Don’t Give Up!

I’m Andy Temte and welcome to the Saturday Morning Muse! Start to your weekend with me by exploring topics that span leadership, business management, education, and other musings designed to support your journey of personal and professional continuous improvement. Today is November 23, 2024.

Yesterday represented the culmination of a decades-long dream. My rock band, The Remainders, released its first full-length LP to music streaming services worldwide. Feel Something New.

Album cover art for Feel Something New by The Remainders - Cover Art by Ava Shively

I grew up in a musical household and the rock’n roll bug bit me hard in 1977—a year that is now part of the golden era of classic rock. Songs like Hotel California by the Eagles, Don’t Look Back, by Boston, Feels Like the First Time, by Foreigner, and Come Sail Away, by Styx made their debuts on rock radio stations nationwide. I was all of 14, but knew that this style of music was mine to explore and perform.

At 17, I’d dropped out of high school to pursue an ill-conceived plan of making it big in the music industry. After four years of touring the Upper Midwest and making minimal progress toward the dream, I called it quits to pursue the more economically reliable path of post-secondary education and entry into the traditional world of work. The band never got signed to a label and we never committed ourselves to the business of music and the business of creating and promoting original music. The dream was put on an indefinite pause.

Instead, an undergraduate degree in economics led me to a masters in finance and ultimately a Ph.D in that same discipline. A rewarding career ensued helping individuals earn high stakes professional credentials to enhance their career prospects and personal/family economy. Fortunately, the skills I had honed as a musician and performer early in my life paid significant dividends during my career as an educator, entrepreneur, and senior executive. It turns out that the skill of storytelling is one of the most important skills for career success—irrespective of the path that one chooses to pursue. But I digress…

When I made the leap from music to education in my early twenties, the mistake I made was to convince myself that it had to be all or nothing—that I had to leave music behind to maximize the likelihood of success of this alternative path in education, entrepreneurship, and leadership. It wasn’t until I turned 40 that I allowed myself to explore what a life of music and business might look like. We’ll save the stories about that tumultuous and transformative time of my life for another time, but the important point for this Muse is that focusing both on my chosen vocation (education and leadership) and my avocation (music) was a key accelerant for my career.

Now, sitting here and second-guessing the decision I made in my early twenties—to view music and career as a binary choice—is not a fruitful exercise. We can lament all we want about the woulda-shoulda-coulda scenarios that may have played out had different choices been made along our life’s path, but doing so typically leads to unnecessary emotional waste and getting caught in the vortex of the spin cycle.

So now we fast forward to today. At 61, I have put the rat race of Corporate America in the rear view mirror to focus on this next chapter of my life where giving back and setting the next generations up for success in life and work is the top priority. As for the band, the first twenty years of my avocation and musical outlet—The Remainders—was focused on (a) being the best classic/modern rock cover band we could possibly be, and (b) being a great community partner by engaging in musical philanthropy.

But now it’s time for a new chapter—one where I stand and say “I’m not finished—I’ve got more to contribute.” It’s time to make the dream of creating a lasting work of art that will outlive me a reality. Just because I’m in my early 60s does not mean that I lack the energy to create new music to give to the world. Music that I’m deeply proud of and hope resonates with listeners of all ages.

I encourage you to ask yourself about the dreams that you’ve put on pause to achieve other, more immediate goals? What’s missing from your life that, if you picked it up again—whatever ‘it’ is—would make you more whole and would enrich your life? I also encourage you to challenge the narratives you’ve written for yourself around pursuing your dreams.

Many of us swaddle ourselves in the warmth and comfort of narratives like “I’m too old,” or “nobody wants to listen,” or “that ship has sailed.” Yes, there are times when the ravages of time and age make pursuing a dream from our youth difficult, if not impossible to achieve. Should you take up full contact football in your 60s? Not a great idea. Can you reconnect with the sport by lending your time and talents as an assistant coach for a local team? Sure.

So what’s the main message today? Don’t give up. Don’t give up on yourself, and don’t give up on your dreams. Remember, though, dreams are just dreams in the absence of a plan and the dedication and real effort to execute on the plan. Get up off the couch, turn off the TV, start small, and commit to growth. Just like when you were in your early career, persist, believe, pivot and adjust if necessary, but keep going. The alternative is to stand still and watch as others pursue their dreams.

Now, while it may appear on the surface that this Muse is all about me and the achievement of my dream, I would not be celebrating this milestone without the help of others—many others. While there are many people to thank, I’d like to first and foremost recognize my son, collaborator, and business partner, Nick Temte. The album Feel Something New would not exist without his incredible talent and commitment to excellence. I am forever grateful.

Listen to Feel Something New by The Remainders on your favorite music streaming service today. Here’s the link to the album on Spotify and Apple Music.

Grace. Dignity. Compassion.