13 Steps to a Happy Musical Life

Posted by David Cutler on Jan 31st, 2010 in Mindset | 2 comments

Success is a common theme in The Savvy Musician universe. Of course, there are many types of success: landing a job, performing well, writing a great tune, mastering a technique, getting noticed, going viral, attracting web traffic, moving audiences. Yet some musicians accomplish many of these things, but still feel dissatisfied with their life in music. So caught up in making a living, they fail to adequately address a most important aspect of success—personal happiness.

Typically, the happiest musicians:

1) Love the act of making music. The demands of a musical life are intense, requiring long hours, hard work, and frequent attention to issues far from the reason this field was pursued. But the happiest musicians are so enamored with making music that all the other stuff is somehow worthwhile.

2) Are creative. The happiest musicians find avenues for creative expression. Many top orchestral players find themselves disgruntled because of the lack of creative control in their musical life, even though they have a high paying job in an outstanding ensemble. The most content members are typically those who pursue chamber music and additional artistic endeavors on the side.

3) Have a varied musical profile. The happiest musicians wear a number of hats. They perform, compose, conduct, record, teach, write, blog, speak, and/or consult. While balancing so many pursuits is challenging, it also provides variety while excising the monotony of just one thing.

4) Do more than music. The happiest musicians balance musical activities with other interests: family, friends, travel, reading, sports, hobbies, etc.

5) Are part of an artistic community. The happiest musicians belong to one or several communities of artists with similar interests. Without this, a sense of artistic isolation often sets in. This problem often plagues teachers who focus on music throughout the day, yet have few opportunities to connect with piers. Joining an amateur community ensemble or a music networking club are two great solutions.

6) Pursue passion projects. Though most musicians accept work that they aren’t crazy about to make ends meet, the happiest musicians pursue at least one passion project. Even when these activities don’t pay well financially (or result in a deficit), they rejuvenate the soul.

7) Complete projects. Many musicians imagine countless exciting projects, but never get past the idea stage, or fail to cross the finish line. The happiest musicians focus energy on one or two major projects at a time, staying focused until the work is done.

8) Feel they make an impact. The happiest musicians observe direct evidence that their artistic contributions are appreciated and making a difference. Teaching, concert performance, and community engagement are all ways to immediately observe the impact of your offerings.

9) Constantly continue growing. Beware of falling into an artistic rut. The happiest musicians are lifelong learners, music fans, and explorers.

10) Have enough money. You don’t have to be rich. But the happiest musicians are not constantly stressed about paying the rent, credit card debt, and other financial hardships. They find ways to ensure a healthy economic profile.

11) Are optimists. Everyone is confronted with challenges, obstacles, and unfortunate news at times. The happiest musicians stay positive, looking for the silver lining.

12) Are not perfectionists. Perfectionism drives musicians to work hard. But it also causes low self-esteem or even outright depression. The happiest musicians love the sacred act of making music, even with mistakes along the way (as there always are).

13) Don’t take life too seriously. Though some classical musicians regally refer to their work as “serious music,” let’s put things into perspective. It’s just notes and rhythms, not life or death crises. The happiest musicians know how to have fun, both in and outside their musical life.

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