If you decided right now, today, that you were done with the music business, your world hopefully would be sad for a second, but then your world would move right along and be just fine.
This thought probably brings you either freedom or fear.
You don’t HAVE TO do this (whatever it is you’re doing), but you chose to do it, so do it well, since that’s what you’ve chosen. You choosing it is what makes it valuable.
If you’re married to an idea that you need to stick with what you’re doing because that’s what you’ve always done and/or everyone would be just DEVASTATED if you stopped, you can let go of that idea.
They won’t be devastated. Your mother might be, but even she will move on after 36 hours.
Seth Godin had a really great post a while back along these lines that I think you should read.
Some of you run around thinking “what will everyone do, how will they react/live/look at me/respect me if I stop…and do something else”.
At some point you’ll realize that in life, you’re trading on your character, generosity, thoughtfulness, the essence of your passion (spoiler: your passion isn’t music even though you play it) and who you are as a person.
And the good thing is you get to take all of that with you after the last chords ring out.
I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com