Be true to yourself

When you start any kind of entrepreneurial business and if you take your career in music seriously, yes this means you as well, things will be tough. And often you are forced to pay so much attention on the finances, even only because the lack of them. It is a hard cold fact that any kind of business adventure requires financial investment before it can make money. I think us artists are some of the most stubborn in trying to deny this fact. But a fact it is and you can’t get away from it.

Sure in music there are so many things you can do for nothing or very little money and you should do all you can to keep the costs down until you actually have some money coming in. But there comes a time when the only way to progress is by investing in your career.

This can lead to a different way of thinking as well. It’s ok to go and play some cover gigs Saturday nights, or busking to get some money you can then invest back into your career, but don’t loose the sight of your goals. If you manage to make some money by doing some cover shows, or whatever it is you do to gain the money required to advance your career, don’t forget why you are doing it. It is so easy get trapped in the money trap. And sooner than you think your musical career has turned you into a bar entertainer. There is nothing wrong with that either, as long as it is what you want. But if your goal is to get your own songs out and build a career based on that, you need to keep your focus.

Here is something that I see time and time again. Money does give you a little bit of security, but it does not make you happy. Humans are not built to feel fulfilled by material things. Sure the advertising world has done a great job convincing us this and the pressures of our broken society, that barely holds up the nicely painted front while the foundations are crumbling, can make us believe we need material things. The true happiness people get from growth and validation. You can argue with me on this one as much as you want, but it’s a fact 😉

So try to keep your focus on making, creating and writing something you truly want, not something you think people would like, or might make you money. The music listening audience is hard to fool, they will see your false pretence. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, why should we? Be true to yourself.

J.P.

The author J.P. Kallio is a singer songwriter
To get three of his free songs go HERE and click Download