Neil Peart: Motivational Lyricist

     As you can probably tell from my sporadic posting the past few months, I've kind of hit the wall. It began with my family all being off for the summer and not having much time to post. Then we had our basement backup right after I had hernia surgery. Shortly after that, I had begun writing on my Sound Mind book. Naturally, our computer hard drive decided to crash at that point and I lost everything I had written. It was only the introduction and part of the first chapter, but it was still demoralizing. Since then, I haven't been very motivated to write. So, when faced with this problem I always turn to my favorite motivational writer. No, it's not Tony Robbins or Norman Vincent Peale or Deepak Chopra...it's Neil Peart. Wait, let me explain. I know Neil's lyrics are often dismissed as pretentious, dogmatic, fascist and humorless. This is mainly due to his unfortunate past association with the writings of Ayn Rand. However, that was almost 40 years ago and critics should just let it go already. I think the real takeaway from Neil's lyrics is that we all have control of our own lives. On a personal level, that means if my dream is to write about music I have to "just do it". That's always been difficult for me, because I have the Mother of All Inner Critics living in my head. In fact, I scrapped a post yesterday because of that negative voice. So here are some of the lyrics that give me a kick in the ass when I think about giving up. Peace.

* Those who wish to be must put aside the alienation, get on with the fascination, the real relation, the underlying theme.

* Leave out the fiction- the fact is this friction will only be worn by persistence.

* He knows changes aren't permanent- but change is.

* Attack the day like birds of prey.

* I turn my back to the wind to catch my breath before I start off again.

* From the point of ignition to the final drive the point of the journey is not to arrive. Anything can happen.

* A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission.

* I'm not giving up on implausible dreams.

* Dreams flow across the heartland feeding on the fires. Dreams transport desires drive you when you're down. Dreams transport the ones who need to get out of town.

*And the things that he fears are a weapon to be held against him.

* Some are born to move the world- to live their fantasies. But most of us just dream about the things we'd like to be.

* You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will.

* All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer by the stars. All of us do time in the gutters, dreamers turn to look at the cars.

* When we are young wandering the face of the Earth, wondering what our dreams might be worth. Learning that we are only immortal for a limited time.

* Why are we here? Because we're here. Roll the bones.

* I'm in a groove now, or is it a rut?

* The greatest act can be one little victory.

* Celebrate the moment as it turns into one more.