Piano Explored

Welcome to the Toward Creativity Podcast. I’m Benjamin Harding and every Tuesday we release a new episode to bring you encouragement in the world of creativity by working through tips, tools and strategies. You can follow the podcast at www.towardcreativity.com.  And, you can follow us Instagram and TikTok @towardcreativitypodcast.  Let’s get into today’s episode. 

The first week in May of 2022, I am launching a special online piano course for everyone. Yes, I mean everyone. It’s accessible; it’s fun; it’s innovative; it’s to be completed at your own pace. Plus, it’s going to be in community. 

Yes - it is for everyone but it is geared toward adults who have an interest in learning the piano for the first time or renew their love for music and the piano. Stay tuned for more details!

If you are a classical musician, I believe in you. I believe in the power of classical music. And if you are a classical musician - I hope that you will be encouraged by this episode. This weekend, I got a jolt of energy that I needed to believe in my work yet again. 

If you are not a classical musician, I hope that you stick around for this episode too because I think the classical music industry is an opportunity for us to learn together about our own creative journey. 

My name is Benjamin Harding and this is the Toward Creativity Podcast where I explore the tips, tools and strategies to help you to build a prosperous, creative career. 

You can follow me on Instagram @bhardingmusic. Like seriously - follow me - I need the followers. I’m not begging. But I am. Okay - now that you have followed me you can head over to my website www.benjaminharding.net and check out the latest blog posts and content.
Here are 5 steps that I explore  changing the ‘industry’ of classical music on today's episode:

1. Believe
2. Embrace
3. Discover
4. Create 
5. Educate 

Whether you like it, or not, Tom Brady is the GOAT. He’s the greatest of all time in the sport of American football. But, not only that, he has modeled for us a fitness regimen that is focused on movements that lengthen muscle, and work on mobility in each area which helps us move in the day to day. 

And now you are wondering? Benjamin, what does your man crush on Tom Brady have to do with fitness and my creative journey. 

Well, friends - stick around for today’s episode because we are doing a deep dive into functional fitness for creatives.

My name is Benjamin Harding and this is the Toward Creativity Podcast where I dive into the tips, tools and strategies to help you to build a prosperous, creative career. 

You can follow me on Instagram @bhardingmusic. Like seriously - follow me - I need the followers. Go ahead and pause the podcast and like follow me. I’m not begging. But I am. Okay - now that you have followed me you can head over to my website: www.benjaminhardingmusic.com and check out the latest blog posts and content. You don’t even have to pause the episode to do that but if you’re driving - don’t even think about it! Seriously! I’m serious. Don’t do anything and keep listening as you drive. Safety first. That was a long introduction today.

Here is a link to the Nike Running App: Nike Running App

Here is a link to Sean Vigue: https://www.youtube.com/c/SeanVigueFitness

Welcome to Toward Creativity, a podcast by Benjamin Harding. You can find me at my website www.Benjamin Harding.net and on instagram at @bhardingmusic. I want to help you to build a sustainable and prosperous creative career. Let’s get into today’s episode.

1. Realize that You are the Product

The first step is to realize that you have many translatable skills to industry that you have developed over years or training. These skills and translatable qualities will always be with you throughout your creative career at every stage. 

2.  Learn to share about your work in winsome ways and then do it. 

I have spoken on this podcast about the book by Austin Kleon ‘Show Your Work’. Part of the process of building your career is inviting people into your creative process. What does it take to learn a piece of music? What process do you go through to write a lyric?

3. Build networks of people that are like minded 

I am not advocating that we get into an echo chamber of our own thoughts but you have to get with people who have a growth mindset.

You have to start getting with people that are on the same track as you and talk with them. Over the pandemic, some of my dear friends and I created a mastermind where we share our ideas and make suggestions as to what and how we are doing things. It’s a fantastic group of creatives that are from a variety of industries but are musicians at heart. 

Ladies and gentlemen - I have brought up things that have been critiqued, torn down and tested. The context of discussion is within a growth mindset. 

In contrast, I have also brought up ideas with folks who love it at the time but then nothing is done. At some point when folks don’t listen or are negative in the context of ‘non-growth mindset’, you have to stop sharing with those folks. It’s a waste of time. Get with the people who are moving forward on purpose. 

You have to find your people that are interested in entrepreneurship  - the undertaking of building a prosperous creative career. 

And so - plug for our facebook group! Come and join us! Toward Creativity facebook group is becoming active yet again with questions. It’s a large mastermind in a way. Sharing ideas and helping each other build creative careers and endeavors. 

4. Build your online presence

I really think the sharing of your work has to be in the online space. It’s where people are going to find out what others are doing. 60 percent of the world’s population is online - around 4 billion users. Of that, 91 percent of the folks access the internet through mobile devices. Friends, that 60 percent number is only going to increase. It will only increase. The estimate by 2030 is that 90 percent of folks from ages 6 and up will be online. 

You need a website. You need to get with the program on social media to build your audience and following and point folks to your amazing work. How will they hear about you unless you show up on these platforms where the world is showing up? 

Yes - I know - it can be a slogfest trying to build a creative career. The numbers can get you down and so I want to encourage you. You can do this. I can do this. The opportunity is there to build a sustainable and prosperous creative career - we have to, together, seize this opportunity and this moment in the history of the world where we can share ourselves and our work with the globe. 

Toward Creativity is a podcast by Benjamin Harding. You can follow me on instagram @bhardingmusic. 

I am going to share with you just some of what I love about the piano today on Toward Creativity! And hopefully this helps you to continue to discover your ‘why’. 

Let’s get into today’s episode. 

Welcome to Toward Creativity, a podcast by Benjamin Harding, that’s me! You can find me on Instagram @bhardingmusic and on my website: www.benjaminharding.net.

Toward Creativity is a podcast where I explore the inspiring world of creativity. In participating in this learning journey, I hope to also serve as a guide in conversations centered around tips, tools and strategies towards building a sustainable creative careers.

Sometimes you just need to get back to basics. As a creative, you need to get back to looking at why you began your creative journey, am I right? Even last night, while driving my oldest son to an event, I said, “I should just quit the piano.” He consoled me in the moment but I feel like this often. I think you might be thinking the same thing too in your creative work from time to time.

And are you also hearing the messages in entrepreneurship. So many folks in the entrepreneurship world say, “Pivot; Try this or that.”  

I mean that’s one of the reasons why I have been changing the content and presentation of this podcast… OY! But, we are back to the main reason, and that is to help you as a creative to be inspired, encouraged and to give you the tools, tips and strategies to help you build a sustainable career. In this podcast, I am revisiting the core of the “why”. 

Your “why” is so much more important than pivoting to meet the moving targets of the market. 

Your “why” guides through the storms of emotions and thinking that often crash in when the going gets tough. For me, I have never been a prodigy, never or ever will be a genius. I just fell in love with the piano and desire to share music in the global community.

So maybe this episode will help you to get to your “why”.

By the way - this episode isn’t created in a vacuum. It is presented in the context of incredible pain worldwide especially for the country and people of Afghanistan and the earthquake that just crushed the country of Haiti.

We need to understand our “why” as individuals in our own personal journey. With your “why”, I am assuming that it is for the benefit of others - love of neighbor. And, if we focus our “why” for the benefit of society we can make the world a better place. 

I quote the great American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein: “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."

Sometimes we feel so helpless with the suffering in the world. But, I know that if my “why” is figured out and I pursue that - I can benefit my life, my family's lives, and my community which includes the globe. We can do what we can in our own part of the world and life. 

And storms come. My personal friends know that in my personal journey in playing the piano I have had massive calamity and storms. They come and we need to anchor into why. Through therapy, I am finally able to jump into the piano afresh like I did as a teenager.  

Reason One 

Expressing Complex Thoughts and Emotions

Reason Two 

Relationships and Community 

Reason Three 

Piano is a Path to Learn about Life

Thank you for joining me today on the Toward Creativity Podcast. 

Today we are beginning a worldview series. Thank you for listening!
@bharding on Instagram and www.benjaminharding.net. 

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

This speech by the 26th president of the United States has been the inspiration of many. I hope you are encouraged to keep on creating and working despite the resistance within and opposition you may be experiencing. 

Friends!

Here's what we are going to talk about today on this first episode of the Benjamin Harding Podcast:

First, we are going to talk about the term "worldview "and what that means. And we are going to seek the answer to the question - why are talking about worldview on the podcast in the first place. How is this relevant? 

Second, we are going to talk about how this podcast intends to serve you in presenting our purpose and mission. We are going to clearly say that this is not, I repeat, not a Christian ministry. Really it’s just going to be me, who is a Christian, talking about many different kinds of topics and interviewing fascinating folks. In this section we will also talk about the Image of God in and through all of us and the theological topic, Common Grace. It will be very practical so stick around for that. 

Let’s go. 

Hey! Welcome to the Benjamin Harding Podcast - that's me. You can find me on instagram @bhardingmusic and on my website benjaminharding.net.

Thank you for listening. No matter who you are, if you are a human being you are made in the Image of God. You need to understand that you are valued, and treasured and I have it as my mission on this podcast to come alongside you with ideas from current  scholarship and thinking that are presented in an easy to understand and practical way. We need each other. 

I hope that this podcast encourages you, moves you, and gives you inspiration and challenges for your life, family, work, and business. And yes - there will be tips, tools and strategies shared; interviews given; and hearts shared. 

Hey! Welcome to Toward Creativity -  a podcast by Benjamin Harding - that's me. You can find me on instagram @bhardingmusic and on my website benjaminharding.net. 

Toward Creativity is to serve as guide in conversations centered around tips, tools and strategies towards helping you  build a sustainable creative career. 

Let’s get to today’s episode.

Stick with me! Dogs! I love dogs. And, one of my favorite things to do on my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is to watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Through their judging process of various categories of dogs I think we can help each other explore what makes something great. In this episode this process as a model to determining what is great in music and art and other creative work.