030: Action

I think that many of us have been struggling over the past few months to find our direction forward. Our path in the music industry is no longer clear. Initially there was a sense that we could just pause for a short time and wait it out. Remember back in March - I know I had conversations about what festival season would look like, already assuming there would be one. We rescheduled events from the spring to this fall, oh how the times have changed. This desire to initially want to wait it out, to hope for a quick return to normal, came from a fear of the unknown. We were on a path that was more or less working, at least we liked to believe it was. To have to completely overhaul things is something nobody was wanting to do.

So where are we now? It’s going to be a while before touring returns to anything like it was in the past. Waiting it out is not an option anymore. We must adapt, right? Remember that word, ‘adapt’ - I’m going to come back to it.

I think a lot of people are uncertain right now, not sure what to do, what to pursue, or what the goal is anymore. Fear of the unknown leads to poor decisions, and right now the worst decision is to not make one.

It seemed easier before, right? Write songs, record album, release album, tour, build fan base, repeat. You were heading somewhere, right? Most people didn’t know exactly where they were heading before, but pushed forward with action. That is what is needed now, you must decide and act. The future is unknown. But let’s be honest, it always was, nothing is different. 

Action doesn’t have to mean making music. It could, but it could also mean focusing on something else. The import thing is to not sit around waiting for something to change. Make a conscious choice about the direction you want to go and start moving. Take action.

When there are massive shifts in how things are done people always talk about adapting, you need to ‘adapt’- told you I’d get back to this. I want to present another option. Instead of  adapting, you need to dig into what was already working for you, put your focus there. Don’t try to change what you do to suit the situation, look for stability, look for what is connecting and do more of it. Sure, you may have to alter how it is presented, but that is different than adapting. Adapting implies a big change, it also leaves you at the mercy of things outside of your control, you are left reacting instead of taking action.

Fear exists in the future, action exists now. Take action and stop worrying about the unknown. 

~ Steve