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Tips & Resources, The CLIMB Show by Brent Baxter, Team SWPro on May 19, 2020
Music Biz success can be a long journey and a wise P.A.T.H. is critical to that success! Is your path wise? How can you get the most out of the steps you are taking on this journey? Find out now by clicking the link below!
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Here are the show notes:
Songwriting and the music business is a journey. If you have big dreams for your music, then it’s a long journey. It’s been my experience that a wise path is critical to a successful journey. Here are the elements of a wise P.A.T.H.
Purpose.
Why are you on this journey in the first place? Where do you want to go, and why do you want to go there? Without a clearly-defined purpose, without a desired destination at the end of the path, all you can do is wander. Wandering is fine if you’re just out for a nice walk. But if you want to get somewhere, you need to find or define your purpose.
Do you write for commercial success? (Okay… why?) Money? Fame? Ego? So you can keep writing? Do you write for yourself? Whatever the reason, it’s important that you know what it is. Your purpose will define your destination.
In "The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey talked about beginning with the end in mind. The end you have in mind should be consistent with your purpose.
Action.
So you have your purpose, and that gives you a picture of your destination. But that’s not enough. The path will not travel under your feet. You have to get moving! Take action, but not just any random action. The point isn’t to walk in circles or to run in place. Take the action you believe will move you in the direction of your purpose. Keep your purpose in mind, and act.
Act ON purpose FOR a purpose.
Keep asking yourself if your actions map to your desired destination. Before taking on new commitments, ask “will this action move me in the direction of my purpose?” Check in with yourself. Look at your calendar. Your calendar and checkbooks are maps, and what you make time for & spend money on is where you will go. What actions can you take this week to move you along the PATH?
Time.
Any purpose worth following will not be fulfilled overnight. You have to put in the time. You have to resolve yourself to sticking with it for the long haul. Success doesn’t come easily or quickly. Pack a lunch, and wear some comfortable walking shoes- this will take a while.
This also means you have to enjoy the process. If it’s “grit your teeth” with every action you take, you’re gonna burn out. That also means you’re probably not taking actions that are consistent with your true purpose. Enjoying the process is what keeps you energized for the long journey. So it’s important that you uncover your purpose and commit to actions that map to that purposeful destination.
Habit.
Habit multiplies the effects of your efforts. When you have Purposeful Action Taken Habitually (hey, that spells P.A.T.H., too), that’s when all your positive momentum starts adding up like a snowball rolling downhill. But this isn’t auto-pilot. And you’re not taking the path of least resistance. You’re still keeping your purpose in mind and taking action again and again. This habit doesn’t replace thought. Thoughtful, purposeful action IS your habit.
Here’s an example. Maybe a purposeful action habit is coming up with more song titles. Try habit stacking. So pick a habit you already have. Pick something you do several times a day. Maybe it’s refilling your coffee or your water in the kitchen. That’s an existing habit- something you do daily. Now, stack a new habit on top of it. Keep a little notebook in the drawer or on the counter. Every time you refill your drink, write down a song title. Good, bad, whatever. Don’t make it have to be so earth-shattering that you stand there for 10 minutes hating life. Just jot something down. Most will suck. But your brain will start to figure out that every time you go get coffee, you’re gonna make it come up with a title… so it might as well be a decent one. Try it out.
Or here’s another one. Say you want to reach out to one music industry person every day over social media. Maybe your anchor habit is pulling up Facebook. Then you stack a new habit on top of it. “The first thing I do the first time I’m on Facebook each day is comment on a post by a music biz person.” Or maybe you do that for Instagram. Or maybe you message or DM a music biz person each day and say something of VALUE.
Don’t just say “hello.” Say how much you love that song they wrote. Or you appreciate their production chops. Or how well they sing. Whatever. A compliment goes a long way. Give. Don’t take.
CONCLUSION:
The path to success is paved with the stones of Purpose, Action, Time and Habit.
Hey, would like some face-to-face time with a multiple #1 hit songwriter?
Want to ask him some questions- and get answers? Well, this is your chance! On Tuesday, May 26, Songwriting Pro is hosting another Know The Pro online event! Our guest this time is Steve Dean, writer of the huge Rodney Atkins hit, "Watching You," as well as cuts by George Strait, Dierks Bentley, Reba, Alabama, and more! f YOU want to meet Steve and ask him your questions, join Songwriting Pro today! (If you miss the live event, members get to watch the replay of ALL of our Know The Pro events in the Songwriting Pro Member Area.) And this event is ONLINE, so it doesn't matter where in the world you live. If you're already a SWPro subscriber, just keep an eye on your email for the invitation link. If you're not yet a member, CLICK HERE TO JOIN SONGWRITING PRO TODAY!
God bless,
Brent
