We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Graham Zempel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Graham, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
My brother Joe and I developed our ability to take risk from a childhood that taught us anything could happen, and that it’s better to take the shot and miss, than not to take the shot at all. Our early childhood was easy, and in the market crash of 2009 all of that changed when our family lost what little money we had. By the time we had reached high school, we were suddenly broke and had to find ways to make money and use our time effectively. We honed our talents in the arts and as adults have consistently created content, performed live events, and engaged with fans and friends alike throughout the Midwest. We have managed fundraising events, music festivals and exhibitions as a labor of love in a world where only one thing was certain- art brings people together. We have found that in spite of forces that seek to divide us, art continues to be sanctuary in a hostile world.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
When Joe and I decided to write a book, we started with an idea and had no idea how we wanted to tell the story of this universe. The world we built is very vast, and the struggles are human. Our strength as artists lies in our dynamic as friends and brothers, where we constructively communicate and share ideas. We keep each other in check. We tell the stories we want for ourselves, and for our world. Our latest project, The Bringer of Old Age, is a science fiction novel and the first story within the rich and action-packed universe we’ve built.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1) Listening Intently. The stories of others are the stories of many, and all the differences you find in one person, or character, can resonate with multitudes and teach lessons that can save lives. Never be afraid to share your truth. You are not alone.
2) Research Fascination. Some of the greatest stories ever told are from the real world, and a love of history taught us that nobody did anything great by avoiding risk. You are never finished learning. Knowledge is power.
3) Trust. When it came to the creation of our book, there were certain aspects of the publishing process that we were not familiar with, so we trusted in our own circles. The friendships we have cultivated have only helped us, and we had to trust ourselves to let go in certain areas we didn’t understand. Trust requires others.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe in leaving no stones unturned in this life. Ten years ago I would not have guessed I would be writing a novel and seeing it through to publishing, but here we are. I have spent most of my artistic energy in music composition and writing lyrics, as well as live performance and event production. I do agree that if you want to be the best at something, then going all in on your strength(s) is a good idea, but I’m not trying to be the best at anything. I’m simply trying to have fun and connect with people by offering new ideas and perspectives.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.grahamest.zempel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554337245570
Image Credits
Photo taken by Richard Zempel
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
