George's Journal

Click here to see older SECRETS FROM THE JAZZ GHETTO posts.
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Passion Party #482 - Change Or Die

Posted: 1 May 2013, 10:11 pm - Passion Party

It began out of frustration.
My life was stuck in a downward spiral of
hard work, dislikes, and have to's. I had lost my passion for the business.

The question was, "what one thing can you change today
to raise your frequency to help pull yourself and other people up?"

I thought for a moment and said,
"I guess I could meditate. I used to meditate.
But my life is so busy, my business feels so out of control, I don't have the time."

"What if you got up at 5:00 AM to meditate?"
I thought about it. There is no way I could wake up at 5:00 AM every day. Don't even ask me.

"What if you commit to meditate for 21 days?
One day at a time, for 21 days, you get up at 5:00 AM, meditate, and then write your inspirational thought for the day."

"I guess I could do that. For 21 days."

"Good. Then pick a dozen or so friends, and every morning after you write in your journal, send them the post."

I saw what was happening.
Action
Commitment
Accountability

So I agreed to reinvent myself every morning, to get in touch with my passion, for 21 days.
And so I joined the 5:00 AM Club
and the passion party was born.

Passion PArty # 481- A Sense of Adventure

Posted: 8 April 2013, 9:27 pm - Passion Party

It has been almost four years since I began pulling myself up from the depths of the “mortgage meltdown”.

And it has been 5 years since I took a major vacation.

So next week I leave for a 12 day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos.

We are doing a hiking “adventure travel” trip. Adventure travel is the fastest growing sector of the travel business.

Whenever we get an email update from our tour company they always close with “Make sure you bring your sense of adventure!”

So as I look at the mortgage world today,

I realize that I am in the adventure travel business:

You have to be flexible and open to change.

There’s always something new around every corner.

The itinerary might say we are going to fly, but be ready to get on a boat instead.

You plan for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Before the trip is done, you are bound to experience something you never thought would happen.

There may be turbulence, but as long as you stay in your seat, you will get to the destination. Just don’t jump up and start trying to fly the plane yourself!

And bring your sense of adventure!

Passion Party #480 - Confidence Box

Posted: 6 April 2013, 8:41 am - Passion Party

There are days when I get so beat up

I begin to doubt myself

my knowledge turns to dust

I get defensive, angry and ready to quit.

I feel like a faker, a fraud,

and I lose any sense of self-worth.

At times like this I need my Confidence Box .

Hidden in the back of a drawer is an old cigar box

filled with mementos -

my back-stage pass from when I was a touring rock 'n' roll musician

the gold ring my Dad gave me

A picture of the Dodge Van that brought me to California

a picture of my wife and kids

my largest paycheck

a photo of me playing music with world-class musicians

a list of upcoming vacations for the year

the photo of me hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, fit and healthy

Small photos of my mentors and heroes (Charles Ives, Lincoln, ...)

Thank you notes from home buyers that I have helped

a list of the 10 things I most want to do before I die

And suddenly, life does not seem so bad

this too shall pass

my worth in confirmed.

George and Gina at The Hip Kitty, Saturday 4/27

Posted: 31 March 2013, 7:10 pm - SECRETS FROM THE JAZZ GHETTO

The Hip Kitty is the swingingest club east of downtown Los Angeles. Strong drinks, great music and only a $5.00 cover charge.
The George Kahn Quartet will be partying with Gina Saputo on vocals for one night only, and we hope you can join us.
A swanky and intimate jazz supper club and lounge located in downtown Claremont ... Hip Kitty is classy but casual and over 21 only- a great place for a date night or a few drinks with friends 502 W. First St., Claremont, CA 91711
Music from 8:00 PM - Midnight
http://hipkittyjazz

Passion Party #479 - Fear Of Flying (Part 2)

Posted: 27 March 2013, 10:47 pm - Passion Party

Icarus received his wings from his father.

Everyone remembers his father’s warning about flying too close to the sun –

You might get burned, like the moth attracted to a flame.

But people forget his father’s second warning, about

flying too close to the water, where the waves might affect the lift of the wings –

You might drown by flying too low

just as easily as falling from the sky if you fly too high.

We follow our fear of flying too high

With the willingness to fly too low

Staying too safe

And in the end

Settling for too little.

The middle path

Is not one of reckless stupidity

or mindless compliance.

It is one of being willing to risk,

Flying higher than you ever thought imaginable

On the shoulders of our fathers

In a world where everyday

the impossible

becomes possible.

Passion Party #478 - Play At Your Own Risk

Posted: 17 March 2013, 11:50 am - Passion Party

"How do you become a successful artist?
Become indispensable to people who care”.
-Seth Godin

You have to play at your own risk.

And what if you fail?
It is not life or death -
The failure may hurt inside, but it won’t kill you.
You just do it again, do it better,
Get it closer to
“This is how I want to do it”
“This is how I want it to be done”
”This is what I stand for”.

If you don’t create and share your art, no one will miss it.

Random quotes from Seth Godin's presentation

Posted: 16 March 2013, 7:08 pm - Passion Party

From the "Insight One20" convention this morning:

Vision is different from seeing. We need to learn how to see in the moment.
Embrace the blank slate.
Don't get hung up on the rules.
Betty Crocker is the Patron Saint of Marketers.
"More" used to be the byword
Now we have more resources than previous Kings of Europe.
Your resume is just proof to a company that you fit into a slot.
Just because you are winning the game does not mean its a good game.
Study how the music industry went from "perfect" to "impossible" - it can happen to your industry next!
Human beings connect - that is what makes us human.
Our job is to convert risk to trust.
Julliard Conservatory is designed to create orchestral factory workers.
The trouble with the race to the bottom is that you might win.
If you don't launch your art, no one will miss it.
The new normal is being pushed out towards the edges, so the money is in smaller markets, selling things that are "not for everyone".
Perfect is not the answer.
You have to fail to succeed.
Better beats bigger

Thank you, Seth Godin!

Posted: 15 March 2013, 9:06 am - Passion Party

My new "Pursuit Of Passion" Photo

Passion Party #477 - Walk Through Fire

Posted: 15 March 2013, 8:57 am - Passion Party

Walk Through Fire

My greatest triumphs are not easy:

they take timing, strategy,

strength and commitment.

They often take me to dangerous places

way out of my comfort zone.

It could be a control burn in the forest or hot sand that can burn my feet.

What do I have to lose? What do I have to gain?

To reach this level of greatness

the only way out is through

the house is on fire, and there’s no turning back.

Sometimes getting to the finish line means

you have to walk through fire

It is time to face my fears

and reach for the blaze of greatness,

reach for my highest self.

Passion Party #476 - Obstacles

Posted: 13 March 2013, 7:36 am - Passion Party

Sometimes I forget why I am here

the daily grind gets too difficult

the road too steep

the obstacles too huge.

It reminds me of the inner-city elementary school class

on its first trip to a national forest.

Just imagine

children that have never been in the woods

hiking on a well marked dirt trail

and they come to a large tree,

fallen across the path.

The children yell,

"Our path is blocked! We have to turn back!"

It is only with the teacher's encouragement

the children realize

they can leave the path and walk around the tree,

perhaps even climb on top of it

for a better view

of things to come.

Click here to see older SECRETS FROM THE JAZZ GHETTO posts.
Click here to see older Passion Party posts.