This week, Jim Steinman died. He is the genius behind Meat Loaf, and all that overwrought, operatic rock craziness with the really long song titles – like You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Nights).

The music is ridiculous and ridiculously fun. His death doesn’t hit me like, say, Prince’s did. But I saw this quote about his style and I realized why I like the music so much:

“If you don’t go over the top, how are you ever going to see what’s on the other side?”

Jim Steinman

The only exclamation in response to this is “Yes!”

The best artists push to the edge, or over the top. The value comes from the incremental push beyond what came before, otherwise you have only pastiche.

Most of us are not artists, we are straight down the line workers, in our rhythms and processes. Staying in our lane. That’s all good, and we get in return what should be expected – the same as it ever was.

If we want more, we have to give more, we have to move towards unmapped terrain – whether for us or for humanity. Many times we will fail, get lost, perhaps stuck in quicksand. Sometimes, though, that adventure to the edge – and beyond – creates outcomes and memories for the Ages. Go there.

This Much We Know.