Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a huge fan of Sci-Fi, and in particular, Frank Herbert's Dune, which I've been obsessed with since I was a teenager (a LONG time ago!)

What I love about it more than anything is its emphasis on exploring human potential - how the human race overcame its addiction to technology, and focused on extending its natural abilities.

Dune investigates what it is to feel fear in great depth, and explores how we might be able to overcome it.

Fear is something we all feel in life, and it's the one aspect of the human experience that holds us back the most.

What we are scared of, we are limited by, and many characters in this epic story know this, and are trained to overcome fear.

In one of the most powerful parts of the whole story, the main character, Paul, recites a mantra known as The Litany Against Fear, that is at once is a meditation on what fear is, whilst confronting it, and being better for the process:

"I will not fear...

Fear is The Mind Killer...

Fear is The Little Death that brings total obliteration...

I will face my Fear.

I will allow it to pass over me...

And when it has gone, nothing will be left....

Only I will remain."

- Paul Atreides, Dune.

Having re - read the book over the summer, in anticipation of the new film version being released at the end of the year, this mantra deeply resonated with me. It's applicable to our lives as Music Producers, and every other area of life.

It's often good to get really honest with ourselves about what we are scared of when it comes to our music and our lives as Producers.

Are you afraid of failure? Are you actually afraid of success?

Do you have Imposter Syndrome, and feel scared you're going to get 'found out' at some point?

What creative risks are you scared of taking, but want to? Is it a change of genre? Producing a different style? Do you want to try something new, but are scared of what 'the scene' or what other people might think?

It's all just fear...

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real...

...and Fear Is The Mind Killer!

So face your fears, allow that emotion to wash over and through you, and let it go.

Don't allow fear to dull your talent or potential...it's in facing up to what scares us, that we grow, musically, and personally.

These times demand we stop playing so small with ourselves, our dreams, our music, and our lives.

So what are you waiting for?

To your increasing Creative Flow,

Paul <3