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 The Bravura Newsletter provides valuable information that you can use to reach your music career goals and to help you gain a balanced and enjoyable life whilst working within the fast-paced Music Industry.
How does your attitude serve you? Hi there, As a musician, a composer, an artist or member of a band, how do you cope with setbacks in your music career? Do you find that you get really upset when you don't play or sing or write well and generally things don't go how you want them? Does it take you a long time to get your head back in gear and to continue to pursue your music career? Do you become low or depressed and then let your music career lapse a little or a lot? Do you tend to drown your sorrows in alcohol? Or do you tend to snap at other people close to you? In last month's newsletter I talked a little about success traits and how successful people see setbacks as stepping stones. I thought you may find it useful to look at this particular trait more fully to see how it could help you progress and achieve your music career dreams and goals. It seems to me to be all about your attitude. If your attitude is to see your setbacks as negative, then it is quite easy to see how your subsequent behaviour and demeanour will reflect that - resulting in you becoming upset, feeling low and possibly drowning your sorrows as stated above! However, if your attitude is to view your setbacks more positively, you will be able to very quickly see how you could improve and how you can take the positives from a difficult situation and use them to progress you forward regardless, to achieving your goals - hence the 'stepping stones' analogy. For example, you're playing an important gig where some music industry bods have come to 'take a look' at you - everything goes wrong - guitar strings break whilst in the middle of a song; you get caught in the mic lead; the stage is too small and you can't move around in your usual energetic way; you are so nervous, you can hardly speak to your audience. You don't feel you've shown your best. Your negative attitude would probably think you've blown your chances with the management or record company who have come to see you perform, so there's no point even bothering to speak to them -you may think "what's the point - you don't want to hear a 'no' from them and you can't stand the rejection". You may just head straight for the bar and drink for the rest of the evening and get into arguments with the rest of the band! Or you just may wallow in self pity and go over and over again in your head how you could have done things better or complain bitterly about the guitar strings or the mic lead! Your positive attitude however, would probably react by going back stage and having a quick debrief with your band and checking out what happened and how you could have done things better or differently. For instance, you realise that actually the song didn't lose too much by only having a 5-string guitar for its duration! And in the future you could consider having a spare tuned, guitar ready to grab. You could work out that one of your band members could start talking to your audience should you be struggling - making the interaction with your audience less pressurising. Having spoken with your band and getting your thoughts together and how you could improve things, you can then go out to meet the music industry people and tell them that you realise a few things went wrong this evening, but you can prove your professionalism by telling them that you have already worked out some improvements. You will be surprised how these setbacks (stepping stones!) will be mostly overlooked by these industry people because they are more concerned with your songs, your sound, how well you go down with your audience and whether your music has a 'commercial-bility' to it that will sell to the masses. But if they are not interested in pursuing you and your band - then they will give you constructive feedback on how you can improve too - so it can work out positively for you in any case! Your attitude can affect many different aspects of your music career - whether you suffer disappointments or have to deal with discouragement from other people. So with this in mind, the following Tips may help you with your attitude… Tip 1 - do you control your attitude or does it control you? By answering this question you may discover whether you naturally view setbacks (negative) as just that or whether you view them as stepping stones (positive). In the same way - you may view a glass as half empty or half full. If your attitude is one of negativity, do you also then allow this negative attitude to colour your behaviour and affect your subsequent thoughts and behaviour in a negative manner? If so then I would suggest that your attitude is controlling you! If you discover that this is the case then it may be time to do something about that, as you may decide that this negativity is not serving you well. So take control! The next time you consider yourself to have a setback, a disappointment or counter some kind of discouragement in your music career, acknowledge that your natural tendency is to allow your attitude to be one of negativity, and stop it right there. Say "No" to this past behaviour and tell yourself that you are going to try a different way - a positive attitude! Take an objective look at the disappointment or setback and try to see how you could have done things differently or what positive aspects of it can you take forward to help you now or in the future. And if you cannot find any, then put a full stop on the situation and then start to see what you can do now to move your music career goal forward - you may need to achieve it by walking, or indeed singing, down a different path, but there will always be a way. Tip 2 - take a look at your supporters and your resources. Who do you have around you who supports your music career dreams and goals? What resources do you have at present that support your music career? Once more, taking some time out to review who or what these are, will give you food for thought and help you analyse objectively what it is you need or who you need to help you succeed in your chosen music career. Make a list of the resources that will move you forward with your music - for example this may be to undertake a course or to read a specific book or it may be to have some specific training or coaching to help you improve in particular areas of your musicianship. Tip 3 - Start recruiting! If, from Tip 2, you decide that you need some more supporters to help you move forward in your music career then start looking for people who can help you. Create a 'circle of champions' who can surround you and can bring you help and support as and when you need it. These champions may be able to give you knowledge or skills or help you to view your setbacks as stepping stones and help pull you up if or when you're feeling down. Another champion may be able to introduce you to influential people in the music industry or at least give you some ideas on how to do this. You may want one champion to challenge your thinking - which you may find useful to see lots of different ways you can move forward in your music career and to see the benefits or pitfalls of each. Once you have identified the kinds of people that you would like in your circle of champions, then start recruiting - you may find that you already have a couple. In this instance you may like to formally ask them to be your champions and in this way they know they have a role in supporting you in your music career. For those areas that you need to bring champions on board, think of who you already know who could fulfil these specific champion roles and ask them if they would undertake that role - if you don't know anyone at this time - keep a good look out - they will be out there! Once you have your champions in place - start working with them and let them inspire you and motivate you and hold you accountable if you need this and see how you make greater strides forward - not only in your music career, but in controlling your attitude! I hope this month's newsletter gives you much food for thought and helps you to shift any negative attitudes. If you are still struggling to control your attitude and need my help, feel free to contact me via email to set up a free consultation call to discuss how we can turn your setbacks into stepping stones! So, how does your attitude serve you? With very best wishes  Bravura Group helping you brave the music industry http://www.bravura-group.com t: 01246 231 249 / 0845 456 460 e: lindsey@bravura-group.com I work with signed and unsigned artists and personnel working in the Music Industry who want to become more productive, creative and ultimately more successful in their music careers, whilst enjoying a more enriched, fulfilling and balanced personal life. If you have received this copy of the Bravura newsletter from a friend or colleague and would like to receive future copies, please visit www.bravura-group.com to subscribe. Thank you. |
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