Recording, Hustle, And Abraham Lincoln

There are many things you and I cannot control in life. We can’t manufacture ideal opportunities or bend the universe to our will. It’s just the truth. However, there are a few things we CAN control. Things like our attitude, our response to circumstances, and of course how hard we work. Don’t worry, this applies to recording, trust me.

Via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Good Things Come To Those Who…

There is a famous quote that is persistently attributed to Abraham Lincoln that speaks so much wisdom into how you and I need to approach our home studios:

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. – Abraham Lincoln (16th President of The United States)

 
Because of fear of failure and the naive view that we have nothing but time ahead of us, we can all to easily slowly wade through our music journey saying “One day I’ll get to recording a great album and mixing it like a pro.” In reality, if we ever hope to improve and make the music we dream of, we need to make a plan and get to work!

Go Make Some Something Happen

If your dream is to release a professional sounding original EP of your music, then you simply need to make it happen. Don’t be like so many home studio enthusiasts who drag out the recording process far too long, inevitably reaching a point of apathy. You’ll never finish, nor will you be pleased with the end result.

Instead go make it happen. Write up a time table and plan to finish the EP and get to work. Will it be the best sounding recording or mix you could ever do? No. But it will be the best sounding recording and mix that you can do right now! And that’s better than nothing. Your next record will sound even better, trust me.

Be Prepared For That Opportunity

Are you hoping to work in this industry professionally? Maybe run your own project studio? Hoping to get your work noticed by someone who can make things pop for you? Well you can’t control what opportunities might drift your way, but you CAN control how prepared you are.

By hustling now, putting in the hard work of learning, training, practicing, and sharing your work, you will be ready and able to step into an amazing open door that might fall in your lap. Every “overnight success” in this industry has been years in the making. They put in the work and were prepared for the unexpected.

Someone Else Is Hustling Right Now

I am not of the mindset that for me to “win”, someone else must “lose.” That is a sad and shallow view of the world. I do believe though that too many people expect to be handed things in life. That creates an attitude of entitlement. Not good.

Because while you might be waiting around for someone to hook you up with a great opportunity, someone else is out there right now putting in the work. That person is going to get noticed, not you. So do yourself a favor, if you care about your music enough, put in the work necessary. Treat it with respect. Hustle. And be more prepared than the next guy for whatever opportunities come your way.