Imagine you’ve been asked to build a bridge.
The site has been chosen and the goal is clear: you are to build a bridge to allow cars to cross a river.
Congratulations!
The Research Begins
After accepting the job, you dig into every book and video you can find on the subject. Every one of them talks about pavement and traffic flow – which of course makes sense. So after careful study and planning, you assemble all the machinery, materials and people at the job site and quickly get to work.
It’s at that moment that you realize you have everything you need to move cars, but you have no idea how to build the foundation or the platform to span the river.
Uh oh.
Imagine you’ve been asked to build a music career
You don’t have to imagine, of course, because this is what you’re trying to do.
And just like in our bridge story, everything you’ve been taught has been about the pavement of technique and the traffic flow of artistic expression. But I ask you, what have you been taught about building the foundation of strong relationships and the spanning platform of planning, goals, and life management?
If you’re like most musicians, the answer is very little.
Foundation and Spanning Platform
I am all for technique and artistic expression. As a lifelong musician, I know these are crucial. Same thing with passion. These are musts.
How ’bout we add:
- Foundation: communication and listening skills; negotiation skills; and marketing, branding, and promotion skills (without being a pushy jerk).
- Spanning Platform: clear and attainable goals for your career AND your life plus the know-how to adjust as your career – and you – grow over the course of your lifetime.
Whether through me or someone else, I hope you’ll consider learning about these things. They are the other parts of the bridge you need to reach your dreams.
