Hello again, Modern Drummer readers! In my first blog, I introduced myself to you. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, please check it out here.

In this blog, I’d like to talk about something I feel that is often overlooked in the music industry and by our peers, and that is positivity. To me, positivity is a way of life, not only in my drumming career but in my personal life as well. I heard something the other day that fascinated me. A baby smiles an average of four hundred plus times a day—whereas most adults average seventeen smiles a day. My mind was blown when I heard that! And it got me thinking even more about how being positive is a happier and more productive way to live. That led me to think about how that pertains to my career.

As a touring drummer spending most of every year on the road, I spend on average 22.5 hours of time with players and crew off stage and only 1.5 hours on stage with them. So how I act when not on stage affects them, and vice versa. We are all away from our families for extended periods of time, so being positive keeps everyone’s spirits up and leads to great shows. Who wants to be around someone who’s complaining all the time? The people that inspire me, both in playing and in life, are positive people who go for their dreams with a great attitude while not harming others along the way.

There are tons of great players in our industry. It’s inspiring and shows that we can always learn and improve. If you are not getting the gigs you are trying to get, or not get called back, look for reasons why. Make sure that you aren’t causing your own roadblocks on your way to achieving your dreams. It might very well be your attitude that is stopping you. Sadly, this business is full of setbacks and letdowns. It’s how we learn from them and bounce back that makes us stronger. People skills, attitude, relationships, and passion are as important as our playing in this business. I’ve heard stories on more than one occasion of artists hiring people due to their attitudes. Advertisement

Life is a journey full of lessons, and so are our careers. I wish all of you success and happiness, and I love the brotherhood of our drumming community. So be positive and Carpe Diem!

 

Check out Jason in the Brian Davis video “Hurt Like Hell Yeah” below: