Should You Ever Give Up On Your Dreams?

Have you ever reached a point on your journey where you thought about just giving up?  Have you ever been so frustrated you thought it would be easier to just throw in the towel and walk away from your crazy dreams and aspirations?  I know I’ve felt like this on more than a few occasions over the years.  But for whatever reason, there’s something inside me that just won’t let me quit.  Although I’ve come close several times.

I’ve been reflecting on this a lot lately and to be honest, looking back, I’m sort of surprised I didn’t just give up at a few different points.  Although I certainly felt like quitting a few times, the real simple reason as to why I didn’t, is that I love making music.  Somewhere along the line I realized that my love and passion for music was greater than any sense of frustration or disappointment I felt related to the music business. 

When you reach a point where you realize that you’re in it simply for the love and joy of making music, it’s incredibly liberating.  Because if that’s your true motivation, it’s a lot easier to be detached from the outcome and enjoy the process and paradoxically, when you stop worrying so much about “making it”, it becomes lot easier to move forward. 

Over the years I’ve fallen in love with the process of writing and recording music.  To this day, I get the biggest thrill from watching a song come to life in the studio.  To see and hear a song that I created slowly become realized over the course of days and weeks is a feeling that I live for.  Anything that happens after that point is really icing on the cake.

Don’t get me wrong.  Having goals related to your music is important.  It gives you something to work towards and will help keep you focused and on track.  I’ve had the most success with my music in licensing.  If I didn’t have goals related to licensing to keep me motivated and focused, there’s a good chance I would have given up along the way.  Because as much as I simply love making music for the sake of making it, I still want my music to be heard, valued and enjoyed.  I first and foremost make music because it brings me joy, but I also want to share my music with the world and find as many outlets as possible through which I can get my music out there.

A good analogy is that of being single vs being in a relationship.  Have you ever heard the idea that in order to attract the right relationship, you need to be happy on your own first?  I feel like there’s a lot of truth to this.  When you’re able to find fulfillment in your life and create an amazing life when you’re out of a relationship, it becomes much easier to attract quality people that want to join you on your journey.  There’s of course nothing wrong with desiring relationships and connection with other people.  It’s a healthy motivation as long as it’s not coming from a place of lack and desperation.

For me, making and marketing music is very similar, in the sense that first and foremost I want to make music that I’m happy with, that I’m inspired to write and that I feel like is an authentic expression of who I am as an artist.  Then, when I’ve made the music I’m inspired to make, I seek out connections and people in the industry that support my vision and believe in the music I’m creating. 

So, should you give up your dream of music?  Not if you love making music.  Why would you stop doing something you love?!

Speaking of music.  Here’s my latest release, a song called “Oh, My Love” that I created with my friend and musical collaborator, MJ, with production and engineer by Gary Gray.  We recently signed this track to North Note, a boutique music licensing agency out of London.  One of several new agencies I signed with last year. 
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Check it out below: