okay hello Zach but I am Greg Mahan I graduated from here in 2014
graduated from here in 2014
graduated from here in 2014 and I study sound recording technology
and I study sound recording technology
and I study sound recording technology at the University of Massachusetts
at the University of Massachusetts
at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and I’m here to talk today about
Lowell and I’m here to talk today about
Lowell and I’m here to talk today about the second workday or what I’ve come to
the second workday or what I’ve come to
the second workday or what I’ve come to refer to as the artists workday for
refer to as the artists workday for
refer to as the artists workday for myself so when we think about the thing
myself so when we think about the thing
myself so when we think about the thing that’s most valuable to all of us in
that’s most valuable to all of us in
that’s most valuable to all of us in 2017 I think that you’ll find that the
2017 I think that you’ll find that the
2017 I think that you’ll find that the thing that a lot of people hold dear
thing that a lot of people hold dear
thing that a lot of people hold dear isn’t money or fame or power that’s
isn’t money or fame or power that’s
isn’t money or fame or power that’s something that you can’t buy but it’s
something that you can’t buy but it’s
something that you can’t buy but it’s something that governs every move that
something that governs every move that
something that governs every move that we make and I think the thing that we
we make and I think the thing that we
we make and I think the thing that we find most valuable to ourselves in 2017
find most valuable to ourselves in 2017
find most valuable to ourselves in 2017 is actually time it never seems like we
is actually time it never seems like we
is actually time it never seems like we have enough time in the day it’s always
have enough time in the day it’s always
have enough time in the day it’s always running around it’s waking up late
running around it’s waking up late
running around it’s waking up late hopping in the shower
hopping in the shower
hopping in the shower you know skipping breakfast racing down
you know skipping breakfast racing down
you know skipping breakfast racing down to the high school you know slowing down
to the high school you know slowing down
to the high school you know slowing down for the speed bumps and then coming in
for the speed bumps and then coming in
for the speed bumps and then coming in rushing in you know you have never have
rushing in you know you have never have
rushing in you know you have never have enough time your homework didn’t get
enough time your homework didn’t get
enough time your homework didn’t get done the night before but I think that
done the night before but I think that
done the night before but I think that when a lot of us think about time we
when a lot of us think about time we
when a lot of us think about time we trap ourselves into this cycle that’s up
trap ourselves into this cycle that’s up
trap ourselves into this cycle that’s up on the board right now and we
on the board right now and we
on the board right now and we compartmentalize our life into two
compartmentalize our life into two
compartmentalize our life into two categories which is work which a lot of
categories which is work which a lot of
categories which is work which a lot of us see as you know the boring stuff and
us see as you know the boring stuff and
us see as you know the boring stuff and then life which is everything after
then life which is everything after
then life which is everything after extracurricular it’s the things that we
extracurricular it’s the things that we
extracurricular it’s the things that we like to do whether it be you know sports
like to do whether it be you know sports
like to do whether it be you know sports or even just sitting on the couch and
or even just sitting on the couch and
or even just sitting on the couch and relaxing after a long day but when I got
relaxing after a long day but when I got
relaxing after a long day but when I got to college I found that during my
to college I found that during my
to college I found that during my freshman year I was pretty unsatisfied
freshman year I was pretty unsatisfied
freshman year I was pretty unsatisfied with how I was using my time it seemed
with how I was using my time it seemed
with how I was using my time it seemed like I would wake up I would take the
like I would wake up I would take the
like I would wake up I would take the shuttle to classes I would go through
shuttle to classes I would go through
shuttle to classes I would go through classes you know in between I would just
classes you know in between I would just
classes you know in between I would just kind of sit around you know go to the
kind of sit around you know go to the
kind of sit around you know go to the dining hall for like an hour and a half
dining hall for like an hour and a half
dining hall for like an hour and a half and just do nothing
and just do nothing
and just do nothing and then I would get off the shuttle and
and then I would get off the shuttle and
and then I would get off the shuttle and I would come home and I would just hang
I would come home and I would just hang
I would come home and I would just hang out and I would play video games with my
out and I would play video games with my
out and I would play video games with my friends for about six hours I would go
friends for about six hours I would go
friends for about six hours I would go sleep and then I would wake up the next
sleep and then I would wake up the next
sleep and then I would wake up the next day and I would repeat it over and over
day and I would repeat it over and over
day and I would repeat it over and over again
again
again and this all seemed fine to me until a
and this all seemed fine to me until a
and this all seemed fine to me until a point my sophomore year when I
point my sophomore year when I
point my sophomore year when I approached one of my professors and I
approached one of my professors and I
approached one of my professors and I said I really don’t feel like I’m
said I really don’t feel like I’m
said I really don’t feel like I’m getting enough out of my time here I
getting enough out of my time here I
getting enough out of my time here I said I feel like I come I’m putting all
said I feel like I come I’m putting all
said I feel like I come I’m putting all the work into my classes but then at the
the work into my classes but then at the
the work into my classes but then at the end of the day I just I don’t know I go
end of the day I just I don’t know I go
end of the day I just I don’t know I go home and I I feel unfulfilled I feel
home and I I feel unfulfilled I feel
home and I I feel unfulfilled I feel like I still have more that I can be
like I still have more that I can be
like I still have more that I can be doing with my time here at the
doing with my time here at the
doing with my time here at the University and he said well what do you
University and he said well what do you
University and he said well what do you do when you go home and I said oh I
do when you go home and I said oh I
do when you go home and I said oh I don’t know I just I just hang out I
don’t know I just I just hang out I
don’t know I just I just hang out I don’t do anything and he said I go right
don’t do anything and he said I go right
don’t do anything and he said I go right from UMass and I Drive into Boston and I
from UMass and I Drive into Boston and I
from UMass and I Drive into Boston and I do a gig in a pit for an orchestra or I
do a gig in a pit for an orchestra or I
do a gig in a pit for an orchestra or I go to dinner and I talk with someone
go to dinner and I talk with someone
go to dinner and I talk with someone about the work that I’m doing for this
about the work that I’m doing for this
about the work that I’m doing for this nonprofit or I do something as simple as
nonprofit or I do something as simple as
nonprofit or I do something as simple as I I go out with my wife and I see a
I I go out with my wife and I see a
I I go out with my wife and I see a movie but I try and make sure that I use
movie but I try and make sure that I use
movie but I try and make sure that I use all of this time as effectively as I can
all of this time as effectively as I can
all of this time as effectively as I can to better myself as an artist and as a
to better myself as an artist and as a
to better myself as an artist and as a person and so the way that I started
person and so the way that I started
person and so the way that I started thinking about things and something that
thinking about things and something that
thinking about things and something that I realized is that I had the same
I realized is that I had the same
I realized is that I had the same starting point as my professor as soon
starting point as my professor as soon
starting point as my professor as soon as the clock hit midnight and every
as the clock hit midnight and every
as the clock hit midnight and every night I still had all the same 24 hours
night I still had all the same 24 hours
night I still had all the same 24 hours that my professor had in his day and it
that my professor had in his day and it
that my professor had in his day and it seemed like he was doing so many
seemed like he was doing so many
seemed like he was doing so many incredible things with his time and I
incredible things with his time and I
incredible things with his time and I wanted to aspire to be like that
wanted to aspire to be like that
wanted to aspire to be like that I wanted to aspire to squeeze every last
I wanted to aspire to squeeze every last
I wanted to aspire to squeeze every last drop of inspiration and passion that I
drop of inspiration and passion that I
drop of inspiration and passion that I could out of every second of every
could out of every second of every
could out of every second of every minute of the 24 hours that we all get
minute of the 24 hours that we all get
minute of the 24 hours that we all get each day so I developed the concept that
each day so I developed the concept that
each day so I developed the concept that I’ve started to call the artists work
I’ve started to call the artists work
I’ve started to call the artists work day and so basically at 5:00 p.m. every
day and so basically at 5:00 p.m. every
day and so basically at 5:00 p.m. every day when the Sun Goes Down I walk
day when the Sun Goes Down I walk
day when the Sun Goes Down I walk outside the front door of the Music
outside the front door of the Music
outside the front door of the Music Building and the next 7 hours are mine
Building and the next 7 hours are mine
Building and the next 7 hours are mine they’re mine to be
they’re mine to be
they’re mine to be whatever I want to be in whatever I can
whatever I want to be in whatever I can
whatever I want to be in whatever I can dream to be about a week after I talked
dream to be about a week after I talked
dream to be about a week after I talked with my professor about this this
with my professor about this this
with my professor about this this concept his time management I was
concept his time management I was
concept his time management I was sitting on the shuttle going back and I
sitting on the shuttle going back and I
sitting on the shuttle going back and I told myself that I would do at least you
told myself that I would do at least you
told myself that I would do at least you know at least one creative thing that
know at least one creative thing that
know at least one creative thing that day but I couldn’t figure out what to do
day but I couldn’t figure out what to do
day but I couldn’t figure out what to do yet and I went on Facebook and I saw
yet and I went on Facebook and I saw
yet and I went on Facebook and I saw that one of my friends was actually
that one of my friends was actually
that one of my friends was actually selling his old camera and without
selling his old camera and without
selling his old camera and without thinking about it something just clicked
thinking about it something just clicked
thinking about it something just clicked right away and I shot him quick message
right away and I shot him quick message
right away and I shot him quick message and I said I want your camera like I’ve
and I said I want your camera like I’ve
and I said I want your camera like I’ve never taken a photograph in my life I’ve
never taken a photograph in my life I’ve
never taken a photograph in my life I’ve always seen myself as just a musician
always seen myself as just a musician
always seen myself as just a musician but I think I’m gonna try this out for
but I think I’m gonna try this out for
but I think I’m gonna try this out for myself and then after I bought my camera
myself and then after I bought my camera
myself and then after I bought my camera one of my friends came up to me and she
one of my friends came up to me and she
one of my friends came up to me and she said hey I’m looking to do more gigs can
said hey I’m looking to do more gigs can
said hey I’m looking to do more gigs can you take you know photos of me for
you take you know photos of me for
you take you know photos of me for publicity and I took my first headshot
publicity and I took my first headshot
publicity and I took my first headshot and then eventually that led to me
and then eventually that led to me
and then eventually that led to me shooting my first concert and then I
shooting my first concert and then I
shooting my first concert and then I took headshots for the music department
took headshots for the music department
took headshots for the music department and then I started doing video
and then I started doing video
and then I started doing video production for the university and all of
production for the university and all of
production for the university and all of this is culminating into next month when
this is culminating into next month when
this is culminating into next month when actually at a movie theater in downtown
actually at a movie theater in downtown
actually at a movie theater in downtown Lowell a dream of mine is actually
Lowell a dream of mine is actually
Lowell a dream of mine is actually coming true and I’m gonna premiere my
coming true and I’m gonna premiere my
coming true and I’m gonna premiere my very first documentary that I
very first documentary that I
very first documentary that I co-directed at an actual movie theater
co-directed at an actual movie theater
co-directed at an actual movie theater in Lowell which is something that I
in Lowell which is something that I
in Lowell which is something that I absolutely never would have dreamed of
absolutely never would have dreamed of
absolutely never would have dreamed of freshman year when I was riding on a
freshman year when I was riding on a
freshman year when I was riding on a shuttle to just go back and play video
shuttle to just go back and play video
shuttle to just go back and play video games with all my friends we live in a
games with all my friends we live in a
games with all my friends we live in a world with seven billion people and I
world with seven billion people and I
world with seven billion people and I think as an artist that used to terrify
think as an artist that used to terrify
think as an artist that used to terrify me I used to think how can I possibly
me I used to think how can I possibly
me I used to think how can I possibly keep up with all of these people
keep up with all of these people
keep up with all of these people stretched out across the globe connected
stretched out across the globe connected
stretched out across the globe connected by the Internet every day it seems like
by the Internet every day it seems like
by the Internet every day it seems like more incredible music passionate films
more incredible music passionate films
more incredible music passionate films you know amazing photography is coming
you know amazing photography is coming
you know amazing photography is coming out and I never thought that I could
out and I never thought that I could
out and I never thought that I could keep up with it but as I’ve started to
keep up with it but as I’ve started to
keep up with it but as I’ve started to maximize my time and as I take time at
maximize my time and as I take time at
maximize my time and as I take time at night to really work on what drives me
night to really work on what drives me
night to really work on what drives me and what
and what
and what motivates me as an artist I found that
motivates me as an artist I found that
motivates me as an artist I found that 24 hours a day is all the time in the
24 hours a day is all the time in the
24 hours a day is all the time in the world
world
world you can stretch all of that time and you
you can stretch all of that time and you
you can stretch all of that time and you can do so many things that you thought
can do so many things that you thought
can do so many things that you thought that you could never do if you’ve never
that you could never do if you’ve never
that you could never do if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush in your life you
picked up a paintbrush in your life you
picked up a paintbrush in your life you can go buy a sketchbook and before you
can go buy a sketchbook and before you
can go buy a sketchbook and before you know it you might be enrolled in an art
know it you might be enrolled in an art
know it you might be enrolled in an art class and you might be moving forward in
class and you might be moving forward in
class and you might be moving forward in an artistic passion that you never
an artistic passion that you never
an artistic passion that you never thought that you would ever be able to
thought that you would ever be able to
thought that you would ever be able to connect with and that would resonate
connect with and that would resonate
connect with and that would resonate with you but if you take the time to
with you but if you take the time to
with you but if you take the time to seek out what motivates you you can find
seek out what motivates you you can find
seek out what motivates you you can find inspiration everywhere and so when I
inspiration everywhere and so when I
inspiration everywhere and so when I introduced myself I introduced myself as
introduced myself I introduced myself as
introduced myself I introduced myself as a student but I think that part of my
a student but I think that part of my
a student but I think that part of my issue was coming from the fact that when
issue was coming from the fact that when
issue was coming from the fact that when I talked about myself I only talked
I talked about myself I only talked
I talked about myself I only talked about myself as a student we are all
about myself as a student we are all
about myself as a student we are all human beings in this room here yet
human beings in this room here yet
human beings in this room here yet whenever someone asks us you know what
whenever someone asks us you know what
whenever someone asks us you know what do you do we just picked the one thing
do you do we just picked the one thing
do you do we just picked the one thing that we do in our nine-to-five or
that we do in our nine-to-five or
that we do in our nine-to-five or similar timetable and we say that’s what
similar timetable and we say that’s what
similar timetable and we say that’s what we do so I would say I was a student you
we do so I would say I was a student you
we do so I would say I was a student you know some of you in this room would say
know some of you in this room would say
know some of you in this room would say that you were a teacher a lot of you
that you were a teacher a lot of you
that you were a teacher a lot of you would also say that your students if
would also say that your students if
would also say that your students if you’re enrolled in the high school here
you’re enrolled in the high school here
you’re enrolled in the high school here but your potential as a human being goes
but your potential as a human being goes
but your potential as a human being goes beyond that and if you allow yourself to
beyond that and if you allow yourself to
beyond that and if you allow yourself to connect and put in time to really find
connect and put in time to really find
connect and put in time to really find what motivates you not necessarily as an
what motivates you not necessarily as an
what motivates you not necessarily as an artist or a creative type but as a
artist or a creative type but as a
artist or a creative type but as a person in all of this extra time that we
person in all of this extra time that we
person in all of this extra time that we have at the end of the day you can move
have at the end of the day you can move
have at the end of the day you can move past these simple one word definitions
past these simple one word definitions
past these simple one word definitions that are up on the screen here you don’t
that are up on the screen here you don’t
that are up on the screen here you don’t have to be just a student you don’t have
have to be just a student you don’t have
have to be just a student you don’t have to be just a teacher or a photographer
to be just a teacher or a photographer
to be just a teacher or a photographer you can be so many things all at once if
you can be so many things all at once if
you can be so many things all at once if you just take the time to find what
you just take the time to find what
you just take the time to find what motivates you and you can become what
motivates you and you can become what
motivates you and you can become what you really are which is a person so if
you really are which is a person so if
you really are which is a person so if anyone in the audience here tonight
anyone in the audience here tonight
anyone in the audience here tonight is thinking about themselves and
is thinking about themselves and
is thinking about themselves and thinking about all the things that they
thinking about all the things that they
thinking about all the things that they have school soccer practice work after
have school soccer practice work after
have school soccer practice work after school take a look at your calendar and
school take a look at your calendar and
school take a look at your calendar and see if there’s even one hour every week
see if there’s even one hour every week
see if there’s even one hour every week that you can squeeze something in it
that you can squeeze something in it
that you can squeeze something in it doesn’t have to be seven hours a day it
doesn’t have to be seven hours a day it
doesn’t have to be seven hours a day it can be every Sunday afternoon I’m gonna
can be every Sunday afternoon I’m gonna
can be every Sunday afternoon I’m gonna read a book about photography or every
read a book about photography or every
read a book about photography or every Friday I’m gonna take up horseback
Friday I’m gonna take up horseback
Friday I’m gonna take up horseback riding lessons but I urge everybody in
riding lessons but I urge everybody in
riding lessons but I urge everybody in this room to try and carve out time for
this room to try and carve out time for
this room to try and carve out time for you to be your own boss and find what
you to be your own boss and find what
you to be your own boss and find what motivates you as an individual as an
motivates you as an individual as an
motivates you as an individual as an artist and as a person ultimately if I
artist and as a person ultimately if I
artist and as a person ultimately if I have to sum up my idea into one thing it
have to sum up my idea into one thing it
have to sum up my idea into one thing it would be that I do what I have to do
would be that I do what I have to do
would be that I do what I have to do during the day
during the day
during the day to do what I want to do at night and
to do what I want to do at night and
to do what I want to do at night and explore all of these artistic endeavors
explore all of these artistic endeavors
explore all of these artistic endeavors and I think that if everyone takes a
and I think that if everyone takes a
and I think that if everyone takes a closer look at their calendar I think
closer look at their calendar I think
closer look at their calendar I think that they’ll be surprised by all the
that they’ll be surprised by all the
that they’ll be surprised by all the time that they have to take a leap of
time that they have to take a leap of
time that they have to take a leap of faith find what motivates you and work
faith find what motivates you and work
faith find what motivates you and work towards being the most full person that
towards being the most full person that
towards being the most full person that you can possibly be
”
Be First to Comment