074 – Are You Still in The Fight? Part 2

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If you want to win, you must be in the fight. But you can’t be willy-nilly about that decision, or you’ll just get crushed. So, are you still in the fight?

In this episode of The New Music Industry Podcast, I talk about how to determine if you’re still doing everything in your power to move your career forward.

Table of Contents

Podcast Highlights:

00:13 – It can be easy to become complacent in your career efforts
00:41 – Getting back in the fight
01:17 – How to figure out if you’re still in the fight
01:21 – Are you still hungry?
02:31 – Look at your schedule and make an honest assessment of your priorities
03:56 – Assess your spending habits
05:08 – Summary

Transcription:

I recently shared about how easy it can be to become complacent in your pursuits as a musician or entrepreneur.

No sooner did I publish that podcast episode when suddenly I realized I had more to say on the subject.

If we want to keep growing, we need to keep learning. When we become too comfortable in what we know and what we’ve accomplished, we become less teachable. As result, we’re less likely to learn from our mistakes. We’re less likely to keep doing the things that got us ahead in the first place.

Getting back in the fight means returning to those core fundamentals and doing the right things to stimulate growth. As we generate value, it returns to us multiplied. We don’t get to choose how or when that happens. But if we keep adding value to those around us, we will reap a harvest at the appropriate time.

Staying in the fight means doing the right things to stimulate growth in your life. Click To Tweet

You may still be in the fight, and if you are, good for you. Keep going!

But if you’re not sure if you’re fully committed to your goals and dreams yet, or you feel like you may have gotten off track in some way, you’ll want to consider whether you’re still in the fight. Here are…

3 Simple Ways to Evaluate Whether You’re Still in The Fight

1. Determine Whether You’re Hungry

When I say “hungry”, I’m not asking whether you’re feeling hunger pangs in your stomach, as much as that can be a strong motivator.

I’m asking if you still have the desire to learn and grow.

When you’re hungry for knowledge, you will go to any length to learn what you need to know to make progress in your career and life. Nothing will stop you on that path.

When you’re hungry for knowledge, you will go to any length to learn what you need to know to make progress in your career and life. Nothing will stop you on that path. Click To Tweet

If you aren’t all-in, your desire to learn and grow may be smaller than your desire for comfort. So, you won’t risk yourself as much. You may still put time and effort into your learning, but you won’t go the extra mile as a person who’s hungry for growth would.

So, if you’re seeing possibilities and opportunities ahead, and you aren’t taking proactive steps to move in their direction, you probably aren’t hungry.

Unfortunately, in my experience, it’s impossible to make yourself hungry. Until you feel the tension between where you are and where you want to be, you may have no desire to change. The good news is if you’re surrounded by people who want to see you succeed, you will likely feel the urge to make forward progress in due time, especially as you watch as others take their careers to greater heights.

2. Look At Your Schedule From The Past Month

Make an honest assessment of your priorities based on what you did this past month.

Actions speak louder than words. I would even go so far as to say actions reveal a person’s motives more readily than their words.

Actions speak louder than words. I would even go so far as to say actions reveal a person’s motives more readily than their words. Click To Tweet

There is no one truly mysterious in this world, because you can learn exactly what they’re about just by watching what they do. Quiet, vague, or private people are relatively easy to figure out if you spend enough time around them.

But let’s get back to the subject of you, because that’s what we’re talking about right now.

What does your schedule say about the reality of who you are, versus the ideal you see in your mind’s eye?

Were you watching Netflix when you should have been writing music? Did you get distracted by Facebook when you should have been sending emails to promoters, event organizers, and venue owners? Did you go out with your friends when you know you should have booked one more rehearsal before an important gig?

It’s understandable that you might take the occasional break or lose your focus here and there, but you’re simply not in the fight if you haven’t been taking the steps necessary to get to where you want to go. You’re not fully engaged if you’ve only been doing a little here and there and poking at your projects instead of staying consistent and doing something daily to achieve your goals.

If you’re in the fight, your schedule will reflect this fact.

3. Assess Your Spending Habits

In addition to your schedule, how you spend your money will also reveal your priorities, sometimes in unexpected ways.

How you spend your money will also reveal your priorities, sometimes in unexpected ways. Click To Tweet

If you’re serious about your growth, your money should be going towards books, audio or video programs, courses, conferences and events, magazine subscriptions, membership dues, and so forth.

If you’re serious about your music career, you should be investing into your music, merch, and marketing.

But is this where your money is going?

How much are you spending on eating out, movies, video games, and other forms of entertainment? How much of your money is going towards home or car loans, credit cards, and other forms of debt?

Your money says something about the standard of living you desire as well. It’s easy to find people living beyond their means, because they are unwilling to delay gratification or sacrifice short-term for something they want now.

I’m not suggesting that if you’re in the fight, all your money is going into your personal or career growth. But there’s a good chance you are comfortable with the idea of investing in yourself, and you’re proactively looking for opportunities to do so.

Carefully evaluate your spending habits, and you will soon see whether you’re spending is in alignment with where you see yourself headed in your career.

Conclusion

If you want to find out whether you’re still in the fight, you have but to consider three things.

First, your strong desire for knowledge and growth will cause you to actively seek out resources and mentors that can help you make progress in your career.

Second, your actions will be aligned with your goals. You will have wasted little time on trivial activity. You will have set your priorities intentionally and built your schedule around actions that benefit you.

Third, your money will have gone towards products and services that support your goals and desire for growth. You will have wasted little money on nonessentials.

If you aren’t in the fight right now, it’s never too late to get back in the ring for another round. So long as your heart’s still beating, you can take as long as you like, and get back in as many times as you wish.

If you’re in the fight, rest assured growth will happen. All you have to do is stay the course!

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David Andrew Wiebe

Founder & CEO at Music Entrepreneur HQ

Award-winning composer, best-selling author, professional musician coach, and podcaster of over 10 years. Wiebe helps musicians like you unlock your full potential. If you'd like to be notified whenever the blog is updated, click here to subscribe.

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