We all have dreams… to be famous, to be rich, to live somewhere or to be something but, do they all come true? What can we do if they don’t? Dust ourselves off and move on or spin in a never ending spiral? To be honest right now I know exactly which one I’ve been doing but my dreams seem to have stalled at an alarming rate! Truth is, I'm not always sure what I should and shouldn’t be doing. My life turned on its head 4 years ago and no matter what I do I still feel like that turtle who can’t get itself upright again.
I know what I’m passionate about, I know what makes me happy and, when I was able to do it full time I had no problem with my motivation, my creative ideas or my get up and go attitude. But then, as it frequently does, reality hit and I had to go back to paid, 40 hour per week job that isn't very exciting! My average travel time is 10 hours a wee, I have two children and have been trying to maintain a grown-up relationship, something I haven’t had in a very long time. I'm tired, and sometimes it feels like my dreams are fading.
I dream of being a marketing manager, either for a musician or a record label/management company. I was doing really well, last month my very own advert came out in print! It was an incredible moment… but a few things happened and my confidence was stripped. It did take make me reconsider whether I should try and pursue those dreams.
The majority of you reading this are either dreaming of being a musician, playing all the big shows (and let's be honest, making a full-time job out of it!), or dreaming of working within the Music Business doing various careers we have discussed in ‘Careers In The Music Industry’ Series. So how hard is it? How do we go about making sure we stay on track despite our personal setbacks?
Set goals
Setting goals can help you stay on track and monitor your progress. Success doesn’t happen overnight but by making small goals you can see your moving in the right direction. Remember, it isn't always about that big end goal!
Networking
It is important to get to know people!! Connecting on social media - commenting and tagging others - is all part of being part of the community. People also share a ‘who to follow’ post every now and again. Make sure to follow everyone and then create your own… It's one of the best ways to reach out. Other great ideas to network is to attend events and festivals. Even if you aren't performing, it's a great way to network with festival organisers, media, and other artists.
Pursue additional training
It doesn’t matter what your dream is, additional training is always beneficial. I myself have undertaken a social media course, signed up for a songwriters course and completed ‘An Introduction to the Music Business’ course through EDX and Berkley university. Whatever can help you get a better insight into your chosen area is extremely important.
Build a brand online
Whether it is a music career or a business, always create a brand! Find your personal identity and what you stand for. It can be colours or an objective; whatever it is, make it stand out and be unique to you.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Again, it doesn't matter what the dream, practice makes perfect. By honing your craft and those skills, you can only get better right? Don’t let a bad outcome get in the way of doing what you excel at.
Look for support
Support is everywhere - find your people! Finding a good group who will have your back, understand what you need, and to be a constant cheerleader is hard but, not impossible. I am so lucky to have Rachel - she understands when things are tough for me and I need some time out and hopefully she knows that goes the other way round too.
Treat it like a business
Well… it is! It may be a dream but you can also get paid for it! If you approach it as a business and market it as a business then you shouldn’t fail.
Don’t be afraid to fail
And just like that… Don’t be afraid to fail! Honestly, you probably will over and over again. I have, I am and I will continue to do so until I find my right place in life but that's ok. We learn from them. I was asked recently, “What if I make this big move and I fail? What if the dream is better than reality?” I simply replied “But what if it's everything you’ve ever wanted?” You can’t be afraid to take chances just because the future is uncertain.
Take the chance… you never know what the future holds!