I have worked in the homes of many successful people and have seen firsthand that everyone fails in life, but failure can be a gift if you don't give up and are willing to learn, improve, and grow because of it. You see, failure often serves as a defining moment, a crossroads on the journey of your life. It gives you a test designed to measure your courage, perseverance, commitment, and a dedication. Are you a pretender who gives up after a little adversity or a contender who keeps getting up after getting knocked down?

So often the difference between success and failure is belief. Belief leads to action and execution.

Everyone wants to do what the great ones do; but very few are willing to do what they did to become great

I have to say, music was always my self preservation survival technique. This sort of sacred space in my life and in my mind.

Particularly, in my situation, I needed a way out of where I was. So music was that.

I had played some festivals with people and met and been around some good people, for sure. But what I say to my friends and students, anything like that with a grant or a competition, it involves a great deal of luck.

My mother was a singer, and I never heard her sing a note in my life.