Why is it so hard to make art for ourselves these days?
This is a question I've been asking myself ever since working on my new dark fantasy album.
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Last week, I shared a little bit about the recent struggles I faced and how I worked through them in order to start writing music for myself again.
(If you missed it, click here to read more.)
But as it turns out, I'm in good company.
Many of you hit 'reply' last week sharing stories of your own...
... and composers inside my Pro Group mentorship program have been echoing these struggles as well.
Last week, one Pro Group member shared the following on our weekly call:
"It was really hard for years to sit down and write something for me, as opposed to 'I want to get better at writing melodies' or 'This is to form my portfolio' or something like that. Writing music just because felt like a waste of time."
So what's actually going on here?
Let's break it down for both aspiring professional composers and hobbyists.
If you're an aspiring pro composer, writing music for yourself might feel like you're procrastinating on the "business side" of music-making.
(I've even implied this before in YouTube videos and my Composing Career Bootcamp.)
But while it's true that getting paid to make music means doing more than just making art, it DOESN'T mean that making art should feel like a "waste of time".
You can build your network, market your music, and search for work opportunities at the same time that you're making music you love.
The key is to find the path to enjoying the process of these pursuits instead of waiting for outcomes.
For my Pro Group student, that meant learning how to slow down, express gratitude, appreciate his progress, and do things for himself again.
"I've noticed that I'm in a really big rush for no reason. The idea that I need to get where I want to go as fast as possible is really throwing a wrench into enjoying the process. So I've really just been trying to take a step back and focusing on writing just to write."
But what if you're not interested in going full-time?
What if you want to compose as a hobby, but still feel stuck?
Believe it or not...
There's actually no difference.
You're likely dealing with the exact same limiting beliefs as any composer who's trying to go pro.
Limiting beliefs like:
- Making music for fun isn't "productive"
- Making music and failing would be a waste of time
- Making music is pointless when there's so many better composers out there
The truth is...
Allowing these thoughts to stop you is creating a wedge between you and the thing you once loved doing.
So...
In order to free yourself and enjoy the journey, you'll need to do two things:
Self-reflection and taking action.
Self-reflection can be done by yourself via journaling, meditation, silence, or long walks...
... or it can be done with others via therapy, friends/loved ones, or coaching.
But either way, you need to unpack the thoughts and feelings that are holding you back from creating.
Spill as much as you're comfortable spilling.
Don't judge your thoughts, or identify with them as who you are/what you believe.
Just get them out, and observe with curiosity.
Then...
Taking action is necessary to overcome your limiting beliefs long-term.
Without it, the only thing you'll believe are the "what if" thoughts in your head and the fear in your heart.
You need to start experiencing the joy of creativity again.
Make some music for fun, even if it feels unproductive or doesn't come out the way you want it to.
For now, showing up for your art is enough.
Eventually, you'll re-discover the joy you had for the process, while building up enough positive experience of art-making to start challenging and dismissing those limiting beliefs in your head.
Feel the fear, and do it anyway.
Here's what I believe:
A rewarding life is one that's lived through not only through the pursuit of self-betterment and freedom, but through cultivating a love for the process of growth in anything and everything we do.
And if you can do that, you don't have to wait for some "dream future" that isn't guaranteed.
You can start building a joyous, creative, fulfilling life right now.
๐ Ready for more?
When you're ready, here's 4 ways I can help:
- ๐ฅ My YouTube. Watch 350+ videos including music tutorials, career tips, and more.
- ๐๏ธ The Newsletter Archive. Read articles from previous weeks of this newsletter.
- ๐ฌ Composing Career Bootcamp. Join my 6-week cohort-based course to learn how to land paid composing work from anywhere in the world. (100+ students, 5 stars)
- ๐ Work Directly with Me. I'm offering private mentorship to select composers interested in working with me on a deeper level. If you're interested, click the link and let's chat.
That's all for now!
Leave a reply to share your thoughts, questions, or just to say hi.
(I love hearing from my readers. ๐)
Otherwise, happy music-making and I'll see you next Tuesday!
- Zach
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