First time here? Get Your FREE Essential Guide To Busking Online E-Course. You can subscribe to our updates by Email or RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Well I’m not rich and I’m not overly famous, but my lifestyle is on a par – arguably better.
As the rest of Australia freezes in record low temperatures, I drive along the dusty red road, heading north to Australia’s best kept secret location. Listening to great music with the sun streaming in through the window and the sounds of Australia echoing in my ears, both from the call of the outback desert wilderness and the thumping beat of the stereo as it blasts out another classic Aussie highway tune.
As I headed north towards the warmer weather, leaving behind the awesome red rock and the breath-taking heart of Australia, I felt a mixture of emotions… from great inspiration to great expectations. Sadly waving goodbye to one incredible part of the world and at the same time, excitedly heading towards the warmer, more enticing tropical region of this big brown land where many Australians escape to for the winter. The solitude of the outback encouraged me to reflect on what an amazing lifestyle I have and what a magnificent country I was born in. It’s this subject that I would like to blog about today as I believe lifestyle is becoming more and more important to many, with lots of people now putting lifestyle ahead of career or the amount of wealth they have, their celebrity status, or the number of other pursuits that many people often put before quality of life.
As people go past me on the street when I’m performing, it is often assumed that I have a difficult life. I can tell this by a certain look on their faces or from talking to the many passers-by, fans and well wishers who have stopped to chat with me over the years. I’m thankful for their interest in what I do, but as for their concerns about my lifestyle - well, in fact… I actually do have a career and a ‘proper job’, although it may not seem that way to those people who have taken the time to stop and speak to me. Interestingly enough, I often discover that in many cases, I have a happier, richer and more fulfilling ‘career’ and lifestyle than they do. I don’t say this to put others down but to emphasise that busking offers an incredible lifestyle and has many hidden advantages that most people are completely unaware of.
And here’s an example of just one of them…I’m extremely grateful for the ‘land down under’ and the opportunity to travel across it and around it performing if I want to, whenever and wherever I choose. It’s adventures like the one I’m currently on that opened up yet another opportunity for me to perform in a very unique venue in the Northern Territory – a place called Daly Waters which is one of those classic Aussie outback one-pub towns (that means there is nothing else in the town except 1 pub!). I dropped into this historic village for a look around, a reminisce and a cold beer to break up the long distances inbetween roadhouses and townships. I wasn’t planning to stay here longer than an hour, but after chatting to Frank – a lively, vibrant character who was the town’s jack-of-all-trades, he quickly detected that I was a musician and invited me to play a short set later that night. I found out that this guy also happened to be providing the on-stage entertainment for the evening and was up to his 78th consecutive night of performing at that pub. So, not only did my family get accommodation with dinner and ice-creams afterwards, but I got to perform in one of the most original venues on the planet. When I first walked into that pub, I said to my wife “now this is the kind of place I’d love to play!” This comment was made about an hour before I met the guy who invited me to perform.
Frank playing his 78th consequtive gig (note the chicken on his hat!)
Don’t miss the live chickens perched in front of me – where they stayed for the entire show.
Playing a live show gives you instant credibility – people will tell others about you; you can add the performance to your resume; add names to your mailing list and what’s more, if the people like your music, it feels great to suddenly have a captive audience and the opportunity to sell some CD’s. On top of the other perks and tips thrown in – it can be just as profitable as a good session at your favourite busking hot spot. So, I may not have been officially busking that night, but this type of opportunity is a result of my busking escapades and has been happening to me all over the world every time I’ve set off on an unplanned, impromptu busking walkabout. Importantly none of this would have happened if I was sitting in my 9-5 job or stuck in a rut because I keep telling myself that I can’t travel outback or go overseas because I don’t have the money, the time, the resources, etc, etc, etc.
The greatest tip you’ll hear from many performers or famous and successful people is that “you will never, ever be ready” or “ it will never be the right time”. What they are trying to say is – if you keep making excuses as to why you can’t get out and do exactly what you WANT to do - like record a CD, perform live, travel the world, busk, etc… you’ll keep waiting for the time to be right, or things to get better, or have enough money before you get out there and do it. This usually results in it never happening at all. Absolutely nothing changes and more often than not, you miss many great opportunities to live the life of your dreams. And even more frustratingly, your lifestyle will stay exactly the same.
I wasn’t a talented singer or song writer when I first went out to play my music on the street, but not only did my creative talents improve, I opened up a whole world of opportunities that have changed my life for the better. I took what I thought was an enormous risk and left a great job at a time in my life when I was a young adult, moving quickly up the career ranks. Most people thought I was throwing away a promising career and future in a very secure government job.
I’m so glad I took that risk and listened to my heart and not all my well-meaning friends and relatives. I now have an even better career and my future gets more and more exciting each day. Most importantly I’m living an extraordinary lifestyle and my friends constantly comment on how incredible my life is… just as good as the rich and famous, yet without all the commotion and hullabaloo.
I encourage you to do whatever it takes to start living the life of your dreams instead of watching everyone else doing it on TV!
Maybe my latest video busking tips will help you take the plunge… they can be found at http://www.youtube.com/johnniemacband
Cheers to busking and the great Aussie outback!
Johnnie Mac
Similar Posts:
- The Great Aussie Outback Busk!
- The Power and The Passion
- Rock Around The Rock
- Every Busker loves A Happy Ending! And a New Adventure!
- Outback Busking Adventure Part 1 -A happy dose of the Ningaloo Blues
Johnnie Mac is a world class, professional, leading street performer, turned celebrated musician. He is the only Aussie Professional Busker who provides a fast, reliable and sure-fire Busking System that can transform any busker into a well paid and highly acclaimed entertainer enjoying a remarkably exciting lifestyle. To discover 101 Essential Tips to Have More Fun and Earn More Money Busking visit http://www.BuskerWorld.com/theBuskersBible
