One of the reasons that I love working with musicians is that they chose to do what they do because of a deep sense of commitment and passion to the field. Otherwise, why would they spend some much time practicing and honing their craft in a competitive and challenging field?
It is one thing to be in love with your art. Yet many musicians have trouble taking the next step to figuring out how to translate that passion into a successful and sustainable career.
Where do you start?
“The only constant is change.” –Heraclitus
When you think about life, we are constantly changing. This includes our career paths. Many people believe that once you find your “perfect” career, you are set for life. That only sets up an unrealistic expectation that leads people to feel frustrated that they have not found “it” and to ignore the marvelous process of growth and change.
I am in the process of finalizing the reading list for my course next semester at the Yale School of Music on “Creating Sustainable Careers in the Arts” and am including Ben Zander’s TED Talk on Music and Passion. TED Talks originated from a conference with the world’s thought leaders in Technology, Entertainment and Design around the theme of “ideas worth spreading”. The talks have broadened in scope to include inspirations voices that anyone can access for free online on the ted.com website. I have chosen this particular talk because not only it is an inspiration for today’s conservatory students to hear one of the world’s great proponents of classical music but also because it contains some powerful leadership lessons that transcend music and apply to all areas of life.
The fourth point of the cycle of transitions is getting “there”. If you have tested out a number of possibilities and hit upon the thing that works, it is now time to do it. Eureka! You are there! How exciting to hit upon a career path that aligns with who you are at your best! . You may want this …
I work with a lot of musicians and creative professionals who feel stuck and trapped in their current roles. This feeling of being stuck can be stressful and debilitating, especially if you think that there is something “perfect” out there if only you could figure out what “it” is. This is a classic case of the first phase of career transitions that I previously wrote about called “I’m done“: what happens when your dream dies or your job comes to an end.
The good news is that if you spend some time “reflecting” on who you are at your core– the next phase of transition where you do the personal development work that you need to do in order to set yourself up for a successful transition–you will be in a much better position to move on.
We all have a “best or Flow self”. That is the side of us that comes alive when we are in the Flow, doing what we do best, feeling confident and joyful and successful. You can discover what your best Flow self is by following this simple process.
The great thing about this Flow Affirmation is that is draws on actual experience. Having the affirmation is the reminder of who you are at your best. This affirmation can be a powerful way for you to make choices to live that best, Flow self. And by doing so, you are incorporating Flow into your life and cultivating a more positive, success-oriented mindset!
What are some ways to do this?
Taking charge is a mindset of positivity. It means that you believe in yourself and your vision and you are committed to taking the steps that will make your vision a reality.
This is leadership in its purest sense. Leadership is essentially the ability to inspire yourself and others to create success. And entrepreneurship takes the concept of leadership a step further by instilling the notion of taking charge and being the driver who makes things happen.
How do you develop the positive attitude that enables you to take charge?
It starts with embracing the concept of Flow.
Taking charge is a mindset of positivity. It means that you believe in yourself and your vision and you are committed to taking the steps that will make your vision a reality. This is leadership in its purest sense. Leadership is essentially the ability to inspire yourself and others to create success. And entrepreneurship takes the concept of leadership a …
One of the hallmarks of a music entrepreneur is having a vision and taking action to make that vision happen. In my role as Coordinator of Career Strategies at the Yale School of Music, I have the privilege of working with an extraordinarily talented group of musicians, all of whom have worked hard to get to where they are. Yet many of these students do not have a vision for where they want to take their careers. Since having a vision is a powerful motivator for creating career success, how do you create such a vision for yourself?
In my experience, many successful musicians got their career inspiration from listening to other people and paying attention when they got excited about something that someone else was doing. In other words, they met someone and realize, “That’s what I want to do.” Then, they put their personal spin on the idea and that became their vision.
The start of the academic year is a great time to reflect on strengths since it is my belief that knowing and developing your strengths is one of the basic elements of creating success.
Moreover, for musicians, knowing your strengths is key to creating your brand—the message that sets you apart from others—as well as a beacon of light when your confidence is flagging and you need a boost to remember what your talents really are.
How do you spot strengths?
