Mike D On: The Value of Failure, the Addictive Power of Adrenaline, and How a Beastie Boy Got Into Lovingkindness
Mike Diamond, aka Mike D from the Beastie Boys, discusses the band's evolution from early misogyny to embracing Buddhism and social activism. He shares how meditation and yoga helped him balance the highs and lows of touring and navigate grief and parenting, emphasizing the value of failure and self-compassion.
Deep Dive Analysis
14 Topic Outline
Early Beastie Boys Persona and Evolution
The Transition from License to Ill to Paul's Boutique
Commercial Failure of Paul's Boutique and Artistic Freedom
The Value of Failure in Personal Growth and Parenting
Adam Yauch's Journey into Buddhism and its Impact
The Beastie Boys and Tibetan Freedom Concerts
Adam Yauch's Profound Understanding of Buddhism
Mike D's Personal Meditation and Yoga Practices
Coping with Performance Adrenaline and Nervous System Balance
Grief, Identity, and the End of the Beastie Boys
Loving-Kindness Meditation in Parenting and Self-Judgment
The Importance of Community and Nature for Well-being
Mike D's Curiosity About Listener Experience
Dan Harris's Personal Connection to Beastie Boys Music
4 Key Concepts
Self-Parody
The Beastie Boys initially created a myth of wild, crazy frat boys that was distinct from their actual artistic, liberal New York City background. This became self-parody when their audience took the persona too seriously, leading the band to feel imprisoned by their own image.
Adrenaline Addiction (Performance)
Musicians on tour experience vast amounts of adrenaline pumping through their system nightly, which can be addictive. Without coping mechanisms or a 'manual' to balance the nervous system, they may struggle with feeling 'weird' or depressed when off tour, sometimes leading to drug use to chase that feeling of transcendence or excitement.
Second Arrow (Buddhism)
A Buddhist concept describing two types of suffering: the first is the initial pain or difficulty of an event, and the second is the self-inflicted mental suffering, shame, or rumination that we add voluntarily on top of the initial pain, often through egotism.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
A meditative practice that helps individuals let go of resentful behaviors, self-victimization, and shame. It is described as a powerful tool that can quickly affect the dynamics of a situation, fostering positive interactions and helping one move past self-critical thoughts.
7 Questions Answered
The band felt manipulated by their label (Def Jam) to maintain a 'wild, crazy' image that became self-parody. This, combined with realizing the negative impact of their misogynistic jokes, led them to reclaim their artistic freedom and prioritize their relationship, leading to a reinvention.
The commercial failure of 'Paul's Boutique' after the success of 'License to Ill' was a pivotal moment. It freed them from commercial pressure and external manipulation, allowing them greater artistic freedom and ultimately contributing to the band's longevity and quality of life.
Yauch's journey to Buddhism, sparked by a trip to Kathmandu, led him to deeply understand and embody Buddhist concepts, particularly the political plight of Tibetans. This influenced the band to become a force for good, notably through organizing the Tibetan Freedom Concerts and incorporating Buddhist themes into their music.
Mike D discovered that yoga asana, and later Transcendental Meditation (TM), served as a survival mechanism. These practices helped calm his nervous system and provide a sense of balance, counteracting the vast amounts of adrenaline and ego-driven energy experienced during performances.
Yauch's death was a tumultuous time, as they lost a friend who was like an older brother and also their work identity. Mike D's dedicated TM practice became crucial, providing routine, patience, and equanimity to navigate this period.
Mike D uses loving-kindness meditation as a tool to quickly affect the dynamics of situations, especially when dealing with self-judgment, frustration, or shame after losing his temper. It helps him let go of resentful behaviors and fosters better communication, as evidenced by a recent interaction with his son.
Being in the ocean and surfing is a transformational practice for Mike D because it immediately takes him out of his self-judgmental thinking brain. It reminds him of being smaller than the vast ocean, not in control, and fosters a profound sense of appreciation, similar to the transcendent moments found in music or meditation.
12 Actionable Insights
1. Embrace Failure for Growth
Actively seek opportunities to fail, as Mike D states, ‘Failure is just the greatest thing to ever happen to me.’ Allow yourself and your children the freedom to make mistakes, as it’s crucial for learning and development.
2. Take Courageous Creative Risks
Don’t compromise your artistic vision for guaranteed commercial success; instead, make courageous efforts in your creative pursuits. This can lead to long-term artistic freedom and quality, even if it initially results in commercial failure.
3. Prioritize Collaborative Relationships
Shift your paradigm to make relationships within collaborative efforts the primary, most important thing. Strong bonds among collaborators are crucial for navigating challenges and ensuring the longevity and quality of shared work.
4. Balance Your Nervous System
Implement practices like yoga or meditation to calm your nervous system and balance the intense highs and lows of demanding experiences, such as performing or high-stress work. This helps prevent burnout and promotes overall well-being.
5. Cultivate Daily Equanimity
Engage in a regular meditation practice, such as 20 minutes of Transcendental Meditation daily, to infuse your life with patience and equanimity. This practice is particularly beneficial for managing stress and improving parenting.
6. Practice Loving-Kindness Meditation
Utilize loving-kindness meditation to release resentful behaviors, foster self-compassion, and quickly affect the dynamics of challenging situations. This tool can lead to rapid reconciliation and a shift away from self-victimization.
7. Avoid the ‘Second Arrow’
When experiencing initial pain or negative emotions, be mindful not to add a ‘second arrow’ of self-judgment, shame, or self-victimization. This Buddhist concept teaches that additional suffering often comes from our reaction to the initial pain.
8. Surround with Supportive Community
Actively cultivate a community of smart, compassionate people, whether called a sangha or satsang. These individuals can provide crucial support, offer guidance, and help redirect you from negative thought patterns, contributing significantly to happiness.
9. Connect with Nature Regularly
Immerse yourself in nature, such as surfing or hiking, to gain perspective and reduce self-judgmental thinking. This practice can quickly transport you into a profound place of appreciation and help reprioritize your life.
10. Persevere Through Creative Suffering
Understand that creative endeavors, particularly writing, often involve significant ‘work, refinement, and suffering’ without immediate gratification. Embrace this process, as it is essential for the development and quality of your work.
11. Communicate Heartfeltly Through Art
Engage in collaborative artistic pursuits, like playing music, to experience transcendent and heartfelt communication that goes beyond words. This can be a powerful form of healing and connection with others.
12. Reconcile Past Problematic Actions
Acknowledge and learn from past problematic behaviors, especially those from youth, by reflecting on their ramifications. This process of maturity allows for growth and a shift towards more progressive and thoughtful actions.
7 Key Quotes
F is the worst grade you can get. And I'm only where I am in life because of multiple Fs. Failure is just the greatest thing to ever happen to me, basically.
Mike D
The people that I've met are really centered in the heart. They're coming from a real, clear, compassionate place. And most of the teachings that I've read about almost seem set up to distract the other side of your brain in order to give your heart center a chance to open up.
Adam Yauch
We can joke around about being misogynistic on a record, but if that actually then empowers people to act that way, holy fuck.
Mike D
It's just, it's so beyond, it's like full, unfiltered, hormonal. It's just, it's so full on.
Mike D
It doesn't feel good for us as your sons to sit here being called selfish by you.
Skylar (Mike D's son)
I'm barely capable of being that articulate at my thoroughly middle-aged age.
Mike D
We basically had to reinvent security techniques just to keep the crowd at a place where they could go nuts, enjoy it, enjoy themselves, but not be actually destructive to themselves and to each other.
Mike D
1 Protocols
Mike D's Daily Meditation Practice for Equanimity and Patience
Mike D- Start every day with 20 minutes of Transcendental Meditation (TM).
- Observe the infusion of patience and equanimity in daily life, noting that moments of losing one's temper become more rare.
- When moments of losing one's temper or feeling shame occur, acknowledge them.
- Utilize tools like loving-kindness meditation to let go of resentful behaviors, self-victimization, and self-judgment, quickly affecting the dynamics of the situation.