Life without balance between drive, rhythm, and margin is like driving an automobile with tires out of balance. It can be done; however, the journey is unpleasant.

Drive is your passion, the fuel for your life engine, and firepower for your heart. It is energy, the best predictor of your health. No drive means poor health, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.  

Rhythm is your music producer. Without music, life is dull and bland. Sound without rhythm is just noise, not music.  

Margin/Space is silence, rest time. In sound, it creates the rhythm. In life, it becomes the sweet space of doing nothing. 

The American way is drive, do more, work harder, buy a house, then upscale for a larger house and a newer car–get more, sell more, do more. Drive is not the enemy of most working Americans. Margin is the enemy; too tired, too busy, not enough is the true enemy of most hard-working Americans.

How is your balance between drive, rhythm, and margin/space?

The acid test is a ruthless, honest self-diagnosis of the rhythm factor in your life. What kind of music are you making? Is it angry music? Is it joyful music? Is it busy music? Is it peaceful music? Or, is it music at all? Maybe just noise? 

Your music will also tell you about your drive. Do you need to liven your music or slow its tempo? Personally, drive has always been my strength; “get’er done” has been my trump card, and margin/space has been my enemy. Now, the cancer margin/space is my trump card, and drive/energy is my enemy.

Finding a rhythm is a precious prize that makes life sweet or bitter. Margin/space (silence) is the sacred, personal secret garden where music is born and breathed in each of us.  Beautiful music is the product of finding a balanced drive, rhythm, and margin/space.  Let’s make beautiful music!

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