Mike Monday

Inspiration On Demand

How to Dispel Fear with One Question

You’re at the end of the creative process. You’re about to complete.

But you can’t get to the finish line. You keep tweaking, perfecting and polishing. In fact if you’re honest with yourself, you’re thinking of scrapping it all and starting over.

Sound familiar? Well don’t worry, this happens to everyone.

Just stop and ask yourself one simple question:

If I finish this now and send it out into the world, what’s the worst that could happen?

The answer is probably:

Someone won’t like it.

Hmmm, but someone won’t like it whatever you make and however you feel about it.

And the negative repercussions of not finishing are much worse for you and your confidence than any amount of criticism.

So finish it. Send it out. Move on.

Because what’s the best that might happen?

Well you’re never going to know unless you finish it, are you?

#4/ Think About Why Before What – 100 Things Every Music Producer Should Know

The Fear loves The Blank Canvas. They’re best buddies. Show them who’s boss by deciding “why” before “what”. It will save you hours of frustration.

Where do you want it to be heard? Which situations do you imagine it being played? Who will hear it? Is it a means of self-expression which only you’ll experience?

Be honest with yourself. You might think “I don’t care about playing it to anyone else”, but that sounds suspiciously like The Fear talking. If you have an inkling you might want to put it out there, acknowledge that and go for it. Don’t pretend you’re just doing it for fun. Because if you’re doing it right, often it won’t be fun.

By thinking about your purpose it’s easier to overcome the moments of creative “stuckness” that everyone experiences. And crucially, with a clear outcome in mind at the start you’ll know where the end is, when to ship and when you can move on.