First Entry
Hello! I am a musician from Minneapolis, MN and am currently living in La Crosse, WI.
A few years ago, I encountered a TED Talk by Simon Sinek called “Start With Why” and his book of the same title. He challenges leaders to inspire the people around them by beginning with the purpose of their work (their “why”) rather than simply describing “what” and “how” they do what they do. This challenged me to distill the beliefs that drive my work. Here is what I came up with:
“I seek to equip people to thrive”
I was very intentional with my word choice. My goal is to give people the tools they need to grow holistically. In my role as a music teacher, I am not primarily interested in teaching notes, rhythms, and phrasing. That will happen, but it will come as a result of teaching discipline, listening, personal expression, and a plethora of other skills that music can sharpen and that have applications outside of music. Music is not the point. Growth is, and musical aptitude is a byproduct.
I believe that we are all on a journey of growth. I am going to be posting about my own journey each Friday. I hope that the things I’m learning and sharing help you in your music and in your life. Thanks for your readership!
Jared Sells
