I'm a Success - Help, Get me out of here!

Hi there,

Have you been dreaming about achieving success in your music career for some time and now you've finally reached it, you're feeling a bit scared? Of course your music career success may come in many guises for instance: Have you just been booked for your very first gig and the reality of it is making you freak out? Or have you just secured the job of your dreams within a record company and you're feeling the pressure? Or your dream of getting that record deal has just become a reality and you suddenly feel very nervous? Does any of this sound at all familiar to you?

Having read a couple of articles in the NME's, 15 July 2006 edition, I felt inspired to write about the scariness and pressures of being successful and how you can deal with it. The NME (New Music Express) quotes Lily Allen as saying on the topic of fame, "All I did was sign a deal, put up a few songs on the net, and everyone's gotten all excited. I, on the other hand, am sh***ing myself" (page 29).

"Oh poor Lily", you may say - you'd like to be in her position right? Of course you do - most musicians would love to get a record deal, with all the fame and money that can go with it! But that doesn't mean that it's not scary because for many of you, it is just that. Why? Because you are putting yourself out there into the big wide world in a very public manner - with not just your music, but also you, yourself personally. It's not easy being successful - the pressure is really on for you to prove yourself worthy of your success - not only to yourself, but, to the general public, who are for most of the time, highly critical (or is that just the press?). Of course when you are in the public eye, everyone will also know if you succeed or fail!

For instance: A review on the Arctic Monkeys in the NME says, "This summer was meant to be the icing on the Monkeys' cake, but already the backbiters and naysayers are whispering that the band have gone stale" (page 20). Thank goodness the rest of the review went on to put those backbiters straight.

It is understandable therefore when I talk to clients, that some of you say you wish to put your success on hold for a while - for you feel the pressure of success before you have even got there. You express feelings of isolation, not being able to cope emotionally with your success - you tell me that you feel 'a fraud' and that you can't possibly live up to everyone's expectations of you. And these feelings are not only confined to those of you who are famous, but to any of you who has found success in your music careers - in whatever area of the music industry you work in.

So how do you deal with the pressures of being successful? The following Tips are just 3 ways that may just give you a helping hand:

Tip 1- Stay grounded. You have worked really hard, probably over many years, to get to where you are now. So having reached a level of success try not to get too carried away by all the excitement - yes, please go and have a party to celebrate your success, you really deserve it! But once you are partied out, it's important to get real about what your success means in practical terms - for most of you the hard work doesn't stop once you get your record deal or your dream job in the music industry.

For some of you the workload may increase or your success may come with additional responsibilities. For others what you used to do as a hobby eg: gigging, writing music, recording et al becomes your career and whilst it may not be a nine to five job, it is a job none the less. So, it is important for you to maintain some normality - especially for those of you whose success also brings fame with it.

To do this try to continue with some of your normal routines - this will help you maintain some perspective and keep your feet firmly on the ground. Try to make sure that these routines involve your family and friends - your relationships with these people will not have changed (or don't have to change) and so they will help you to keep grounded.

Tip 2 - Keep Focused. So you have successfully played your first gig or gained a record deal or you have gained promotion in the record company you work for - whatever and wherever you have gained your success, you need to keep focussed on what you have to achieve next to maintain your success.

To do this you need a plan of action - this means looking at your priorities, looking at timescales and creating your plan of action, followed by taking action! Try not to let distractions take you off course. If you are an artist and have secured a record deal, a lot of your days will be planned for you. Whichever way it is, don't forget to make sure you strike a balance between work and play. Take a look at the free Balance Report on my website at www.bravura-group.com - this will take you through prioritising your time and life and getting the balance right will also help you to stay grounded and connected to the important things in your life too!

It is also important to keep your self-belief going - and not to listen to any of your gremlins - see February's newsletter about how your gremlins can attack you! (feel free to email me for a copy).

Tip 3 - Keep yourself to yourself! If fame comes with your success, it is important for you to keep part of yourself and your life, private. Otherwise you may feel that you are completely the property of the media and general public. You will have heard countless stories of celebrities lives being splashed all over the newspapers, this does not have to happen to you, you do have some control!

Try to work out which parts of you, you are happy to share with the public and which parts of you and your life you are not. Having done this whenever you are asked questions about yourself, you can stay away from those areas that you want to keep private. George Michael has been on TV just last week discussing this very topic! To keep the media happy you can give them just snippets of information around your private life - but not the important things that really matter to you. You don't have to lie to keep your privacy, you just do not have to talk about things you don't want to.

Think about the most typical questions you may be asked in an interview - these will be around your music, for instance, 'What is your latest single about?' is a classic question. Other questions will inevitably be about yourself and how and where you grew up and your current private life. In addition your music will be scrutinised by critics to see who may influence you musically. You may find it useful to practice some of the answers that you may want to give to specific questions that will undoubtedly be asked of you in these interviews.

Even if fame does not come with your success, you still may be asked questions about your private life, by colleagues or peers that, you do not wish to answer. You too can undertake the tip above to accommodate this. You are under no obligation to give everything of yourself to your music career and for your own sanity you may wish to keep yourself to yourself!

I hope you have found the tips in this newsletter helpful. If you are struggling in coming to terms with your own success in the music industry or need help to deal with the pressures of success and/or fame, please feel free to contact me for a complimentary session to see how I can help. In the meantime, please take a look at the free stuff on my website as well as the packages that can help you create a balanced music career and help you deal with media attention.

So, are you feeling scared by your success?

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

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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.

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