A New Beginning: Transitioning Towards a Post COVID-19 World

Since the “Spanish Flu” of 1918, there has never been a time in recent history where we humans have been as collectively engaged in the re-imagining of what society could look like than we are right now. And like a frustrated parent who feels compelled to get their kids’ attention by more coercive means, we’ve now been brought to a standstill and forced to consider how we’ve been operating and how we think we should operate in the future to avoid being put in our place again. Now if you know anything about history, you know that the ones who have risen to great prominence and subsequent wealth did so amidst great collapses in society, as what goes up always comes down…but then back up again. I like to think of these periods as big magical windows of opportunity that only come once in a blue moon. And right now, I’d venture to say that we’re right back to the pioneering days of the California gold rush, or the oil boom of the late 1800’s, or the creation of our modern-day cities, or even fast food restaurants. And for those that lived through those periods, and had an inspired vision for their futures, they were able to recognize the historical gravity of their situation and respond accordingly. But now that the slate has been wiped fairly clean again, the ambitious ones will no doubt rise again to roll up their sleeves to seize the opportunity to work on making a better future for themselves and those closest to them.

Due to our current situation, I’m suddenly reminded of the biblical passage that relates to the idea that the meek shall inherit the earth. And when I think about all of the people who may have acquired some level of social status through their professions, it’s ironic to see who is considered an “essential” worker right now. Meaning, whose profession can add the most value to the world. For those who are mailmen, construction workers, policemen, firemen, grocery store employee’s, gas station attendants, truck drivers, farmers, garbage men, etc., they are now looking at the value of their jobs and themselves in a very different light, as is the case with the rest of us. However, while we musicians aren’t considered essential, it’s clear that we are necessary, in that in times of uncertainty we always reach for things that can sooth our temperaments. But even within that notion, the question becomes one of substance. Meaning, what’s the substance of that thing you are reaching towards to pacify your emotions? Is it drugs and alcohol? Is it food? Is it music? And if so, what’s the quality of those things you’re consuming? But like everyone who has been a pioneer in their space, the time to increase the quality of your productivity and scope of vision is in times like these. So if you’re going to survive this ordeal and prosper through to a post COVID-19 world, you’ll need to get lean with both your schedule and finances in order to identify what your non-essential time and money expenditures are so you can allocate more of those remaining resources towards a sound investment strategy for your future (whatever that looks like for you). “But an investment into what?” Simply put, identify a problem you have, because chances are others are facing the same issue. And when you find these people, you just have to be the one who can provide them with that thing. But if you can’t produce the solution yourself, then you’ll need to partner with those that can help to execute your idea. “But how do you know if you have a worthy idea?” My answer is that if your idea doesn’t fit into a personal crusade that you’d be willing to fight someone to defend, then you’ll probably lack the energy to see that idea through when the going gets tough. But when you have a crusade that you’re on, the best way to ensure your success is to create your own lane, as you’ll have little to no one in your way to contend with. And given that we’re living through a time where we’ve just seen many of the old rules fall flat, there’s now more room for you to experiment with new ways of solving problems. Remember, the best competition is no competition.