So I've been reading this book, "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David J. Schwartz. It's just an all around great book for anyone to read. It's definitely one I like to re-read through the years when I need to re-charge and think bigger. I try not to be cliche and take other people's titles and change words around, but for some reason, I found myself doing exactly that for this blog!! 
Well the deal is, we are all taught to think a certain way from the day of our birth. Whether our parents, teachers, etc, sit us down directly and say, "this is how you should think or believe" or we absorb our thoughts through watching and following patterns in our environment, we develop our thought processes from an early age and until we allow someone to challenge our thinking, we pretty much live our lives the same day to day, year to year without much thought to change. I've been thinking a lot about this a lot. As an artist who grew up in the 80's, I saw that the usual way a singer's music career was launched was through a record deal..a company lending an artist an astronomical budget to make an album that would hopefully sell millions of records worldwide. I have no idea what type of pressure that is for an artist or a record company to not know whether those millions of dollars spent on record producers, marketing, touring, etc would be a huge gain or a huge loss. But when music sharing took effect on the internet, everything changed. The record industry is not the same because of it. More music is being shared instead of bought. Huge departments within record companies have been completely downsized or wiped out. And artists who were big names just a few years ago are being dropped because of low sales and some of these artists can't wait to get out their deals and become independent. There are many reasons why some artists are buying their way out their deals, waiting to get out or at least don't want to make records for their companies. If you've been paying attention to many of our beloved entertainers, some of whom have become bankrupt or passed on traumatically, you may understand why the entertainment industry doesn't seem like the safest place to be, at least for many performers who have so much pressure to be "perfect." Being on all the time I'm sure can be quite exhausting. So with this breakdown, there are more independent artists that have the task of being both the creator and the businessperson/record company. (which I actually enjoy) But most artists would prefer to stay on the creative side of things, which makes sense.
But what I'm finding is that even though the record industry has changed dramatically, many artists as well as supporters and fans in my generation and older are still asking me why I don't I seek a record deal. I'm not against seeking a contract that is a partnership, where I retain ownership of my music. I am not for a record contract that does not allow me to have the creative freedom and ownership I enjoy now. I love the idea of huge sales, but not at the expense of my authenticity, sanity and life! There are plenty of independent artists who are making an amazing living doing what they love and not even thinking about a record deal. They simply don't need one, nor do they want one! These artists may not ever be a household name, but their lives are their own and that's priceless. The fact that the music game has changed completely and there is much evidence of it, yet there is still a huge group of people who think the only way to "success" is securing a huge contract is very telling. It just takes time for people to adjust to a new way of thinking and doing things.
So we all have been going through a serious shift, not just in the music industry, but in our lives in general. Jobs are not as plentiful as they used to be. Even a master's degree does not guarantee a job. People are tapping into entrepreneurialism because they are finding that job security is not so secure. And while the entertainment industry isn't going anywhere and people are still chasing deals and going to Hollywood to become stars, there are more and more "everyday" people who are creating their own lives, going after their dreams in their own unique way, by continuing to perform, writing their stories, and building their audiences through social media networks like youtube, facebook or blogs. They are creating their own industries. As one who is on that path, it is quite an empowering place to be. It's perhaps not as glamorous, but it's worth it and it's working for me.
So I encourage you to not only think BIG, but to think NEW. Old mindsets and systems are breaking down for a reason. Why should there only be a few who get "discovered" when it is wide open now for us to discover ourselves, design our own lives and use every social outlet at our disposal to make some great impact.
So wherever you are in your life...whether you are an artist, a single mom, a housekeeper or a corporate exec, if you've been feeling like it's time make a change in your life, don't be afraid to follow your instincts. The world is changing and so should YOU!! Find people who can help and guide you to think in a new way about yourself and your future!!
THINK NEW and watch what happens!!
Well the deal is, we are all taught to think a certain way from the day of our birth. Whether our parents, teachers, etc, sit us down directly and say, "this is how you should think or believe" or we absorb our thoughts through watching and following patterns in our environment, we develop our thought processes from an early age and until we allow someone to challenge our thinking, we pretty much live our lives the same day to day, year to year without much thought to change. I've been thinking a lot about this a lot. As an artist who grew up in the 80's, I saw that the usual way a singer's music career was launched was through a record deal..a company lending an artist an astronomical budget to make an album that would hopefully sell millions of records worldwide. I have no idea what type of pressure that is for an artist or a record company to not know whether those millions of dollars spent on record producers, marketing, touring, etc would be a huge gain or a huge loss. But when music sharing took effect on the internet, everything changed. The record industry is not the same because of it. More music is being shared instead of bought. Huge departments within record companies have been completely downsized or wiped out. And artists who were big names just a few years ago are being dropped because of low sales and some of these artists can't wait to get out their deals and become independent. There are many reasons why some artists are buying their way out their deals, waiting to get out or at least don't want to make records for their companies. If you've been paying attention to many of our beloved entertainers, some of whom have become bankrupt or passed on traumatically, you may understand why the entertainment industry doesn't seem like the safest place to be, at least for many performers who have so much pressure to be "perfect." Being on all the time I'm sure can be quite exhausting. So with this breakdown, there are more independent artists that have the task of being both the creator and the businessperson/record company. (which I actually enjoy) But most artists would prefer to stay on the creative side of things, which makes sense.
But what I'm finding is that even though the record industry has changed dramatically, many artists as well as supporters and fans in my generation and older are still asking me why I don't I seek a record deal. I'm not against seeking a contract that is a partnership, where I retain ownership of my music. I am not for a record contract that does not allow me to have the creative freedom and ownership I enjoy now. I love the idea of huge sales, but not at the expense of my authenticity, sanity and life! There are plenty of independent artists who are making an amazing living doing what they love and not even thinking about a record deal. They simply don't need one, nor do they want one! These artists may not ever be a household name, but their lives are their own and that's priceless. The fact that the music game has changed completely and there is much evidence of it, yet there is still a huge group of people who think the only way to "success" is securing a huge contract is very telling. It just takes time for people to adjust to a new way of thinking and doing things.
So we all have been going through a serious shift, not just in the music industry, but in our lives in general. Jobs are not as plentiful as they used to be. Even a master's degree does not guarantee a job. People are tapping into entrepreneurialism because they are finding that job security is not so secure. And while the entertainment industry isn't going anywhere and people are still chasing deals and going to Hollywood to become stars, there are more and more "everyday" people who are creating their own lives, going after their dreams in their own unique way, by continuing to perform, writing their stories, and building their audiences through social media networks like youtube, facebook or blogs. They are creating their own industries. As one who is on that path, it is quite an empowering place to be. It's perhaps not as glamorous, but it's worth it and it's working for me.
So I encourage you to not only think BIG, but to think NEW. Old mindsets and systems are breaking down for a reason. Why should there only be a few who get "discovered" when it is wide open now for us to discover ourselves, design our own lives and use every social outlet at our disposal to make some great impact.
So wherever you are in your life...whether you are an artist, a single mom, a housekeeper or a corporate exec, if you've been feeling like it's time make a change in your life, don't be afraid to follow your instincts. The world is changing and so should YOU!! Find people who can help and guide you to think in a new way about yourself and your future!!
THINK NEW and watch what happens!!