my many favourites from her “Run”, a Snow Patrol cover.

And Pink, now Pink is one of my icons together with pre 2010 Avril Lavigne, I adore people who advocate pushing the boundaries of the status quo and societal boundaries. This artist has helped in fuelling my defiance to being ordinary. Pink’s lyrics really resonate so strongly with the misfits of this world, or may be just me. But nonetheless. Before I turn this into MTV or Entertainment News Reloaded article, it is actually about us. You and me and our debut “albums” to whatever industry or field we find ourselves constantly drawn to.

All of these artists that I have mentioned I bet they never knew they would be this big. Occasionally yes, they thought about making their debut, but I bet they didn’t think much about being as big as they now are. What they did was to just decide; to just try and do what they love. They didn’t aim to be the industry’s all time dominating artist. It was just about bringing what they have inside to bring and let the world make of it whatever it chooses.  They were shaky at first, and were not the best. Each, I bet, would tell you that they didn’t see themselves as we now see them. They also did think that there is someone out there who is better and can do what they can do. And only they know how much self-conviction had to take place before they could dare and realise that how good others are has nothing to do with their contribution to society.

This reminds me of The Law Of Use that I heard from Jim Rohn which says, “Whatever you do not use, you lose!” 

"Lack of use causes loss.  If you tie your arm to your body and leave it there long enough, you will never use it again, due to lack of blood circulation. The only way to keep use of the arm is keep using it. The same thing that goes for your arm goes for your brain, mentality and all the human virtues. Ambition unused declines; Strong feelings unused diminishes; Faith unused decreased. Vitality unused diminishes; Energy unused decreases. Today unused is lost. A talent unused is lost. An ability unused is lost."

He cited the The Parable of The Talents from the bible to make the point.  I am not a Christian but wisdom is wisdom as I have mentioned in one of my previous post.

The parable about the talents goes like this just to sum it up:

There was a master who had 3 servants whom he adored dearly. And one day the master had planned a trip to leave the kingdom for travel. But before he was to embark on his journey he called his 3 servants and offered them talents. (Back then a talent was a measure of gold.) So the master divided up his wealth and gave it to the three servants.

To the first servant, he gave five talents. To the second servant, he gave two talents. To the third servant, he gave one talent.  The master said “take these talents and see what you can do with them, while I am gone. I am taking a journey and I’ll be gone for a while.  When I come back, will get together, go over the books, and see how you did.”

When the master returned, he gets the three servants together, and as he said he would he asks, “How did it go, with those talents?

The first servant said he took the five talents his master had given him and put them to work. A little shaky at first, but things finally got going and earned five more talents and doubled my talents from five to ten books will show.  Master looks and says, “One heck of a job!”

He then said, “I gave you two talents, what happened?” The second said about the same thing happened; he put his talents two work and doubled his talents from two to four, books will show. Master said, “Well done.”

He then said, “I gave you one talent, what happened?”

The third servant said he took the talent that he gave him, carefully wrapped it and he dug a hole and buried it so that nobody would steal it. He said, fortunately, nobody got it. And he said "I knew that you were a hardworking man. I knew you were going to be here today, so I went out and dug it up. See, here it is, safely wrapped, I did not lose it."

According to the ancient story, the master said “take that talent away from him and give it to the one that has ten talents.”

You may perceive that as unfair, but this one I would ask you to learn, 
“Whatever you do not employ, you forfeit.” ~Jim Rohn

You see, we need people who will bring new talents, People like you. I know for a fact that each of you who is reading this has something deeply unique and special that you know that if you could just garner the courage to pursue it, it would blow you hair back. As I said in the beginning, I consider my work this work, like compiling an album. Sometimes I write hit songs and other times I right moderately okay songs and other times I write ones that you need to grow into. But it is my debut album nonetheless. And I know for sure that there are thousands out there who are far better than me, maybe even you as you read this, and you may not know it yet. 

Michael Jackson was not the best dancer, let’s be honest, but he was the most outstanding artist because he did it in his own way. He lived out his genius, hence it can’t be matched with any one else.  There same it is with you. You don’t have to be great first in order to start. The artist that are genius now were inexperience and lousy at first. 

Beyoncé, whom most ladies and gay men admire wasn’t that good. Just listen to her first debut single and compare it with here recent compilation, you can easily tell the quality and the change. All experts were beginners at first (remember the picture in the beginning?). The same it is with you and me. 

If you are scared of criticism, just remember the picture below of what Aristotle once said about avoiding criticism. 

And to really make the point stick I would like to leave you and I, with two powerful quote:

One,

“In order to get ahead, you must start.”

And,

“There nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.” ~ Niccolo Machiavelli

So, as you begin you the pilgrimage to your own greatness that I know You know you have, just remember the bible story about the talents and these quotes whenever you feel skeptic about your song . 

Make your debut!