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Bob’s Tip Of The Week

Concentrate on the Purpose Behind Your Success in Music

Some time ago I had lunch with an ambitious musician friend who picked my brain for ways he could accelerate his budding career as an artist who created music for children. He seemed quite determined but had been running into a lot of roadblocks over the years. During our conversation I started to notice a pattern in his choice of words. He kept using the word “famous” when describing his ultimate goal with music.

I pointed this out to him and asked about the benefits of his specialized type of music to the kids, the parents and to himself. He then talked about the positive impact he had on children who heard his songs, the great feedback he got from mothers and fathers, and the sense of satisfaction he got from instilling solid values in young people.

I also reminded my friend that many of the most successful artists are people who pursue a higher purpose and then let fame become a natural by-product in the pursuit of fulfilling that purpose. He soon realized that maybe he was focusing on the wrong thing. Striving for fame itself wasn’t moving him any closer to it. By redirecting his thoughts and actions to the deeper reasons he followed this path, and to the real benefits he was delivering to his audience, he should have a better chance of getting that fame in the process.

You’ve probably heard the same thing about achieving happiness. Sit down right now and concentrate exclusively on being happy and you’ll most likely feel awkward and uneasy. Happiness comes about as a result of pursuing something you enjoy. You literally lose track of time and become absorbed in whatever thought or action consumes you. That’s where true satisfaction lies: when you forget about trying to be happy and lose yourself while going after a higher interest or purpose. I firmly believe the same is true when it comes to making money or earning respect from your peers.

Stop aiming for fame, fortune or industry recognition. Discover the deeper purpose to your pursuit of music. What truly turns you on about creating? What contribution do you make to the lives of the people who hear and enjoy your songs? How can you expand upon these rich benefits that you give and receive? Then let the fame, fortune and recognition become a natural extension of these qualities.

I know this sounds like a touchy-feely kind of sermon, but I hope you agree it’s an important mental perspective that could help you endure and get over the hurdles that we all encounter in the music business.

(Bob Baker is the author of the new "Guerrilla Music Marketing Power Course" - packed with hundreds of indie music marketing ideas for your band or record label. For complete details and a special 40% discount offer, send the message "Power Course Info" to Bobmsrg@aol.com)