I fail quite a lot. More often, I suspect, than you do. If there’s anything I could be said to excel at, it’s failure. And I’ve been doing it for over 18 years.

Now, I don’t say that in a self-deprecating way. it’s a positive thing. A lot of uninformed people look at what I do and think I’m quite a success, maybe because mostly I like to draw people’s attention to the successes, but to many at the top of my field, I would be considered washed up, a has been.

But I’m realizing that I’d rather be considered a failure and interesting, than a dull workhorse bashing away at the same unsuccessful goal because of some misplaced sense of duty. Or a sell out doing things just to make money at the expense of principles or taste.
I’m realizing when I’ve given it lots of time, and things aren’t working out, sometimes it’s better to move on, maybe even to another place where your skills can be better utilized…

Trying and failing is a far more productive strategy than not trying something in case it doesn’t work. In fact, if you want to good at something, and be successful – fail early and fail often.
But don’t be afraid to go and make as many of your own mistakes as you can. It’s really the only way to succeed.

I have to give credit for this post to dear Andrew Dubber who is a far far better writer than I am and knew how to say what I was feeling in his post ‘Fail Early, Fail Often’, and allowed me to share it here for you.

For the last couple years, I’ve been on a quest for balance in my life. Just basic things like a couple days off a week and the time necessary to create the best work possible regardless of budget elude me.

I’d like to argue that a decent income can no longer get you a bit of savings and a roof over your head due to the poor planning and selfishness of previous generations, but when it comes down to it, I have taken on far more than I should financially making it so that I need to work constantly. This has little to do with me being a workaholic, being inefficient, or not charging enough, the amount I work is basically out of necessity to cover expenses.

Seeing the now famous documentary ‘The Story Of Stuff’ again recently was a reality check for me. I couldn’t stop thinking, how did I become one of those people, that in their quest for stuff they thought they needed, (no matter how ‘necessary’) had sacrificed balance in life? Sure, I deserve to have a nice car, and own a great home, but the reality of the world, where I live in North America anyway, is that it’s not really possible for most people if you want to have balance and freedom in your life.

I’ve realized that having time, for myself, and things important to me besides my work is not only essential to helping me be the person I’m meant to be, but it is more important to me than any of those things that society tells us we need, or think will bring happiness. In fact, I’ve started getting rid of as much as I can, starting with things that are worth money, including big things like my new car, and my home. And before you think I’ve lost it, I’m not the only successful business owner to do so, Derek Sivers, founder of the largest indie music retailer in the world wrote a great blog about doing just this called ‘Ahh, to own nothing’.

Getting rid of stuff that ties you down is so freeing and liberating!

And I’ve started to build my businesses with the same philosophy, so I can operate anywhere, without being tied down to one place. It’s a monumental task, but thanks to developments in management techniques, outsourcing and technology, It can now be done.

Next, I’m focusing on the 20% of my actions that are actually effective, and reducing or eliminating the 80% that aren’t. A great book I just finally read that is helping me with this ‘The Power Of Focus’.

At this point, I’m working on getting a few days off a month. By the end of the year, I expect to have a 5 day work week like most of the planet…

So what has helped you achieve the balance you want in life?

Check out this amazing video about human progress and change through technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o9nmUB2qls

Today I am celebrating Nawruz – which is not only the Persian, but the Baha’i New Year. It concludes 19 days of fasting during daylight and I look forward to this next year and am very excited about what it will bring.

Today is also my 9 year official anniversary as a Baha’i. Although many who know me may not realize it, The Baha’i faith has profoundly changed my life and brought endless blessings, rewards, knowledge and awareness in all things. It has also united me with a worldwide community in over 220 countries and territories, greatly expanding my awareness and insight into the people we share this planet with.

This marks my third new years celebration this year, Gregorian, Chinese, and now Baha’i!

Here’s Hoping you have a Happy Nawruz and fantastic year ahead, as well as a lovely spring time!

‘

‘

President Obama’s excellent message to those celebrating Naw Ruz:

Finally had a chance to watch the latest Depeche Mode video from their upcoming album, “Sounds Of The Universe” Released April 20th.

I love how it eludes to the direction so many lives have taken particularly in North America that are on a path that is completely the opposite of where they should be, and it’s gotten to a point where they can’t turn things around no matter how much they may want to…

Did my own mash up of a Depeche Mode remix last year…

As a follow up to my previous post about a song Elika released, ‘Persecution’ about oppression of the Baha’is in Iran, I wanted to post some videos about the issues that more clearly expose Iran’s practices:

Other great videos exist that I wanted to share but they have been removed from Youtube.

.
Here is also a commentary on CNN.com by actor from ‘The Office’ Rainn Wilson:

cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/17/wilson.faith/?iref=mpstoryview

.

.

Artist Elika Mahony has made a special release of a song we worked on called ‘Persecution’ dedicated to Baha’is in Iran who have been persecuted for their Faith despite posing zero threat to the government, or showing any signs of aggression in any way towards anyone.

You can find out more about it, and listen/download it on Elika’s blog post about it here.

It was a rushed production, so not as refined or elaborate as usual, but Elika wanted to get it out without delay to help spread awareness… The amazing thing about this kind of web release though is that within 24 hours of mixing the song, we were getting feedback from hundreds of people who had listened to it and downloaded the song! It was also impressive to see the web activity of people sharing the song online. Immediate feedback, rather than months later was very exciting.

Leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran, recently arrested for their beliefs

The plight of the Baha’is in Iran is a truly sad one, many have been martyred, including Elika’s own great uncle, and the current head of the Baha’i administration in Iran were recently arrested soley for their beliefs, although the Iranian government makes up all kinds of other reasons for detaining them. Information from a friend who knows a relative of one of the prisoners who was finally able to talk to them said they use psychological torture on the prisoners, such as keeping them in a white room, in white clothes, with white food for weeks on end without beds or chairs. This is apparently so there are no signs of physical torture. The ultimate objective is to get them to recant their beliefs, as the fundamentalist clergy in Iran feel the Baha’is are a threat to Islam.

The bizarre thing is that Iran feels that by disrupting and eradicating the Baha’i Faith there, they will somehow affect the Faith in a concrete way, despite the fact that there are Baha’is in over 220 other countries and territories around the world! But perhaps the most interesting thing is the backlash that is happening in Iran and worldwide as a result of these recent arrests. Many Iranians who know Baha’is personally know this is an unjust and cruel act on the part of the government, and is causing an uprising against the government giving them more trouble than they could have every imagined.

I just got back last week from another trip to Beijing, my longest one yet as I had 3 projects to work on and a number of meetings…

I was working with artist Elika Mahony as usual, she has just released a new album on the theme of Love, ‘Birds of Love’ that we were consulting about the promotion for, and developing a limited edition version of. We were also recording new material for an upcoming new age style progressive pop album as well as her instrumental album.

Those alone were very exciting projects and it was amazing to work in person with Elika, she accomplished what I feel are her best vocal performances yet on this trip… But I was also working on a Chinese spiritual CD with some local Chinese artists including Chinese pop music legend, Cheng Lin that I will talk more about in the future.

A new project I was working on there, and one of my most unique and culturally diverse was an ambient instrumental relaxation album for Green T. Living owner, Jin R, who is also a very talented artist and performer of the beautiful Yang Qin, which I think is my new favorite instrument.
There are so many talented artists in China playing traditional instruments in new ways, You can have all the experience in the world, or a degree from a music production school, but finding and working with undiscovered talent like this is one of the most rewarding things for a producer.

Jin R had quite an ambitious and creative concept for her new album, one that would provide a soundtrack for guests of her new bath house. The concept was ‘A journey with a cup of tea’, one that you would take without leaving the relaxing confines of the bath house, so I helped her develop the album so that it went from traditional ancient Chinese roots using such ancient instruments as the Gu Qin (over 2000 years old, to the Yang Qin, to the flute and synthesizer with various sound ambiances and real world elements.

I used a Rode NT-4 stereo mic to capture the natural ambience of some of these instruments.
It’s really quite something, you may have to take a trip to Beijing to get a copy though…

For the first time, brought the mobile equivalent of my entire studio setup to work on these projects, but ran into a few challenges when I forgot that China is on 220 power! Luckily, some of my equipment such as an external hard drive with all my sound libraries, and USB hub with all my software licenses were able to run on 220 without a converter. A very good thing, as I plugged them in without thinking about it in my excitement… Not a good thing for the preamp I wanted to add to Elika’s studio. We got it fixed very quickly there, but it never quite sounded the same.

www.flickr.com/photos/jaromematthew/sets/72157615008213764/

More about the music industry related aspects of my trip are on the Pro Soul Alliance blog.

• @ElysianFields Happy Ayyam-I-Ha to you, hope your enjoying it. in reply to ElysianFields #
• RT @dubber: RT @soundboy: whosampled.com is pretty cool if you’re a sample geek (For example Eminem My name is… http://is.gd/ldhr) #
• Jarome met with Tze Ern , founder of Linkedin Music 2.0 group in beijing today to discuss music biz & China facebook youtube equivalents… #
• @FluffyStarr can’t wait for the show this month! Let’s get together soon for dinner with Jimbo in reply to FluffyStarr #
• started fasting today for the next 19 days to more deeply connect with our true nature & appreciate the material things we have more… #
• just got back to Vancouver from an amazing and productive Beijing trip, trying to get on this time zone. Happy to see Felisha but miss China #
• @modifaeble yes, learning to love China, and learned a lot about the music industry there which is ahead other countries… will blog soon in reply to modifaeble #
• @brianherbert isn’t hootsuite the best way to manage multiple twitter accounts? http://hootsuite.com in reply to brianherbert #
• RT @mikeashworth: fan page changes on way for Facebook. you’ll be able to invite friends to join them. http://twurl.nl/spav4l #
• @copong congrats on your first baby! Exciting. That may be the case for us this year if adoption goes as planned… in reply to copong #
• @bahiyyih I’m back and ready to continue with it, so let me know when you want to book those sessions! in reply to bahiyyih #
• RT @FutureMusicTalk: No Doubt coming to Van, Gives Away Entire Catalog To Fans purchasing $15 tour club membership:http://tinyurl.com/csg3cr #
• Is putting all the studio components back together after the mobile recording setup & prepping for teaching tonight. #
• been dealing with web domain and host technical issues all day with various companies… can’t wait to switch to http://www.mosso.com #
• @Mosso wanted to use you guys from the beginning, but I need enough clients to justify that with http://www.prosoul.com & we’re almost there in reply to Mosso #
• @TJsDJs good luck, most top rated supposed 99% uptime web hosts have let me down big time, mosso.com is prob your only sure bet in reply to TJsDJs #
• it seems the only way to be successful with twitter is to have a ton of free time, am I right? I figure top tweeters spend 4 to 6 hours/day #
• Is going skiing on Sunday for the first time this year, 3pm. Let me know if you want to go! #

• is recording with the legendary Cheng Lin. http://www.chenglinmusic.com It’s great to work with such a humble professional #
• is recording harmonies for exciting new age/progressive pop song with Elika. She just released an album & is already working on new songs. #
• is excited to know that Parham is finally a happily married man and is celebrating his union with Maryam today. Wish I could have been there #
• @MichaelTeske: Found you through @MrTweet. always like to keep in touch with fellow world citizens! #
• @justplainpaul: Found you through @MrTweet. I have a lot of slashes too in my title… #
• is recording exotic Chinese percussion and 3000 year old traditional folk elements for Jin R’s new age project ‘Journey with a cup of tea’ #
• @heatherdore would love to work with lyrics you wrote! in reply to heatherdore #
• is recorded exotic Chinese percussion, the ancient Gu Qin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gu_qin , & bamboo flute today… in China! How cool. #
• is disappointed at the lousy service Telus has not only locally but overseas. Telus is a terrible company, do not do business with them! #
• RT @Debbas: “Every 30 seconds there is a bankruptcy in the US” Obama Sad how greed of some has crippled a great nation… #
• Really annoying how Firefox on OSX Leopard won’t load pages properly when you use tabs… I have such a low tolerance for crappy things #
• don’t really care how fantastic, new, fast, feature laden, and seemingly special new software is if it’s buggy & inefficient! #
• recorded my new favorite instrument today, the Yang Qin with Jin R. Gorgeous instrument… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang_qin #
• is celebrating Baha’i festival of Ayyam-I-Ha. Already got nice gifts, chocolate macadamias, Birds of Love Limited Edition, african sculpture #
• is working on Jin R’s music today #