We sat down with 4-time Grammy winner Sara Watkins to solve a problem every professional faces: How do you maintain a 30-year career without burning out or losing your creative edge? From founding Nickel Creek at age eight to touring with icons like Jackson Browne, Sara has mastered the "communal dance" of longevity. In this session, we tackle the high-stakes pressure of performance anxiety. Sara reveals the counterintuitive secret that transformed her art: how motherhood taught her to stop "sweating the small stuff," making her a more fearless performer. We break down her blueprint for navigating complex team dynamics, the power of "side-person" leadership, and why she treats music as an essential life skill—like math or cooking—to avoid the traps of forced practice. If you’re struggling to balance ego with collaborative success, Sara’s "osmotic" approach to learning will revolutionize your workflow. This is your masterclass in staying grounded while scaling your talent. Check out Sara here: https://www.sarawatkins.com/ Join us: http://dadville.substack.com All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com All Things Jon: https://www.jonmcl.com Thanks to our sponsors! Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠ Exclusions apply. Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit ⁠IGottaAsk.com⁠ to learn more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices