I’ve listened to some great first albums from artists who put their hearts, time, energy, money––high stakes––on the line. But many of those artists aren’t around anymore.
Did they die?
Yes. Inside, after not getting the response they had hoped for.
I know because I’ve been there. It’s depressing. And humiliating. I used to begin planning my new life as a successful hermit, living off berries and leaves in Alaska. Just before waving goodbye to my wife and children, I would finally have the courage to take the crucial last step in a very simple four-step process:
Step 1: Create
Step 2: Share
Step 3: Learn
Step 4: Repeat
Most of us do the first three steps, but not the fourth. And that’s okay. It can take years to get to Step 4––sometimes a decade or even longer. And sometimes never.
But whatever you decide, know that repeating is essential if you want to continue. And also know you’re not along; it’s scary for the rest of us, too.
Before I go, here are three examples of this process. Don’t jump straight to the high-stakes version, for crying out loud! Practice the low and medium versions several times first.
Low Stakes
Make a song. Text it to a few close friends. Learn from what they say (or don’t). Then make something else.
Medium Stakes
Write a song, have it produced, release it on Spotify and Apple Music, and gain insight from the experience. Then do it again.
High Stakes
Write an entire album, release it with a full marketing campaign, and learn from what worked and what didn’t. Then do it all again.
Love,
Aaron
P.S. What’s one low-stakes repeat you can try this week?