For the last couple of years I’ve simply had to ASSUME that I can become a great singer/songwriter. I believe in lifelong improvement and growth so why not? But still, this is a conceptual belief. I’ve had no results based evidence that I can become as good as I aspire to be. Until yesterday when...

I often get particular feedback about my first album (completed as part of The Album podcast) compared to my second album. While I agree with the feedback about the result, when you take into account the context for me as a developing artist, it makes little sense.

I said I was "in crisis" last time... But that was nothing compared to what's happened this week.

The last few days of attempting to finish my album have been challenging. Time for a crisis meeting...

Many musicians consider obstacles a "reason not to do it"... But this is the wrong way around. Almost any obstacle is a "reason to do it"...

If I had to choose just one single reason I make albums, there's no competition:I make albums to GROW. So finishing my album is the ideal opportunity to turbo charge this growth...

The album I'm finishing right now is the 7th in my career. (It's the 3rd I'm finishing alongside this podcast.) And so far, I do not doubt that my 2nd album (made in 2008) was the worst by far, in almost every way. Even though, on the surface, it might seem that conditions were IDEAL for it to be my best...

Oh dear. I didn't work on my album for 13 days! This is an ideal opportunity to learn something...

One of the toughest challenges for any creator is avoiding getting lost in the weeds...at the same time as focusing on the details! So, how do you keep your focus on the big picture while also making sure you're making the highest quality music you can?

So far, my Drafting Challenge has been like wading through MUD. That must mean there's an unmade decision to uncover...

My name is Mike and I'm a perfectionist.But I'm not the only one. Today, I'm talking to another recovering perfectionist about where it comes from, how it destroys the creative process, and how to recover from it.

During my Discovery Challenge, I made a mistake that may turn out to have an unexpected benefit...

Disappointment is a feature, not a bug...

In Discovery, it's crucial not to get caught up in thinking. It's just like Splurging - carefree creation. But this is psychologically harder than Splurging because, in Discovery, you're working on an existing idea with those pesky "expectations" attached.\ Luckily, I've found a solution that seems to work so far...

Arghhh! Adding this 1000-song challenge means I've got way too much to do...I've not focused enough on the album songs...But then again, how might "too much" be exactly what I need?

It's been ages since I gave you an album update! But I've been working away on my first album of this year since we last spoke...

As this is the FINALE of Season 4 and the last episode of 2023 - it's the right time to embarrass myself UTTERLY...

This is a two insight episode. Both are crucial components of making consistent progress amid your busy life. Without both firmly in place there's no way I would have completed 2 albums this year - or even considering the possibility of completing FOUR in 2024...

My 2nd insight from 2023 is a belief you can embed within your worldview that cascades into the crucial self-belief I shared in the last episode...

Now we've completed the 2024 planning process, let's focus on 2023... For me, it was a HUGE year musically - possibly the most defining of my entire life. I've learned a lot, and I'd like to share that with you...

This season of The Album, I'm coaching you through a new 2024 planning process I've just developed. Today, it's the FINAL STEP!

This season of The Album, I'm coaching you through a new 2024 planning process I've just developed. Today, you'll use what you've done in each of the 4 "WHY?" areas (Goal, Function, Growth and Purpose) as the starting point for some Moonshot Thinking...

This season of The Album, I'm coaching you through a new 2024 planning process I've just developed. Today, we're moving onto the 4th "Why are you making music?" This "Why?" is problematic, though. If you focus on it at the wrong time in the wrong place, it can corrupt your process...

This season of The Album, I'm coaching you through a new 2024 planning process I've just developed. Today, we're moving onto the 3rd "Why are you making music?".

This season of The Album I'm coaching you through a new 2024 planning process I've just developed. Today, we're moving onto the 2nd "Why are you making music?" - and for me, one of the most important...