This is a repost of Dan’s blog published earlier this week. It got some attention this week from some great people over at The High Calling and we thought we’d share it again.

Recently, the business side of my brain is adjusting. Adjusting to accommodate change. It would seem that I’m forever refining what I’m working on, sometimes because it would be nice but mostly out of necessity. With all the adjustments and stretching I’ve been going through I’ve been encouraged by a documentary this week and you should know it.

Foo Fighters – Back and Forth

After 7 studio albums, packed crowds for world tours and millions of records sold, it’s easy to look at Foo Fighters as a success. What I didn’t realize was the struggle they’ve had since their inception 16 years ago. Nothing seemed handed to them, instead most circumstances seemed conflicted. I’m sure it din’t hurt Dave Grohl that he had massive success in his last band but since he was starting on a different instrument and in a different role, it was a whole new ball game.

It’s a great documentary walking through each of the albums and the backstory behind each member of the band. With highlights on each person that was added and those who quit, were forced out or asked to leave. Huge drama unfolding on the MTV stage for all the world to see. As you’d imagine there’s lots of musical gems for anyone who’s been following their career for a while and the people around the band like Butch Vig and Eddie Vedder.

The part that struck me the most was just months after Kurt Cobains suicide and the dissolving of Nirvana, Grohl gets a phone call from Tom Petty and is asked to join the Heartbreakers. The screen fills with footage of Grohl actually playing with the band on Saturday Night Live in 1994. An Dave recounts that he had to make a tough decision; to play drums with Tom Petty and idol of his or start trying to do something with this demo tape he recorded all on his own where he’d be the front man/guitar player.

It’s a classic decision that we all get in do I stay with the comfortable shoes or do I swing for the fences. It’s a battle of “I took the road less traveled by and that made all the difference.” (Robert Frost) versus “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them” (Thoreau).

When I hear that the struggle to know the right answer in those circumstances hits all of us… it’s so encouraging. Don’t put pressure on yourself to know the answer right off the bat instead of going 12 rounds with the idea and figuring out how it’s going to work.

So start lacing up your shoes and tape up your hands. Make a decision:  Will you stay with what you’ve already done and not experience anything new or buckle your emotional safety belt and go for the gusto? Let’s know what “made all the difference” together.

Also see this documentary, it’s great story especially if you dig on the Seattle music scene in the 90′s.

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