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Lots of composers are afraid to make music full-time.
Not because they don’t love it enough - because they’re afraid that doing it for a living would mean that they’d fall OUT of love it it.
And I get it.
I’ve met many working composers who seem burnt out from the long nights, jaded by the entertainment industry, resentful of low pay, and depressed at the future of the industry with the influx of AI and other tech.
But…
I’ve also met many composers who love what they do, even if they’ve been doing it for years.
So what’s the difference between people who stay in love with composing versus those who don’t?
If you watched my recent video on the subject, I broke down some of the key components I discussed with students of my Pro Group.
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Off-camera, I asked them about jobs they’ve worked that they didn’t enjoy, and what contributed to that lack of enjoyment.
The key factors were:
- 🌎 External factors - lack of assigned challenge, poor quality clients/co-workers, lack of control, long hours
- ❤️ Internal factors - lack of internal challenge, comparison, self-criticism, misalignment
So…
If we can identify what doesn’t lead to long-term happiness…
Then to find out what does, we have to flip those conditions on their head.
To learn how to do that, check out the full video (or skip to 6:34).
🏠 How to Master Working from Home
COVID taught many of us how difficult it can be to be stuck inside.
But beyond a global pandemic…
Being able to work effectively from home is essential if you’re trying to compose full-time.
- 👀 No one checks up on you to make sure you’re working.
- 🕹️ No one segments your work space from your recreation space.
- 😪 No one stops you from working into the early hours of the morning.
Left unchecked...
Sustaining our business becomes both unhealthy and unsustainable.
So, where to start?
Check out this video called “Spaceship You” - created by CGP Grey during the COVID-19 pandemic:
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In it, there's some really useful insights.
I broke down some key points for you below. 👇
Rule 1: 💪 Physical and mental energy work hand-in-hand.
There are some problems you can’t “think your way out of”.
Instead, make time for physical exercise whether you feel like it or not.
Recognize that exercise doesn’t drain you - it fuels you.
Rule 2: 🏠 Divide your space and respect the boundaries.
Your bed is for sleeping, not browsing your phone.
Your couch is for relaxing, not doing work.
Your computer is for working, not watching Netflix.
Honor the boundaries you set and you’ll be able to switch states more quickly.
Rule 3: ⏰ Time management is non-negotiable.
Set a minimum amount of time to adhere to exercise, and a maximum amount of time for recreation.
Stick with those limitations for a fixed period of time before adjusting them.
Rule 4: 🧠 Learning creates motivation for personal growth.
Set aside free time to get better at something - anything you can improve upon, no restrictions.
This time is for creation, not consumption.
(These are just a few of the great points in this video, so I definitely recommend giving it a watch.)
⚖️ The Rule of Thirds
No matter how exciting your goal is, you’re going to have bad days.
That’s non-negotiable.
But how often is too often? What’s the sweet spot?
Olympian Alexi Pappas shared a perspective from her mentor on how to dial this in.
It’s called the Rule of Thirds.
“When you’re chasing a dream or doing anything hard, you’re meant to feel good 1/3 of the time, okay 1/3 of the time, and 1/3 of the time. If the ratio is roughly in that range, then you’re doing fine.”
This is a super important lesson.
When you’re chasing something important to you, you can’t expect things to always feel positive.
That’s unrealistic - and will often hold you back from pushing yourself.
Instead, accept that there’s going to be some days - maybe even 33% of the days - where you’re just not feeling it.
But do it anyway.
Because when you do it anyway, you teach yourself to ride through those waves.
You teach yourself that the highs and lows of the journey are ultimately out of your control.
The only thing you can control is whether or not you show up.
(If you want to learn more about how to deal with the discomfort of growth, check out my previous blog post.)
👋 Ready for more?
When you're ready, here's 4 ways I can help:
- 🎥 My YouTube. Watch 350+ videos including music tutorials, career tips, and more.
- 🗞️ The Newsletter Archive. Read articles from previous weeks of this newsletter.
- 🎬 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)
- 👋 Work Directly with Me. I'm offering private mentorship to a handful of select media composers. If you're interested, click the link to apply.
That's all for now!
Hit reply to share your thoughts, questions, or just to say hi.
(I love hearing from my readers. 🙂)
Otherwise, happy music-making and I'll see you next Tuesday!
- Zach
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