Ten Ten Ten
“We are what we repeatedly do.”
— Will Durant

Ask your future self how this plays out.
The Starting Point
Decisions often feel small.
One doughnut.
One skipped workout.
One distracted session.
No big deal.
Until repetition turns moments into patterns.
The Invitation
When you’re about to decide, ask:
How will I feel in 10 minutes?
How will I feel in 10 hours?
How will I feel in 10 days?
Short term.
Medium term.
Long term.
You don’t need philosophy.
You need perspective.
The Test
Let’s apply it to music production.
Skip the session tonight?
10 minutes: Relief.
10 hours: Slight guilt.
10 days: No progress.
Finish the mix instead?
10 minutes: Effort.
10 hours: Satisfaction.
10 days: Momentum.
The future version of you is easy to consult.
You just have to ask.
The Guidepost
TEN–TEN–TEN builds time awareness.
Impulse lives in the present.
Discipline lives across time.
When you stretch your thinking forward,
clarity increases.
You stop chasing comfort.
You start choosing trajectory.
The Change
This doesn’t mean perfection.
It means alignment.
Eat the doughnut consciously.
Skip the workout intentionally.
But know the timeline.
10 minutes.
10 hours.
10 days.
Decisions compound.
So does confidence.
The Return
Every day is a sequence of small choices.
Some move you forward.
Some hold you in place.
Before your next session, before your next distraction,
Pause.
Run TEN–TEN–TEN.
The producer who thinks long-term
builds long-term results.
🎧 Podcast Audio Version
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Music Production Zen Music Production Zen a mini podcast for music makers chasing clarity over chaos-quiet reminders about creativity, discipline, identity, a... www.levelsmusicproduction.com |
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Song of the Week 🎧
“Refuse/Resist” — Sepultura
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This band came out of Brazil in the early nineties and caused a ruckus. Anything with the Tiananmen Square Tank Man in it = I'm all in! Even if you're not a fan of metal, give this song a listen. It's really just a pop song disguised with a lot of distortion and 20-something angst. Identify the choruses, and it will become your go-to karaoke anthem. Listen for the tempo changes and switch-ups. It honours its thrash metal and punk roots, plus a nod to their Brazilian roots with the percussion at the end. This is another classic album produced by Andy Wallace, the famous mix engineer.
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A balanced perspective on how to work for the good with the effortlessness that comes from being one with the Tao--the basic principle of the universe
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Free Plugin of the Week 🆓
u-he Tyrell N6
Named after the Tyrell Corporation from Blade Runner, this MiniMoog-style analog synth is another plugin that makes you ask, "How is this free?"

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