#24 - The Power of Music and Crafting Creativity with Tim Nichols
Today’s guest is Music Composer Tim Nichols
How do creative people keep making great work day after day — not just once? Tim’s answer is: show up, honor the idea, and build a repeatable co-writing process so inspiration has somewhere to land.
In today’s conversation Tim Nichols explores the craft behind hit songs and why “must be present to win” is the real secret of Nashville. He tells the origin story of “Live Like You Were Dying” — casual coffee, two stories about mortality, and then a line that changed country music — and explains how he balances art and commerce without selling out. Tim and Dr. Wells dig into courage, collaboration, and why songs sometimes “choose” the artist (as Tim McGraw did in the middle of his dad’s illness). He also reflects on what’s next after the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame: keep growing, keep giving, keep creating.
You will learn how Nashville’s co-writing rhythm actually works (come in with an idea, fish for a better one, write it that day); why most writers have to “write a lot of bad songs” to get to a great one; how to stay true to the song even when radio wants something different; how one honest story can become a global anthem; and why Tim still invests in personal growth, events, and speaking even after Hall-of-Fame status.
You will discover that creativity is a discipline more than a lightning bolt — show up, protect the idea, and the day that changes your life will look exactly like every other day… until it’s not.
Writers, founders, and leaders all face the same friction: “What if today’s idea isn’t good enough?” Tim’s approach replaces that anxiety with a system — write daily, co-create, let the song be what it wants to be — so the breakthrough can actually happen.
Key take aways:
“Must be present to win.” Show up anyway.
Let the song be what it wants to be.
Balance art and commerce; never sell out the idea.
Co-writing is creative force-multiplication.
Keep ramping up, not winding down.
“Great ideas don’t hang around long — you have to be in the room.”
Today’s Expert Guest - Music Composer Tim Nichols
Tim Nichols is a Grammy, CMA, and ACM award-winning songwriter and a 2017 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee who has written or co-written nearly two dozen country hits, including Tim McGraw’s record-setting “Live Like You Were Dying” (10 weeks at #1, winner of every major country song award). His songs have been cut by Jo Dee Messina, Dustin Lynch, Chris Young, Reba, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, and many more.
Tim treats songs as living things — your job is to tell the truth of the idea, even if that makes the song less “radio-friendly.” That creator-first stance, paired with his willingness to keep learning (Titan Summit, Tony Robbins, speaking), is why he can talk to business audiences about collaboration and still go back to Music Row the next day and write a hit.
Follow Tim Nichols on Instagram & Linked In.
Check out his website.
Live Like You Were Dying
Book Live Like You Were Dying is the unforgettable story inspired by Tim McGraw's #1 Country Music song of the same name. It weaves a tale of the miracles that happen once you stop being so busy with life that you actually have time to live it. Millions have embraced the song's lyrics. Now experience the inspirational story that will touch your heart and soul.
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