Meet Ethan Massey

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ethan Massey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ethan below.

Hi Ethan, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

For a long time, I believed I had built strong discipline, thinking it was my greatest force. But I’ve realized that, as humans, we can’t ignore our nature. Discipline is important, and I still work to strengthen it, but life naturally has its hills and valleys. These valleys often reveal what truly motivates us.

In recent years, I’ve noticed that I relied heavily on stress and anxiety—about standards, deadlines, or expectations—as my primary motivators. When that external pressure disappears, I sometimes feel lost. In those directionless moments, I tend to view the world through a matter-of-fact lens. The periods of drifting and self-reflection vary in length, but they always lead me to the same conclusion: If I’m going to live on this planet, I want to spend my time in ways that bring me joy and fulfillment.

With that mindset, I try to consistently align myself with activities that provide purpose and satisfaction. When life inevitably dips into a valley, work isn’t a burden—it’s a choice. I don’t have to do anything; I get to do what I love. That perspective transforms work from obligation into joy, making every day meaningful.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m constantly working to make myself more valuable as a musician, writer, and producer. I’m currently pursuing a degree in Music-Business & Entrepreneurship with a minor in Jazz & Contemporary Music, and this semester I’m diving deep into guitar, theory, writing, and production to push my skills to the highest level. Over the years, I’ve gained experience across almost every facet of the industry, but I’m particularly enjoying focusing on these areas.

One project that has me especially excited is my progressive rock trio, Exscend. Just yesterday, I was on a call with the band [Nick Drayton & Ethan Floyd] discussing our new single. Working with these guys is inspiring—their musicianship never ceases to amaze me. Be on the lookout for new Exscend music coming soon! All related links are below.

Beyond the band, I also offer professional services for anyone in need of guitar work, songwriting, producing, or other music-related services. My contacts are listed below for anyone looking to collaborate.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Just Start:
Every day, I remind myself of the importance of simply starting. Everyone begins from a different place, but the common factor among all successful musicians, actors, business owners—you name it—is that they started. I often fall into “paralysis by analysis,” spending too much time worrying about the perfect approach instead of actually trying. If I had spent more time doing rather than overthinking, I’d be much further along. That said, I am aware my brain often works differently than others around me, and what feels like a trap for me may not be the same for someone else starting out. If you’ve tried and aren’t seeing the results you want, take a step back. Reevaluate, make a plan, and reach out to someone with more experience or do some online research to understand what you might be missing. Sometimes the most important thing is simply to pause, look around, and find the balance or perspective you need—even if the answer is just to put your head back down.

Theory & Navigation of Your Instrument:
These two go hand in hand and, while aimed at musicians, the broader idea applies anywhere. Simply put: learn the ins and outs of your tools and the “rules” they follow. I’ve never once regretted learning music theory—it has only expanded my creativity. The deeper you know your instrument, the more naturally you can apply that theory. Our brains build knowledge through connections, and the more varied connections you create, the stronger your understanding becomes as those relationships click into place.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

There were a lot of great questions to answer, but this one resonated with me for a reason many might not expect. It ties a perfect bow on the interview, connecting back to the very first question.

I’d like to think I would spend the decade exactly as I am now. Sure, my first reaction might be a wave of depression or a rush to map out how to “optimize” those 10 years—maybe both. But once the adrenaline faded, I know I’d come back to the same realization: If I’m going to live on this planet, I want to spend my time in ways that bring me joy and fulfillment. For all I know, I could already have less than 10 years left. Why should I wait to find out I don’t have any more time to live the life I wanted to live?

At the end of the day, why should that knowledge change anything? If it did, it would only make me question how I was living before I knew.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Trish Tamblyn
Brooke Farmer

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