You Don't Know You Don't Know; Respect the Gray

There was a commercial for a cable company that used a young couple with a baby to say, “You know when people tell you that having a baby will change your life and you say, ‘I know’? You don’t know.” And, being a father, I can attest to that for sure. There are hundreds of assumptions, misunderstandings, beliefs and preferences that are shattered when you actually have the baby. It really doesn’t matter what set of skills you bring to the game, you still need some help and advice.

It has been my experience that I am completely unaware of the things I don’t know. I think that is a reasonable assumption. How can one know something before it is known? The Beatles had it right conversely speaking in All You Need is Love, “There's nothing you can know that isn't known.” So, what do we do about our oblivion? How does one gain knowledge about things of which he has no understanding? This may be an over simplification but it can’t be stated any more clearly; just ask. That is the short answer.

For most of us in the music and creative community being a self starter is something for which we may be proud. But there is also honor in seeking out someone who has walked a mile in our shoes before they were “our shoes.” It seems a redundant waste of time to reinvent the wheel when all we need do is simply inquire of the wheel maker. There is an incredible advantage to learning something in a conversation with someone more experienced and wise. This could save us a couple of year’s worth of head-banging during the learning process.

It is my humble philosophical opinion that I may grow and be a stronger, better human being because of the experiences of others. Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” We are in good company when we inquire about styles, gear, methods, history and a thousand other important topics. I say “respect the gray” and befriend someone who is years ahead of you in your career. There may be a gold nugget in the conversation you are about to have over a cup of coffee. The way I see it is that everyone has the potential to teach me something new and fresh. This is true in spite of the fact that I am creative, a musician, a self-starter, and strong headed.

I discovered maybe a little late but not too late, that I don’t know what I don’t know. I didn’t know that early on but I know now. So I make it a point to get exposure as often as possible, to those who have the wisdom and experience that I may not. They inspire me and prove that what I aspire to accomplish can be and indeed, has been done in some measure before. Their knowledge spares me the time-consuming encumbrance of mindlessly plowing a field that someone else has already plowed, to use an agrarian metaphor.

While we all want to take responsibility for the successes we build in our creative careers we must still do obeisance to those who have gone before. They have made what we are doing much easier. They may have learned how to do something before there was someone to ask but we now have them to ask. Thank God for a little wisdom in our lives.


There are a few very simple steps to knowing something you don’t know.

1. Realize that there is a wealth of knowledge in other people
2. Don’t make presumptions about people based on age or other imposed limiters. Some of the greatest lessons are learned from an eight year old and an eighty year old
3. Listen to what may seem to be “unrelated” stories for new insight
4. Open up your friendships to people outside of your area of expertise for a healthy cross-pollination of information
5. Be deliberate and purposeful in your quest to learn from others
6. Find innovative ways to inculcate your creative craft with the new wisdom you have acquired
7. Don’t forget about reading… all leaders are readers. Some of the most brilliant and wise have already left the earth
8. Find a mentor
9. Check back with your dad or a mentor at least once a quarter
10. Ask and keep on asking

©WalkWay Group, all rights reserved. Steven Blanton

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Adam Lambert and Tiger Woods-Bigger Than Life for Real

There is a saying in show biz that has echoed in the ears of performers with some trepidation. I am not sure of its origin. Maybe you can track it down and drop me a comment. It goes something like this; “All publicity is good publicity.” Hummm, I am not sure about that given the possibility of being immediately roasted alive by the jokesters on late night TV and every internet outlet on earth. Many a politician, athlete, and entertainer have had an abrupt end to an otherwise fabulous career by protracted discussions among the various talking heads because of some malfeasance or indiscretion.

We have all seen the endless reruns of the footage of Adam Lambert and Tiger Woods, for example. This says two things to me when I analyze the impact of living a public life; 1. Sins will find you out and 2. Some sins are easier to forgive than others in the public eye. I think there can be forgiveness for some very bad judgment choices and some careers can recover from negative publicity. Lambert expresses no remorse while Woods has openly apologized. We have yet to see the ultimate cost of their public and private actions. But why risk a shipwrecked career and the scorn of the public. It seems much more reasonable to just keep your nose clean, so to speak, and work on building your career with positive press.

Many of us have a ways to go before we are up on the radar of most of the media moguls. Still, fan-base building is about connecting with your fans on their terms. My advice to all creative people on their way up is to build bridges rather than burning them. Careful attendance to how you are perceived by the public is of utmost importance.
As your fans hear and see your name, they will form an opinion of you which is actually only an image from their perspective. You will actually be bigger than life for real to them. They will imagine they know you and will require and even demand certain things from you. I believe in acting in a professional manner at all times. And if there is any possibility of it affecting your influence as a performer, whenever it is within your power, always do the right thing.

There is another saying in show biz that should be the mantra of everyone who aspires to earn an income while living the life of a public performer. It says that you are owned, at least in part, by the public and have an obligation to be a real pro without disappointing your fans on or off the stage, “The show must go on.”

©2009 WalkWay® Group All Rights Reserved, Steven Blanton