One of the biggest mistakes I see new artists make (and have been guilty of as well!) is their failure to "show up." This is basically directly related to the number of opportunities they let slip by them. Many talented people I have encountered suffer from a syndrome I call the "Waiting For It To Come To Me" syndrome. There is some kind of notion that, because you are born with talent, or because you are professionally trained, or because you have done something cool, that people will come and seek you out; that they are just waiting for you.
Here is my tough love for you:
The truth is, people may be waiting to be inspired by you... but no one will wait for you if you do not SHOW UP yourself. This is because there are hundreds of other people, places, and things in their lives taking up their time and attention. We live in a world where technology has overwhelmed us. We cannot get away from having things thrust in our face on a daily, hourly, minute basis to try to get our attention. If you do not show up, WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHO YOU ARE. And we will never know what we missed out on, because we have too many other things filling up our day that DO show up in front of us.
Here are some examples of showing not showing up:
1) You're a photographer. You meet a person at a party who says they represent bands and gives you their card. NO SHOW: You put it in your pocket and never call. You just missed out on an entire pool of paying clients.
*OR* You could make a note on your calendar to call him in a few days, send him some sample photos, and see if any of his bands are interested in raising the bar on their crappy "band on train tracks" promo shots.
2) You get invited to perform a song at a charity benefit. NO SHOW: You decide it's not cool enough/ worth it. Turns out, the manager you have been trying to get a meeting with was in attendance because his sister is on the board of the charity. The person who did perform gained 200 new fans and a meeting with your manager. You ate a bag of Cheetos and watched hulu.
*OR* Even though it's not really your thing, you decide to go ahead and do it cause it's a good cause. You get moved and inspired by the speech and decide to make yourself available to them again in the future. You also gain 200 new fans and 1/4 of them buy your CD that week on iTunes. You get a meeting with your manager, and invited to perform at a show with another artist they represent. Good for you for showing up!
3) You are at a party surrounded by other musicians. NO SHOW: None of them have ever heard of you even though you just released your album. You feel awkward cause you don't know anyone either and leave.
*OR* You could hang out for awhile, get in on some conversation. Ask for advice in playing some venues they like. Scope out that new bass player you've been looking for. Make out with some girl in a bathroom... get the picture?
4) You want to play at a popular venue but can't get the guy to call you back. NO SHOW: You also never go there cause the cover charge is $2 higher than your corner bar, and the promoter has no idea who you are. You continue to send emails that get a little more irate every time, and continuously feel rejected and bitter.
*OR* You could bite the bullet and quit being a cheapskate and go there a few times. Don't buy that frozen cappuccino one day a week. Hang out and be friendly. Ask him how the night is going and what shows are coming up he's really excited about. Make it a point to go to one. Tell him how much you liked it. He works hard at what he does just like you do. Mention you HAPPEN to have a band and you'd be interested in playing sometime.
5) An acquaintance of yours recommends you for a creative job even though you're a complete beginner. They introduce you to the head honcho and you spend so much time kissing their butt that you get the job. The head honcho then becomes your best friend for awhile and talks you up to everyone they know. NO SHOW: Meanwhile, you never thank your acquaintance for hooking you up with the opportunity. In fact, you don't mention them at all in any part of the process. They feel a little underappreciated and the next time an opportunity happens, they recommend someone who is more gracious and humble.
*OR* You could send your acquaintance a thank-you card or gift in the mail, or better yet, TAKE THEM TO LUNCH! Not only can you express your appreciation, but you can find out about other exciting things that THEY are doing that you could maybe return the favor with. This builds longer-lasting professional relationships and puts you at the forefront of their mind for the next opportunity as well.
It takes guts to show up, and it takes more effort. It also takes being a more genuine YOU. Nobody likes to do favors for an egomaniac. You're doing something creative because you love it. You want to share it and share the expression of that love with others. So answer the knock at the door. Don't blow it off. Make yourself equally valuable to others. Become a part of the community surrounding your art. Get out of the house. See what channels open up if you do a favor for someone else once in awhile. Chances are someone has helped you out along the way without asking for anything back.
And now, get off your computer and go do something. As my fortune cookie said, "Whatever you want to do, do it. There are only so many tomorrows."
GOOOOOOO!
Cheers,
Fluxus Flux.
Thanks! I truly needed that! Cheers!
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