The Paul McCartney Story that Gets my Goat

Today’s the day (in 1997) when Paul McCartney became a knight.

Now we’re supposed to call him “Sir Paul.”

Call me blasphemous, but Sir Paul bugs me.

It’s that story about dreaming “Yesterday” that gets my goat.

In his biography Many Years from Now (published just a few months after he became a knight), Sir Paul claims he “woke up with a lovely tune” in his head, strode to the piano, and knocked out Yesterday — G to F sharp minor 7th to B to E minor and back to E.

“I liked the melody a lot because I’d dreamed it,” he said.

I’m not calling Sir John a liar. But I find that story harder to swallow than a plate of jellied eels.

It makes him sound like a magical being — a genius who can conjure tunes from dreamland.

It makes us think that some people — like Sir Paul — are born with the magic gift, while genius is beyond the reach of most hopeless louts.

I don’t buy that.

Here’s the Beatles story that inspires me:

Before the hit records and fame, The Beatles worked in Hamburg — playing more than 1,200 gigs, sometimes five-plus hours a night, from 1960 to 1964.

By the time they released their first album, they had 10,000+ hours under their belts.

I love that story.

By the time Paul McCartney “dreamed” yesterday, he had lived and breathed pop music. Chord progressions were locked in his brain.

Yesterday didn’t come from “out of nowhere.” That song was the product of Paul’s hard work and commitment to craft.

SoYesterday is not a story about genius beyond most peoples’ reach. It’s a story about mastery — inspiration for all the hopeless louts.

I’ve met too many business people who tell me they “don’t have what it takes” to create great, client-attracting content. They’re not creative enough to tell stories that sell, they say.

I don’t buy that.

You don’t have to be a creative unicorn or a storytelling prodigy to create content that captivates and attracts clients. You can learn it. You can nurture the skill. You can master the craft.

And here’s the best part…

You don’t have to spend 10,000+ hours in dingy Hamburg nightclubs to get there.

To stand out, you just need to stand above others in your market. And most of them are still cranking out the same boring, blah-blah-blah content week after week.

In April, I’m opening a few slots for my done-for-you service. We’ll show you how to craft (not conjure) content that attracts leads and generates sales.

We sit down with you a design strategies tailored to fit your business.

Then our marketing experts do the work for you — so you don’t have to get your hands dirty, and you can focus on the stuff you love.

Reply “Sir Paul” and I’ll circle back with details.