Fuhgeddaboudit

Quite a few years ago I read a very helpful book called "The Wealthy Barber" (see below). It's the story -- a parable, actually -- about a young couple learning about personal financial management and investing. One of the tips author David Chilton throws out is to not pay attention to any of it. This turns out to be an extremely important part of the investing process.

When we focus on money, some of us just end up worrying about it. We're even inclined to put extra effort into worrying, resulting in extra stress and anxiety. The better approach is to work out a sound plan, set it in motion, and then forget about it. Step back and let the plan do its job so you can go off and attend to more interesting chores while the benefits accumulate in the background. 

This is an almost magical solution to the frustration of tracking the progress of things that move along slowly. For example, if I plant a tree today and then check on it daily, weekly or even monthly, I’ll drive myself nuts. If instead I check it only a few times a year, I’ll be a lot less anxious about it. Plus I’ll have a more realistic idea of how things are getting on. 

When you check on something constantly, it can be hard to perceive progress. Frequent checks can accentuate or obfuscate the ups and downs of your journey, and it can be hard to cope with the accompanying variability and uncertainty.

This investment/tree-planting angle occurred to me as I was practicing the bodhran. I set about eliminating a major obstacle to bodhran mastery, and that is speed. So I set up a practice card with my 'guaranteed to get-faster' program and then slipped it into my bodhran practice schedule. A few weeks later, as I practiced, I was intrigued with not only how smooth my stroke had become, but also how much speed I’d achieved in a relatively short time. And the key component to this admirable accomplishment? I didn’t pay attention. In fact, I barely acknowledged that I was working on speed. I just did the practice routine.

So if you want to track your progress while lessening anxiety, do it less often. Or maybe don’t do it at all! 

“It's arrogant to be too hard on yourself” - Barbara Sher

 

David Chilton, the Wealthy Barber: http://www.wealthybarber.com/ - A bit dated but still highly recommended.

“Free” is Good, Right?

There will be times when you'll be asked to play for free. There are some good reasons for playing gratis, and only you and your bandmates can decide how to handle it.  Well, then, just how do you decide whether you are going to do a job when there's no money to be had. In short, WIIFMAMB (What's is in it for me and my band)?

Sucker Play
The first question I like to ask is, “Who else is working for free?” Too often the answer is “Just you.” That's when I have to ask some serious questions.

Experience
If you're at the stage where you're desperate for experience, then go ahead and latch on to any chance to play -- friends' parties for example. Also get out to open stage nights and do a few guest sets. But once you feel comfortable in front of an audience, you may want to move on to the next stage: actual gigging ... for pay.

Exposure
The so-called showcase is presented as an 'opportunity' to get your music in front of people who can help you move forward, often augmented by the opportunity to promote the event and sell tickets to 50 of your friends. Sadly, the chance that a person of influence will hear you and then seek you out may be no better than at a paying gig. The exception is if you'll be paired with a major name. Appearing with or opening for a top local or up-and-coming band can be a good step toward more gigs.

Good Works
If I'm going to support a charity function, I want to know what my time and effort will be going toward. If a charity really means something to me, then I may leap at playing at their fund-raiser. It’s a bonus if the charity complements my 'branding'. It also doesn't hurt if the event has a high profile (see Exposure).

Credibility
In this business, you're only as valuable as your perceived worth. If you have a reputation for wantonly giving away your services, you may not gain the respect of other musicians or the people who could hire you.

So playing for free might be a good move ... depending. Many artists choose to do a set number of charity gigs each year. Just understand that a freebie has the potential for both enhancing or hampering your career.