What do you do if you're a musician facing obstacles and need to develop resilience?

This is my advice: FAIL FAST. This is something I heard from producer Steven Skunberg on a podcast years ago and never forgot. Basically the same idea of “you miss every shot you don’t take.” I apply this to everything: cold contacts to get new clients, producing social media content, projects for existing clients, etc. Let me be clear, I always do my best work, but I’m young, I’ve got a lot to learn, so I try not to hyperventilate about rejection, or why my career isn’t exploding like it does for some artists. For most of is, it’s the long road. It’s a grind—it’s one failure after the next. More attempts, more practice, more failure = more success. Fail fast.

Setting realistic goals is crucial for musicians to build resilience and maintain focus when facing obstacles. Clear, attainable goals help you navigate challenges. Set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, practise for 30 minutes daily (specific) or learn a new song weekly (achievable).

Adapt your approach to meet the times. Like anything, a particular style of music or approach to building a career can go out of fashion. The creatives and professionals at the top find ways to stay relevant. Continuously learn and evolve by speaking to colleagues or examining market trends to understand what's next. For example, a classical violinist might collaborate with a hip-hop artist to create crossover appeal.

I find that it helps to read the autobiographies of other musicians who have needed to be resilient in their careers. A few recommendations are Charlie Wilson's autobiography and Luther Vandross' autobiography. They both had some low moments but stuck with it and became legends in the music industry. There are numerous lessons and good advice in both books. Also, I liked listening to Brandi Carlise's autobiography. She has some excellent stories.