Building Resistance to Defeat with Musician Will Evans
“Nature has everything we need to balance our egos.”
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR DEFINING CHALLENGE?
For musician & lyrical wizard Will Evans, it has been navigating his self-doubt. Doubt is such a universally experienced emotion that doesn't discriminate based on any measurement of accomplishment, but it's so rarely talked about!
Self-doubt plagues even the most confident, talented, and successful people. Rather than suffering through it in silence, let's dismantle the stigma and talk about it!
Will spoke about building up a 'tolerance to defeat,' which I think is such an interesting concept when viewed through the lens of resilience. Rather than allowing self-doubt to define his moments of challenge & complexity negatively, he so wisely learned to choose to view them neutrally, or as he put it, as a 'witness.'
Only when we choose to meet self-doubt, challenge, or complexity with a neutral acceptance can we discover the purpose that lies within each difficult moment. Enjoy this incredible episode ⇣
On the episode, we talk about:
The past challenges that formed Will into the man he is today (5:28)
Tools to build resistance to defeat (11:40)
How nature teaches us about growth and death (19:11)
What you learn from playing live music (26:45)
The north star that guides Will through life (31:27)
How thinking of possibility helps you work through challenges (39:20)
About Will Evans
Will Evans has spent the last decade as the primary songwriter and frontman for the New England-based roots-rock outfit Barefoot Truth. After four albums and 50+ million streams on Pandora & Spotify, he’s embarked on his solo journey—carrying along some of the Jack Johnson-ish vibes from his earlier band. He’s since released three additional full-length albums and traveled the U.S. & Europe several times over.
In his shows, Evans displays technical mastery of live-looping that showcase his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, including the didgeridoo, steel drums, percussive beatboxing, acoustic guitar, and layers of soulful vocals.
His album “Rise” was nominated for three categories by the New England Music Awards. The album features deeply personal topics of humanity, compassion, and a reflection of the current political times. While promoting the album, he toured extensively with his friend and fellow conscious-roots musician Trevor Hall, performing for sold-out crowds across North America and Europe. In 2020 Evans released ‘The Summer Swell,’ a 3-song live EP, as well as a new summer-vibed single: “Lean In.”
ENVIRONMENT, HOPE, AND INCLUSION
A lifelong surfer and environmentalist, Evans’ songs speak to the importance of connecting with—and protecting—the earth. At a time when so many are looking for words of inspiration and reassurance, his songs deliver messages of family, love, hope, and inclusion.
“KIND FOLK” FAN COMMUNITY
In the Spring of 2020, at the start of the global pandemic and with a palpable anxiousness felt worldwide, he launched “Kind Folk,” a tight-knit fan community that’s grown into the thousands and has become a network for good friends who’ve connected via his music and the group’s charity efforts.
Over the years, he’s shared the stage with: Crosby & Nash, Grace Potter, Bruce Hornsby, Rusted Root, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Trevor Hall, Nahko, Xavier Rudd, Donavon Frankenreiter, Ryan Montbleau, Railroad Earth, and members of Dispatch.
Find Our Guest hanging out on these platforms:
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