Day 19: Frontier Sometimes a familiar album can suddenly sound like a new world. The new Rubber Soul reissues arrived today, and I picked up the five LP Super Deluxe Edition. The packaging is beautiful, the 88 page book is a liner notes dream, and the real revelation begins when the needle drops. Listening to the different takes and demos brings me closer to the four musicians in the room.

By the time The Beatles entered the recording studio in October 1965 to begin work on "Rubber Soul," they had already conquered the world. Their early songwriting had established them as an extraordinary creative force. Songs like "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had helped define an entire generation. They could have continued following that successful formula.

When we think about The Beatles, we often focus on the finished masterpieces. We celebrate the harmonies, innovative arrangements, and timeless songwriting. What we sometimes overlook is the joy of four musicians simply playing together. During the "Rubber Soul" sessions, The Beatles recorded an instrumental called "12 Bar Original." It was a bluesy groove that owed something to the musical spirit of Booker T.

Yesterday, we explored the importance of curiosity and the willingness to ask, "What if?" Curiosity opens the door to new possibilities, invites us to question familiar approaches, and encourages us to imagine something different. There is something exciting about allowing ourselves to wonder what might be possible. Today, we take that curiosity one step further with a simple but powerful word: …

Some albums become part of our lives in ways that transcend the music itself. They become connected to the places we have called home, the people who shaped us, and the experiences that continue to influence our journey. For me, Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" is one of those albums. Today marks the 50th anniversary of this extraordinary masterpiece, originally released on September 28, 1976.

This is Day 15 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, which means we have reached the halfway point of our month together. We have spent the past two weeks exploring the creative journey The Beatles took during the fall of 1965 as they recorded Rubber Soul along with “Day Tripper” and “We Can Work It Out.” Those two songs were released separately from the album as their first double A side single.

As we wrap up week two of "Four Weeks' to Rubber Soul," our landing for today's word is "Give." The word blends in as suitable ending for the 2nd week theme of the series being "Collaborate." Each member of The Beatles willing give of their strengths, ideas, and talents on each track of the "Rubber Soul" album. Their actions serve as a solid lesson for what it means to be a supportive collaborator in the creative process.

Today is Day 13 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, and the word for today is Persist. I have to admit that I am feeling this word in a very real way right now because this series has been more emotionally challenging than I expected. I have been showing up every day, writing blog posts, recording reels, sharing ideas, and inviting people into the conversation.

What if “Drive My Car” had stayed “Golden Rings?” That may be one of the great what if questions in Beatles lyrical history. Paul McCartney came into the writing process with the beginnings of a song and an idea involving golden rings, but the idea was not quite working. Rather than protecting the first version simply because it was his, Paul kept working with John Lennon until they found a new direction.

Today is Day 11 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, and our word is Mattering. Mattering is a word that carries a great deal of meaning for me. People need more than a place in the room. We need to know that we are seen, heard, valued, and needed. We need to know that our presence makes a difference and that our gifts have a place in the band.

Today is Day 10 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, and the word is Blend. This week is centered on the theme of collaboration. We have already explored the importance of bandmates and the power of invitation. Today moves us into what happens when different voices, ideas, influences, and perspectives actually come together. When we have the combination of contributing gifts from the hands of others, beautiful synergy happens.

Invite: Day 9 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul Welcome back to Four Weeks to Rubber Soul. We are embarking on a month long journey to explore creativity through the lens of The Beatles’ album Rubber Soul. The album took about a month to record, and I am engaging in my own daily challenge during these four weeks: do something creative each day in service of this series through blog posts, reels, reflection, and conversation.

Today is Day 8 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, and we begin a new theme in our four week journey. This week, we will explore the different ways creativity invites us to collaborate. Collaboration is woven throughout The Beatles story, and it is an essential ingredient of "Rubber Soul." For all of the individual personalities and voices within the group, this is very much a band album.

This is Day 7 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul, and today’s word is Reflect. We are also closing out Week 1, which has centered on the theme of Begin. The Beatles’ creative growth, so evident on Rubber Soul, came from entering the room with songs, fragments, influences, ideas, and a willingness to work. The lesson is not to achieve perfection before starting.

Today’s word for Day 6 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul is Listen. One of the things I love about The Beatles is how much they listened. They absorbed what was happening around them. Folk music. Soul. Motown. Indian music. Bob Dylan. The Beach Boys. They were fans, students, competitors, and curious creators all at once. They listened deeply, but they did not simply copy what they heard.

It can be daunting to face one's creativity and then put on display for others. There are many forms and permutations of this feeling. Perhaps, it's pressing "Publish" on a blog or reel. Maybe, it's sitting at the keyboard and literally facing the music. We create doubts, orchestrate judgement from others, and quietly place a watermark of failure on our work.

Day 4 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul: Practice Progression Not Perfection. The work gets better because we stay with it. Keep practicing. Keep creating. Keep going. #FourWeeksToRubberSoul #RubberSoul #TheBeatles #Creativity #Practice

This is Day 3 of Four Weeks to Rubber Soul. The Beatles start becoming more confident in their voice on the “Rubber Soul” album. Your voice matters and the world needs it.

Why spend four weeks talking about Rubber Soul? It is a fair question. This is an album released more than sixty years ago by a band whose story has been told countless times. I keep coming back to it because Rubber Soul captures something bigger than a collection of great songs. It captures what can happen when we give ourselves permission to create, experiment, and move beyond what people expect from us.

For Day 1 of my creativity series on The Beatles and their "Rubber Soul," I share a quick video riff. In this video riff, I simply invite you to begin. All creativity has to start somewhere after the catalyst for inspiration. It may not be a monumental beginning, but it's a start. The first day of the "Rubber Soul" sessions began with two songs, "Run For Your Life" and "Norwegian Wood." The former was later dismissed by its main author, John Lennon.

On September 14, I am starting a four week creative experiment and countdown inspired by one of my favorite albums and one of the most important records in popular music history. I am getting ready for the upcoming Super Deluxe Edition of Rubber Soul, arriving October 2, and I wanted to do more than simply count the days. I want to use that time to create.

I didn’t get the speaking gig. The email arrived, and I will admit that it rocked me a little. I felt the disappointment immediately. Then perspective started to find its way into the room. Sometimes I feel a little like Charlie Brown running toward that football. I know Lucy may pull it away. I run toward it anyway. For a long time, moments like this would send me straight into my feelings.

This summer was supposed to be my breakthrough. I was a featured speaker at a major conference. I was on a roll with regular blogging and podcasting. I was amidst writing my second book. I was working on putting together an LLC. Then, there were some hard realities that began to arise. My sessions at the conference were not well attended.

I have been thinking a great deal about noticing lately. My current morning reading is The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio, and one chapter in particular has stayed with me. The chapter explores noticing as the first step toward helping people feel they matter. That idea has lingered with me long after I closed the book. Two recent experiences reinforced that lesson.

I have been thinking a great deal about noticing lately. My current morning reading is The Power of Mattering by Zach Mercurio, and one chapter in particular has stayed with me. The chapter explores noticing as the first step toward helping people feel they matter. That idea has lingered with me long after I closed the book. Two recent experiences reinforced that lesson.

I have been sitting with something that is difficult to admit. I put a great deal of myself into the work I share. The blogs, podcasts, reflections, and Leadership Riffs often come from somewhere deep in my soul. When they are met with silence, especially from people I have consistently supported and celebrated, it hurts. This is not about keeping score or expecting applause.

Two years ago, I probably would have said no. I would have found an excuse. I would have allowed fear, discomfort, or uncertainty to talk me out of the moment. My eyes would have remained fixed on an email, a text, or a document. I would have been determined to beat the clock or conquer another deadline. This time, I said yes.

Here's an old post from the archive that I am re-blogging. In leadership, we often times downplay dreams. Sometimes dreams are viewed as impractical and wasteful when it comes to the daily grind. I still maintain a dream as an unabashed fan of The Beatles that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are going to visit my schoolhouse. Now that may seem impossible and you may dismiss me as a pitiful dreamer.

This is my 200th blog post. That number feels both impossible and deeply humbling. As I write these words after several weeks of traveling from Charlotte to Maine, then to Orlando, and finally to Chicago, I cannot help but wonder what the person who wrote Blog Post Number One would think of the person writing Blog Post Number Two Hundred.

Klaus Voorman was one of their earliest supporters, musically and otherwise, and remained into their solo days. He's certainly deserving of the "Fifth Beatle" title.

Podcast Episode · Vinyl Riffs with Sean Gaillard · April 19 · 20m

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