Building Character/Becoming an Artist

As a musician I know that in order to really reach your listeners you have to be able to say something in your music that touches people in a way that everyday experience doesn't provide. In order to do that, you have to be willing to have experiences that create a need for expression, and that remind you of your connection with life and other people. This means you have to really immerse yourself in life and allow yourself to be touched by it, in the same way that you want to touch your listeners (or viewers if you're a sculpturer/painter/writer). This isn't always easy. It takes constant awareness to remind ourselves that our experiences are more than just "another Monday". The would-be artist asks "What was special about today?" "What made this day unlike any other? Sometimes this takes work. It's an effort - but well worth the trouble, for herein we find the material for our next song/painting/book, etc.