Up Against A Wall

Any time you step out to do something big, it can be overwhelming.  In fact, you can start to feel as if you are up against a wall and it is closing in on you.

As I think about what this year holds for my music career, I know that one thing I want to accomplish is to follow through on my dream to do a professional christmas show.  So I have come up with a plan and it includes a wall that will help me, not close in on me.

One thing that causes stress in pursuing our dreams is all the details involved and pondering how we will ever accomplish them.  My solution?  I took down everything on one of my studio walls and made up index cards with the titles of all the categories I can think of involved in doing a show.  And it keeps growing.  But that's ok.  Once it is on the wall, it is off my mind.  That frees my mind for more creative thinking.

When something else pops in my head, I make a note and post it on the wall.  I used lined cards so I can make organized notes under each category.  They can be easily moved around in order of importance.  I will add due dates and other information on other colored cards as necessary.

Here are the categories I have so far:

• mission statement
• creating the experience
• date
• venue
• money/budget
• songs
• marketing
• show team
• director of first impressions
• hospitality
• prayer team
• music director
• stage manager
• musicians/singers
• audio/visual
• lighting
• wardrobe
• ticket sales
• seating
• props
• instruments
• concessions
• merch table
• screen
• ushers
• parking lot attendants

As you can see, this is no small undertaking.  But I love it and I can't wait to see it all come to pass.

Don't stress about your dreams.  Put them up against the wall before they put you up against a wall.