One day my cell phone rang.

It doesn’t ring very often because very few people have the number.

I didn’t recognize the calling number, and there was no Caller ID name listed, so I figured it was a random sales call and declined it.

But a minute later, the phone rang again.

Same number.

Again, I declined it.

But a few minutes later, I got notified of a message.

Curious, I played the voice mail.

I was shocked at what I heard.

It was a slightly muffled conversation between two people, a man and a woman, bad mouthing my music.

It was like being a fly on the wall, listening to a couple bash your first born.

Specifically, they were quite openly thrashing my first singer-songwriter album, Strut!, from 2012.

My first singer-songwriter album

My first singer-songwriter album 2012

“It’s trash!” the woman said.

“It’s really garbage!” the man said.

I was shocked.

Baffled.

Hurt.

I recognized the woman’s voice.

I thought she was a friend.

Their entire conversation lasted several minutes.

Since the woman had “butt dialed” me by accident, she didn’t have a clue that their exchange had been recorded.

But it was.

I’m not sure how you would feel if you overheard people you know trashing something you created out of love and passion, but I was confused.

I reached out to my music support team, my friends who helped create that first album, and told them what happened.

They were angry.

They wanted to call the woman and give her a piece of their mind.

I didn’t want to do that.

I wanted to process the Twilight Zone-ish experience and see what I could learn.

As I meditated on the bizarre event, I realized a few things –

  • not everyone likes my books (!)
  • not everyone likes me (?)
  • much of music today doesn’t appeal to me

Of course, I wouldn’t call someone and tell them my opinion of their books or music or them, but realizing that not everyone loves me or my work, while baffling, was somehow comforting.

And then I thought about all the good things regarding my first singer-songwriter album.

Musician makes cover

Musician makes cover

For example –

  • Strut! has original songs that were nominated for awards,
  • one song was turned into a music video with over 300,000 views,
  • the album was mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine,
  • the songs were recorded with the help of Grammy nominated people
  • and one Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician,
  • and I was voted #1 singer-songwriter by Reverbnation for it.
Voted #1 singer-songwriter 3 years

Voted #1 singer-songwriter 3 years

So, obviously, my music must not be “trash.”

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but what is?

And I admit that my later albums – such as One More Day (a bestseller that sold out almost instantly after it was released and includes Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster on one hypnotic track) – reveal a more polished singer-songwriter, but I doubt that the first album was that bad.

Latest Bestselling CD sold out

Latest Bestselling CD sold out

Not everyone loves Elvis, the Beatles, Lady Gaga, or Neil Diamond – and those people are legends – but not everyone likes any of the hundreds of thousands of new, alternative, jazz or any of a staggering amount of music coming out today, either.

So, what are you or I going to do?

Stop?

Give up?

Let the critics win?

Mark Twain wrote in his autobiography –

“I believe that the trade of critic, in literature, music, and the drama, is the most degraded of all trades, and that it has no real value–certainly no large value…However, let it go. It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden.” – Mark Twain

I’m with Twain, but I didn’t get to the same conclusion overnight.

All of this was a day-long process.

It took me more than a few minutes to get clarity.

After I realized that what I was given was an opportunity to clear up some limiting beliefs I had about approval, I was free to turn the event into a teaching lesson for you and me both, hence this post.

As I wrote in my book, The Attractor Factor, I pulled a TIISG: Turn It Into Something Good.

As you pursue your dreams and goals, you will probably encounter a person or two that doesn’t approve.

You have to continue forward anyway.

There will always be critics.

Their job is easy: put you or your project down.

Your job is harder but more rewarding:

Allow them their opinion, and continue towards your vision.

After all, everyone with a butt has an opinion.

And if you’re really worried about being butt dialed a bad review, just turn off your phone.

Ao Akua,

joe

"Dare Something Worthy!"

"Dare Something Worthy!"

PS – If you want to see for yourself how bad my music is, go review all 15 albums I’ve created over the last 4 years at All Healing Music.

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

12 Comments

  1. Jimbo-Reply
    November 22, 2015 at 9:23 am

    I believe that the opposite of every great truth is also a great truth. The fact that someone hates your music is the very evidence that someone loves your music.

    • November 22, 2015 at 9:57 am

      Great reminder, Jimbo. Thank you.

  2. November 22, 2015 at 11:06 am

    No real, strong, dogmatic belief about the opinion of another. Preference is to be in the joy factor. Appreciate comment by Jimbo, as no matter what, in this dimension, whatever is focused on – has its opposite. Most may know this to be true, yet, when a feeling is allowed in feeling contrast to what we prefer, how simple is it to forget what we know? I admit, I do so frequently. I also get to see this for what it is – laugh at it and appreciate the feeling because it is different. More gentle reminders of where my preference is.

    I prefer to be in ease throughout my day. Certain that I am connected to Source. Feeling the reality of comfort and love. Taking responsibility – clearing Ho’oponopono. Finally – closing with the Peace of “I”. Life is so awesome! Thank you for sharing.

    • November 22, 2015 at 12:13 pm

      You are so right. Life is awesome. 🙂

  3. November 22, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    There is so much love and passion in your songs as in everything else you do or say. So I hope you will always go on. Stay as you are. You made that big change in my life possible and I bet I’m not alone with this statement. Thank you for everything and I love you:-)

    • November 22, 2015 at 12:14 pm

      Well, Christiane, you made my day. Thank you. 🙂

  4. Brad-Reply
    November 22, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Hi Joe,

    You are truly one of my psychic mentors. You have impacted my life in many ways. All the best to you.

  5. November 22, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    I’m one of the ones that love your music.

    In fact, I have every one of your song albums on the stereo in my bedroom, where they play quietly at night while I sleep. Waking up to hear “One More Day,” “The Choice,” or “Everybody’s Goin Thru Somethin,” for example, puts a smile on my face as I go back to sleep.

    Keep on. There are many who appreciate your work.

    • November 23, 2015 at 6:39 am

      Stephen, I can always count on you for a loving and supportive comment. I appreciate it, and you.

  6. Elisabetta-Reply
    November 24, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Hi Joe. I’ve just happened to be betrayed by a dear friend. As a long term reader of yours I know it happened to you several times too. Is it a sad pattern we both share? We should work on it, shouldn’t we? It burns, I know it burns. I’m not dealing very well with it, but I’m going to find out what hidden believes it relates to.
    Keep doing what you love most. And thank you for being such a honest man not ashamed to show his vulnerability.

    • November 24, 2015 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Elisabetta. I’m sorry for your experience. I know the feeling. I know I had a “program” about mistrust and I have cleared it. We all have limiting beliefs but we can all clear them. Don’t let the incident cause you to lose faith, trust, or love. Continue onwards and expect miracles. And thank you for your kind words.

  7. Elisabetta-Reply
    November 25, 2015 at 1:40 am

    Thank you so much:)

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