The Surprising Power of Lowering the Bar
What happens if you start focusing on what you could do instead of what you should do?
Evan Westfall, a member of the folk band CAAMP, recalls a show they once did at a biker bar outside of Columbus, Ohio. The venue was rundown and obscure — it was the type of place where your tires would get scuffed up on the winding dirt road that led you there. There were only eight people inside.
When they were called to the stage, the lead singer Taylor Meier whispered “One, two, three… ” and they started playing. Westfall, on banjo, closed his eyes. He focused on the music, strumming the melody. When the song ended, he opened his eyes and looked out at the crowd. Six of the eight bikers were at the bar, talking. But then he noticed something else: The other two were standing around the stage, watching and clapping.
“It was one of the most euphoric moments of my entire life,” Westfall said.
I’ve known Westfall for a while. When he told me this story, I asked him why. CAAMP is a group that has played at huge events such as Austin City Limits, has more than 50 million downloads of their two albums on Spotify, and is the opening act for The Lumineers’ upcoming east coast tour. Why was such an unspectacular moment one of the most electrifying ones he’s ever…
