Everyone thinks of John Mayer as a musician.
But his genius extends so far beyond music.
Here are 11 lessons from John Mayer on writing, creativity, and building an audience:
But his genius extends so far beyond music.
Here are 11 lessons from John Mayer on writing, creativity, and building an audience:
1/Turn off the reader
“Writer's block,” John Mayer defined, “is when the reader in you isn’t loving the writer.”
”It’s not a failure to write, but a failure to catch the feedback loop of enjoying what you’re seeing.”
When he writes, John said, “I turn off the reading brain.”
“Writer's block,” John Mayer defined, “is when the reader in you isn’t loving the writer.”
”It’s not a failure to write, but a failure to catch the feedback loop of enjoying what you’re seeing.”
When he writes, John said, “I turn off the reading brain.”
2/Take the trip inside
A young writer said her songs weren’t speaking to people.
“I think it’s because,” Mayer told her, “you haven’t made the trip inside. You haven’t truly made the trip inside."
What connects with people, he said, is when you’re connecting with yourself.
A young writer said her songs weren’t speaking to people.
“I think it’s because,” Mayer told her, “you haven’t made the trip inside. You haven’t truly made the trip inside."
What connects with people, he said, is when you’re connecting with yourself.
3/Think small
When John tries to write a universal song, he's never made a good song.
“But if I write a song about something the size of a cup of water, I sometimes notice a week later that it’s got the universe in it.”
What’s most personal, John finds, is most universal.
When John tries to write a universal song, he's never made a good song.
“But if I write a song about something the size of a cup of water, I sometimes notice a week later that it’s got the universe in it.”
What’s most personal, John finds, is most universal.
4/Do the real thing
@ScottHYoung's line: “do the real thing and stop doing fake alternatives.”
Many writers think and wait for ideas to write about.
“That’s a wonderful way to waste time,” John says.
John instead does the real thing. Watch:
@ScottHYoung's line: “do the real thing and stop doing fake alternatives.”
Many writers think and wait for ideas to write about.
“That’s a wonderful way to waste time,” John says.
John instead does the real thing. Watch:
5/Imitate your heroes
John practices guitar by imitating his heroes.
It's a wonderful technique for being yourself, he said. "You try to sound like them, and you just always end up sounding like you...That's your personality.”
To find your style/voice, imitate your heroes.
John practices guitar by imitating his heroes.
It's a wonderful technique for being yourself, he said. "You try to sound like them, and you just always end up sounding like you...That's your personality.”
To find your style/voice, imitate your heroes.
6/Practice over passion
Motivational speakers often leave out 1 critical ingredient, John says:
What it takes to get good at anything.
They say, follow your passion.
They should say, John says, “sit in your room and practice for six hours a day.”
Motivational speakers often leave out 1 critical ingredient, John says:
What it takes to get good at anything.
They say, follow your passion.
They should say, John says, “sit in your room and practice for six hours a day.”
7/Compromise
If you want an audience, Mayer says, ”Compromise is huge."
"Learn how to compromise on that which you can give away and defend that which you can’t.”
You want your song to be on the radio? You have to make compromises: the song can’t be longer than 4 minutes.
If you want an audience, Mayer says, ”Compromise is huge."
"Learn how to compromise on that which you can give away and defend that which you can’t.”
You want your song to be on the radio? You have to make compromises: the song can’t be longer than 4 minutes.
8/Love your work
Of his song Wild Blue, John said:
"I put it on & I can't believe it's mine. Artists aren't allowed to say that, but it’s true.”
Seth Godin says it’s weird an author doesn’t say their own book is one that changed their life.
Why should we read it then?
Of his song Wild Blue, John said:
"I put it on & I can't believe it's mine. Artists aren't allowed to say that, but it’s true.”
Seth Godin says it’s weird an author doesn’t say their own book is one that changed their life.
Why should we read it then?
9/Collect ideas
John says he goes about his day like he’s carrying an apple basket…
He hears/sees/reads things, grabs it, puts it in his basket and goes, “maybe I’ll put that in a song.”
It's like Jerry Seinfeld: “Every second…I’m thinking, ‘What can I do with that?'”
John says he goes about his day like he’s carrying an apple basket…
He hears/sees/reads things, grabs it, puts it in his basket and goes, “maybe I’ll put that in a song.”
It's like Jerry Seinfeld: “Every second…I’m thinking, ‘What can I do with that?'”
10/To create is to combine
"One thing I like in songwriting," John says,
"take 2 seemingly opposing ideas and put them together."
@BrandSanderson says, creating = combining.
"That’s what we’re really good at...We put a horn on a horse and go, ‘look at that, that’s cool.’"
"One thing I like in songwriting," John says,
"take 2 seemingly opposing ideas and put them together."
@BrandSanderson says, creating = combining.
"That’s what we’re really good at...We put a horn on a horse and go, ‘look at that, that’s cool.’"
11/Be a student forever
When asked if you can become a master songwriter, John said,
"Nope. I am a student forever."
As @RyanHoliday says, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy:
Whether you think you do or don't have more to learn...you're right.
When asked if you can become a master songwriter, John said,
"Nope. I am a student forever."
As @RyanHoliday says, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy:
Whether you think you do or don't have more to learn...you're right.
TL;DR...
11 Lessons from @JohnMayer:
- Think small
- Compromise
- Collect ideas
- Love your work
- Do the real thing
- Turn off the reader
- Imitate your heroes
- Take the trip inside
- Be a student forever
- Practice over passion
- To create is to combine
11 Lessons from @JohnMayer:
- Think small
- Compromise
- Collect ideas
- Love your work
- Do the real thing
- Turn off the reader
- Imitate your heroes
- Take the trip inside
- Be a student forever
- Practice over passion
- To create is to combine
If you liked these 11 lessons from John Mayer...
You might also like the 10 things I've learned from @RyanHoliday
You might also like the 10 things I've learned from @RyanHoliday
And to receive content like this straight to your inbox...
Every Sunday,
I send an email with SIX things I learned or found interesting/useful. Check out the archives and subscribe here:
billyoppenheimer.com
Every Sunday,
I send an email with SIX things I learned or found interesting/useful. Check out the archives and subscribe here:
billyoppenheimer.com
Loading suggestions...