I have felt this coming on for several days now. And it hit me like a steel chair to the dome this morning.
I’ve been going 900 miles an hour lately. Launching a book, working full-time in retail during the holidays, building a business, and building a business-building group coaching program — I’m completely and utterly exhausted. No time or no energy for exercise.
But I tried to push through.
This morning, I made my way to the shower and honestly felt like I was going to pass out. I felt it coming all day yesterday — when I get a migraine, the dizziness is certainly a symptom.
It was almost as if God was telling me, “Slow your happy a$$ down, Ryan!”
So I took a PTO today. A much-needed PTO day to be clear…
I rested all morning and started feeling loads better.
This evening, I took a long walk. I needed to clear my head and slow down. And I had a long talk with God about my future.
And while I won’t give the details of my talk with Him, I will share something contextual that came up.
As many of you know, I adored the Disney+ documentary “Get Back.” It was a fascinating behind-the-scenes look I’ve ever seen at the Beatles’ genius at work, despite the obstacles — both intra-band and extra-band — that were in the way of creating their new album.
It was a subtle moment during this 7+ hour documentary that I flashed on earlier today that I wanted to share.
Ringo and John were having a conversation with one of the producers of their album — I think it was their recording engineer Glyn Johns. George had left the band temporarily during this period.
During this conversation, Paul was noodling around on the piano. And clear as day, he played what became one of the most important piano lines in rock music history.
John cut his eyes over at Paul and subtly raised his eyebrows. It was as if he was saying “that’s really good, mate.”
That line that Paul played became the turnaround line that leads into George’s guitar solo in “Let it Be.” Those nine simple notes…I find myself tearing up just writing about this.
That one moment became the base of one of the most important pieces of art in the 20th century. This is a song that has saved my life more often than I can count.
Every great achievement begins with a thought.
Every great work of art begins with an idea.
Every great story begins with an idea.
In 1962, President Kennedy spoke about going to the moon before 1970. As he so famously said in that speech at Rice University, “…not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
You choose to do big things, but you have no idea how to do them. NASA found a whole bunch of really smart people, spent a ton of money, and there are footprints on the surface of the moon.
And we’re headed back within the decade! When the first footprints on the moon in almost 50 years are made, I will be swimming in a river of tears.
While it might have been out of spite and an F-you to the Russians, the story of the first man on the moon began with that spark.
Back around 2016, I had the idea that I wanted to write a book about a character based on my Dad. I knew I wanted him to be a musician, but I thought it’d be too on the nose for him to be a keyboard player (like Dad was.)
A friend with whom I graduated from my coach training program recommended this streaming radio station that she thought I’d like. It was this jazz and blues station based on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
One night I was staring at a blinking cursor trying to write this character. But absolutely nothing was coming to me.
Then I found the station. And perhaps a half-hour into my listening, they played a song that would change my life. It was this badass groove with a freight train drum part, some tasty horns, a dynamic female lead vocalist, and some of the baddest slide guitar work I’ve heard since Duane Allman.
That song was “Anyhow” by Tedeschi Trucks Band. And boom! Jimmy Holliday the slide guitar master was born!
Not only did Jimmy Holliday become the master of the bottleneck slide, TTB has become one of my favorite bands on the planet. Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi also made cameos in that book.
“Hello Again” is a damn good book. It taught me how to publish a manuscript.
It all began with that one spark.
Here’s why I’m sharing all this.
I don’t talk about my faith in God too often. I feel like it’s nobody’s business but mine and God’s.
But I got this…let’s call it a download from God earlier this week. It was one of those subtle moments that will stay with me for the rest of my days.
I was on a call with a mentor of mine. And I shared how the Expanding Man launch was like the start of an empire. A heart-centered, storytelling empire.
Those men and I came together to create something incredibly special. And I truly believe these will become a holiday tradition for Royal Hearts Media.
It all began on that steamy July night in 1987 when my Granddaddy introduced me to the “Ballad of Monkeytown.”
While I am a great writer, I am a better storyteller.
And my Granddaddy’s pickup truck became that spark.
This all started because I chose to slow down and listen to my body and listen to my inner voice.
In 2020 the soil was tilled.
Seeds planted in 2021.
Roots took hold in 2022.
Sprouts formed in 2023.
The fruit is coming in 2024 and beyond.
The phoenix is flapping its wings.
