Is your goal to be successful enough to do anything you want?
Or is your goal to be successful enough to do the work you want?
Purely selfish motivation doesn’t sustain. It can’t. It’s a closed system designed to implode.
On the other hand, work is tied to contribution. Contribution is tied to other people and to the culture. Work and contribution scale. Building blocks of the good. It’s inward AND outward reaching. And it can scale to infinity.
You get to choose why you’re working.
It’s a lot harder to copy someone than you might think.
You can try, but the end product ends up having at least a little bit of you in it too.
It’s easy to mimic, hard to copy.
A great artist knows that they can’t help but put their spin on what they’re copying or stealing…thereby adding to it and making it a new thing…thereby feeling the freedom to ‘copy’ i.e. mimic whenever and whoever they want.
So that song that you listened to today that you really want to copy, do it.
If you want to make music for a living you have to make money.
So how does an artist make money with music? Make a list. Do those things.
If you don't do those things you won't be able to make music for a living.
»» The ‘make music’ and ‘for a living’ have different requirements and skill sets for achievement.
If you knew the audience was on your side you’d probably push the envelope a bit more…because after all, they’re on your side.
But it turns out the best way to get people to pick a side in the first place is to push the envelope a bit more.
So the answer to the question of…’What would you do differently if you knew the audience was on your side’ is very similar to what you should start doing regardless of whether or not the audience is on your side…and will help to get the right people on your side.
New Hum Love playlist on Spotify and Apple.
The modern release schedule seems to be firmly in place. Multiple releases per year. New songs, remixes, stripped versions, collaborations, features, albums.
If there’s a two or three year gap it’s easy to wonder if the act isn’t doing music anymore.
There’s an expectation that you will release new music, and soon too. And if this song doesn’t hit, fear not, you’ll have another chance. You’re expected to take another chance.
Glad these artists keep taking chances. It’s good stuff.
One more on magic…
If you don’t have the magic within the group, how do you get it?
First let me say, it’s absolutely possible to have a career as a band or with a team of people while not having magical chemistry. Magic is extra special but not essential to achievement.
So how does magic come about? In a word: Personnel.
If you’ve been with the same group for five years and magical connection and inspiration and magnetism isn’t happening, it’s unlikely to come. It’s time to change up the personnel.
Add someone to the group. Remove someone from the group. Replace someone in the group. Get a different group. Each one of those methods has the power to redefine the chemistry of the entire group.
We each bring a vibe and energy to the group. When certain people cross each others’ paths, something extra special happens. Something clicks. Synergy. The spirit. A collective force. Excitement and possibility and adventure. A deep sense of With.
If you don’t have it, it doesn’t mean you need to leave everyone you know. But keep your eyes open. Keep making little new connections and opportunities. When you find it, you’ll know.