7 ways music helped me in other aspects of my life
Let's face it, music is awesome. But not everybody thinks music is the most practical thing a person can do. In fact, throughout my time studying music in college I was bombarded with cynicism about my chosen field. I heard so many reasons why I made a huge mistake studying music.
Well, I respectfully disagree!
I think music is not only an amazing career choice that comes with tons of different kinds of opportunities, I also believe that being a student of music helps people in so many other ways in their everyday life. I'm so grateful I chose to pursue music because it taught me so much more about life than I ever expected to learn. Here are 7 ways in which music has improved other aspects of my life.
Goal setting
The more I pursued music, the more I realized I had a serious problem with achieving my goals. I had big dreams of creating the next groundbreaking album, yet it seemed I always gave up before I even came close.
I learned that the problem wasn't that I didn't have any talent or good ideas to make great music, the problem was that I was setting unrealistic goals.
Now, thanks to my experience in music, I realize that in order to achieve my dreams I have to take baby steps towards them. No matter if I'm trying to write a song, or just get work done around the house, I always make sure to create realistic and obtainable goals along the way to completing my overall vision.
By setting smaller goals I have more to celebrate and get excited about. Each time I complete a small goal it invigorates me and fills me up with the energy needed to keep going and finish a big project.
Working with a team
Music has been an incredibly rewarding social experience, but it's also been difficult to work with other people at times. Musicians tend to be a little bit more on the sensitive side, so working with us can be quite the challenge.
Thanks to music I've learned how to work with all kinds of different people and in all kinds of different roles.
Now, anytime I take a job outside of music it seems like a piece of cake to work with a team of coworkers as compared to keeping a volatile rock band together.
Working alone
Just as I learned how to work well with other people, I also learned how to work well with myself. Music has taught me that while working with a team is very rewarding, sometimes people won't always be there to help me.
Even though I love working with other people I don't find it nearly as scary to take on a project by myself if an employer needs that of me.
Facing fears
I'll be honest, after playing music for more than 20 years I still get nervous before a show. The idea of putting myself out there only to be rejected and ridiculed is still scary.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from music was how to never let my fear discourage me from pursuing my dreams.
I want to perform. I love to perform. I want to share my music. I want to inspire others. But that little voice in my head is always loudest right before I go on stage or release a track screaming, "Rob, you're crazy, go home, give up".
Thanks to tackling that little voice in my head I can now muster up the courage to tackle all of my other fears!
(Who wants to go sky diving with me?!)
Self acceptance
Growing up all I ever wanted was to fit in and be cool. Well, I realized in the middle of writing the second album of my three album rock opera that I might not exactly be like a lot of my friends, and that's okay!
Music has taught me to be accepting of my quirks and to accept the quirks of others. We all have some things that might seem a little bit odd to others, but just because I want to play concerts in full character with costume and make up and all doesn't make me any less of a special person!
Music has taught me to be open and honest with myself and to forget about what other people think, because making everybody happy just isn't possible.
Dealing with difficult emotions
Writing music isn't pretty, or at least not for me. In my experience songwriting has mostly been sitting around and remembering all of the most painful and embarrassing memories in my life.
But music has taught me how to face those painful memories, and more importantly, how to let them go.
Heck, now I even laugh at my past pains. When I hear them in the form of a cheesy chorus how could I still be upset??
Music is perfect for helping people exercise difficult emotions and to develop a little mental toughness along the way.
Organizational skills
Trying to write an album is hard enough, but trying to write an album without a solid grasp of organizational skills is nearly impossible.
I am not a naturally organized person so I had to learn the hard way just how hard life can be without staying organized. Being a flakey person doesn't just affect your social life, it also impedes your chances of doing the things you want to do for yourself.
I've learned that the same is true in all aspects of my life. Any time I have a big project at work, or if I'm collaborating with another person, or if I just really want to redesign my house or something, the best thing I can do to ensure the success of my project is to stay organized at all times.
Music has played a crucial role in my development as a person. I believe I'm a better and more well-rounded person because of music. I hope to continue to encourage everybody to consider studying some form of music as I believe it is helpful is so many aspects of life.
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