Go For Broke!

Many in the creative sector say you’ll never make it until you go for broke. That is, until you throw out all other career possibilities and dive into your art like you’re jumping out of an airplane; no plan b.  If your parachute doesn’t open and your career doesn’t take off then you’re sunk. That mentality may work for some, but I think there is a stigma associated with side jobs and plan b’s that is simply unhelpful.

I know an incredible mix engineer who worked at a department store during the winter months for a few years as he was building his clientele base and work was slower. Did that short circuit his dream of making music a long term career? No, on the contrary it bought him time and covered his bills as music grew to be a full time thing.

I know many industry recognized songwriters, producers, mix engineers, and mastering engineers who have other income sources. They are at the top of the game in the music industry in many respects and still to this day they haven’t given up all other income sources.

There is a truth behind the myth that you have to go for broke to be successful. That is that you have to plan on success and work accordingly. If you lean upon your plan b and assume a full-time career in music won’t materialize then it likely won’t. That’s not “name it and claim it” theology or the power of positive thinking. It’s simply making choices based upon the outcome you hope for. Think about it: if you hope to be a college graduate you’ll study hard and make sacrifices to make it happen. You’ll get a completely different result if you assume you’ll flunk out of college and spend the rest of your days working the same fast food restaurant job you worked in high school.

The bottom line: don’t turn down other income sources or neglect other passions because of the common misbelief that music must monopolize one’s work life in order to thrive.