Daily Inspiration: Meet Mike Harnos

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Harnos

Hi Mike, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story began in Westland Michigan. Growing up listening to music was something that I was familiar with from a young age. My mind was fueled by the grooves of 90s alternative, the slamming guitars of 70s rock and the anger of 90s grunge. I was destined to absorb this material and morph it into an energy that would carry me into my adulthood. I grew up in a household where we didn’t have everything but love was abundant and self expression was accepted and encouraged. I followed many passions as a child. I loved sports, reading, loving and caring and what I loved the most was music.

Being a child in the 90s I personally gravitated towards the boy bands. They seemed to be everything I needed, Melody, emotion and community was my interest and as I listened I fell in love with singing. It just seemed magical. I knew this was something I wanted to do for a long time. With a great set of influences from Rock, Alternative, Pop and Grunge at the age of 11 I picked up my first guitar. My older brother had a sunburst Fender Strat and we took stage at the elementary school talent show to show off all 3 notes that I had mastered, accompanied by my brother Marc and friend Chris, it was our first show, my first band.

Carrying on through middle school and high school I stayed active in music jamming with friends and learning songs. It was right out of high school when I was in my first serious band Overstone and boy was it fun. The people we met, the shows we played, the times we had were unmatched, even following a full and fun life of friends and sports. We played many shows and had many great times until our band went separate ways. This created an emptiness I had never felt. I knew I needed music at that point.

I moved on into a fast paced career and for years I worked my life away day by day. Almost never having time for what I loved, my guitar, my piano, my drums, these all became a blur as I navigated my way up a large distribution company to the so called “making it” status. I had everything, except happiness. I knew I needed a change. I had to find a way to get music back in my life.

In 2020 I decided to change jobs, I took on a less stressful job doing sales that freed up my mind and time. With this renewed time I knew I had to get to work. Playing music more than ever my eyes were set on building my first recording studio. Not knowing where to start I jumped in and got going. Piece by piece I built up the studio. I wasn’t good at first, I’m honestly still not but my passion grows like a fire with a never ending fuel. I found jam mates and started multiple bands. I was writing songs left and right and I knew this is where my heart belonged. All of this led me to where I am now.

I read a book called “4000 Weeks, Time Management For Mortals” something in that book changed my life. It was as if it was speaking to me. 4000 weeks is the average amount of time a human lives for, it is so finite, I knew that I had to live my life being happy and I knew that music was the way to do that. The book resonated with me. For a long time I was worried about too much and the wrong things. I wanted to further surround myself with good people and art.

I am now in 3 bands, one of them being named “4000 Weeks” meaning that this is what I am doing with my 4000 weeks here on earth (hopefully more.) I didn’t want to stop there. I know that I am a blessed person. I am 34 years old and have a state of the art recording studio in my home. I have an amazing home, family and friends and not many worries. My next thought was “how could I do more?”

This lead me to create “People Of Passion.” People of Passion is a local music show I started. I have empathy for all of us in the music industry. It is a hard space to navigate and I wanted to be able to do more for the local artists around me. What I do is simple. I ask for local artists to come to my home, we sit down and talk. Not just about music but who they are, what they like to do, where they come from. Once this is done we get to playing music. I use my studio to capture a couple live songs and conduct a photoshoot for them. This is all free of charge.

I use all of this content to try and spread the word about their bands. We make music videos out of the footage. We make social media posts out of all the clips. We have a good time, we share meals, and stories and love. People of Passion isn’t bound to just musicians. I have people lined up such as Painters, Sketch Artists, Non Profit Owners, Writers, honestly anyone with passion that has a story that needs to be heard. It feels so good to spread love through out the world and it is one of my callings.

My story is still unfolding, honestly if we are still here on earth, each day is a new page. I oriented myself in a direction that forms community, honesty and integrity while we are stuck in a world so dark and separated. I know it is working because I can feel the love. I decided to go back to college to get my certification in recording technology. Its something that I really enjoy and I want to get better and better at it. I have also upgraded my cameras and really found a passion for shooting videos and taking photos and I cannot wait to see how that unfolds. I could ramble on for days and days about “my story” but the fact of the matter is that it is still being told. I tell people often, perusing music, love and art is how I am going to live my 4000 weeks, how are you going to live yours?

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been smooth in most people eyes but it is all in the eye of the beholder. I got lost along the way. Greed ripped me in a direction of over working and loneliness. For years I spent my life behind a desk, earning a ton of money all while losing friends, time and missing out on some of the most important memories that now haunt me like shadows. I fought battles with addictions to not only work but also substance and lost sight in what was really important to me. There were weeks at a time where I worked over 100 hours. Sleeping at the job so I could get right to work in the morning. Watching loved ones grow and change around me while I ran in place chasing the dollar that couldn’t buy me happiness in anyway. I struggled to maintain solid relationships because my deepest relationships were with money and my work. I battled depression and suicidal thoughts with crippling anxiety. All for something that I thought was going to make me happy. On the surface I looked strong but on the inside my soul was trapped, crying to be freed from the “grind” that society tells us is proper.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a singer song writer, music producer, videographer and writer. I am an artist. I play the guitar, piano, bass, drums, harmonica, synth, and honestly anything that makes noise. I play many styles of music and have been actively playing live shows for over 2 decades. I am currently writing 2 novels as well as 2 albums. I spend my time perusing art and exposing people to it. My determination is my main strength, I can be the energy for not just myself but the fire that ignites others as well. People know that I have an unmatched energy and I am here to share it. I am most proud of the studio I have built as well as a home surrounded by nature and an array of edible landscaping. I believe that plants are also a way for me to express art and I surround myself by music and nature. Artists are so important to the world, we are the glue that binds society together and people don’t even realize it. Without art it would be hard to heal, it would be hard to feel. I read a quote once by someone named Annette Messager “Being an artist means forever healing your own wounds and at the same time endlessly exposing them. This is very true but I believe we also heal others wounds, we heal together.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I think one thing that would surprise most people about me is that I often feel lonely. I am working on it but its hard for me to find other people who think or act like me. I move fast, I don’t relax, I feel the lack of love in the world and it rips through my heart and makes me feel like I’m always not able to do enough, to make enough of a change. It leaves me feeling defeated and alone. I am always surrounded by people and connection and often feel very alone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/4000weeksmusic
• Instagram: @4000weeksmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568284102406
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@4000weeksmusic