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IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD
Get out of your way
In It’s All In Your Head (2019), the prolific composer, producer, and performer Russ describes his remarkable musical journey. At age 17 he became convinced that he was destined to be a famous musician. Six years and 80 songs later, he finally broke through to the big time. In these blinks, Russ shares the motivational techniques he used to achieve success against enormous odds.
- Aspiring artists looking for inspiration about how to build a career on their own terms
- Hip-hop lovers interested in the backstory of one of the most prolific rappers of our time
- Anyone who needs a bit of motivation to take a creative risk
Russell Vitale (stagename Russ) is an American musician, composer, and producer. His twelfth album Where Is the Wolf sold over one million copies, and his hit songs have had hundreds of millions of views on YouTube. In 2017, Russ got signed by a record label for the first time, netting a lucrative deal with Columbia Records that would allow him to keep the rights to his own catalog of songs. It’s All In Your Head (2019) is his first book.
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IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD
Get out of your way
- Read in 12 minutes
- Audio & text available
- Contains 7 key ideas
Synopsis
In It’s All In Your Head (2019), the prolific composer, producer, and performer Russ describes his remarkable musical journey. At age 17 he became convinced that he was destined to be a famous musician. Six years and 80 songs later, he finally broke through to the big time. In these blinks, Russ shares the motivational techniques he used to achieve success against enormous odds.
Key idea 1 of 7
Having unshakeable self-confidence was key to Russ being able to achieve his dreams.
Russ had no evidence to prove he would be successful, yet he maintained an unshakeable confidence in himself. That confidence was what got him through the tough times when he was working tirelessly on songs in his parents’ basement, and no one else seemed to appreciate his music.
Russ understood the power of a positive mantra. In 2011, aged 19, he and his best friend Bugus went to Los Angeles for a visit. They had always dreamed that one day, one of their music videos would appear on MTV. So while they were driving around, they kept repeating the mantra: “We’re going to get on MTV.”
Of course, they also had to take action to realize the dream. They set up an energetic campaign “harassing” an MTV executive on Twitter, and begged him to take a look at their music. Eventually, he agreed. He ended up liking them so much, he put them on MTV! Russ and Bugus had to hustle to get what they wanted, but it all started with them having a clear vision and believing that they could achieve it.
As this example shows, it’s important to share your ambitions with the world – and to harness the power of social media.
Russ regularly broadcast his dreams on Twitter as if they were reality. He once tweeted that he was making a “million dollars a beat,” even though he was totally broke and hardly earning anything at that stage. He didn’t say: “One day I’ll make a lot of money.” He claimed he was already earning what he wanted to be earning because in his mind it was a done deal; he was just waiting for reality to catch up.
If you, like Russ, have a wild dream that you want to pursue, then follow his example – visualize the reality you want to inhabit.
Say you want to buy a new house. Try to imagine how you’ll feel walking through the front door with keys in hand. Imagine the crystal blue of your pool and how it will feel to soak up the sun from the comfort of your new sun lounger. Even if you’re broke and have no idea how to pay your rent – never mind a house – you can still dream. And make sure to share your dreams with the world so that other people know what you’re aiming for. Ambition is nothing to be ashamed of!
Key ideas in this title
- Having unshakeable self-confidence was key to Russ being able to achieve his dreams.
- Forget about external measures of success. Russ’s journey shows that it’s important to focus on doing what you love.
- Having support from the people around him helped Russ persevere through the tough times.
- Russ combined positive thinking with hard work to achieve his musical ambitions.
- Russ’s key to success was being self-sufficient and acquiring new skills.
- Having a breakdown helped Russ to focus on what really mattered.
- Final summary
