Try Everything

Even if it doesn’t work the way you planned, you will grow.

I’ve always been the noncommittal creative that flits from one hobby to another, and I used to hate that.

I’ve painted, had a photography phase, was briefly obsessed with marketing, and a bunch of other topics. In music I’ve tried the saxophone, bass, piano, harmonica and even just producing electronic music.

And none of it “worked.”

In each phase I was sure that I would become that thing and do it forever.

But no. Either my passion for the phase ended, or something newer and more exciting came along, or I just got discouraged from my inability to make it lucrative.

Music, though, has always been in my life regardless of the other things.

And now that I’ve started getting serious with it, I’m realizing — maybe I was led through those phases to prepare for this new chapter?

Too poor to hire my graphic designer friend to make album art? That’s OK, I can do my own photography and editing.

No band? That’s OK, record all the instruments myself. (Except drums, those are played by Logic because I don’t own any… yet…)

Nobody’s listening? Start a marketing habit.

Oh, I also had a phase where I really wanted to be a blogger… Can you tell?

What I’m getting at (obvious ego-moment aside) is that it’s OK to try everything that interests you, even if it doesn’t “work.”

Because, years from now, you might look back and be thankful for all the relevant skills and life lessons you learned during your “aimless” phase.