For those struggling with a return...
Posted: Tue May 14, 2019 8:20 pm
Hey all,
I recently got hit with a bunch of returns all at once. All of them came at the same time (of course), even though the songs were submitted over the course of like 5-6 weeks. (Ouch) I really didn’t feel like the reasons for the returns were justified either, and that the person(s) critiquing was gatekeeping for something that they were flat out wrong about.
If you’ve been around here longer than I (which most of you probably have), then my guess is you’ve experienced a similar moment. So instead of wallowing in self pity, I decided to write some notes of encouragement for anyone that might be in a similar spot. (And possibly for myself as well)
1. Remember this important piece of information. That specific return/critique does not define you, your work, or your musicianship. It’s a tool to be used for growth in the context of a taxi listing... not to make you doubt your abilities or second guess yourself to the point of being discouraged. Let it serve its purpose and nothing more.
2. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Someone that has been in this business a long time told me this early on, but I think I’m just now starting to get it. Everyone wants the fast track, and everyone wants to get it right every single time. The problem is that unrealistic expectations like this can end up biting us in the butt if we aren’t careful. Work hard, stay humble, and trust that the process works if you stay committed. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!
3. Don’t downplay the successes that you’ve already seen. (I can thank my wife for this one) Are you actively composing music for film and tv? Awesome.. your doing better than you were before you started. +1 Have you taken active steps to improve your craft? Great. +1 Are you plugged in to a helpful and encouraging community that wants to see you succeed? (You’re reading this, aren’t you?) +1 Have you made the sacrifices needed to finish a song and actually submit it to a listing? Sweet... that’s doing better than every other musician out there that’s giving excuses as to why they’ve never even tried.
Even before your first forward or contact from a library, there are a lot of wins to be celebrated. Instead of fixating on a seemingly unjustified return, focus on all the accomplishments you’ve made thus far and keep striving for that next step.
4. Learn to divert that frustration into helping others. It could be a simple post congratulating someone on a forward, or maybe helping and affirming someone in the peer to peer section. In my experience, showing kindness and encouragement to those around you is a phenomenal way to take the attention off yourself for a bit and give you some new perspective.
5. Last but not least... Remember you’re not alone in this thing. I have a gut feeling that just about every person that has seen success through taxi has felt discouraged and maybe even considered throwing in the towel at some point. Stick with it. If they can make it, so can you. There are others in the exact same boat as you, dealing with the exact same frustrations. Don’t be afraid to reach out and commiserate for a minute with those that have been there (or are maybe still there).. just do it with the intention of finding the strength you need from the community to get off your butt, brush yourself off, and move forward.
I sincerely hope this giant wall of text was at least a little helpful or encouraging to you on some level! Keep learning and keep growing and you can’t go wrong.
Andrew
I recently got hit with a bunch of returns all at once. All of them came at the same time (of course), even though the songs were submitted over the course of like 5-6 weeks. (Ouch) I really didn’t feel like the reasons for the returns were justified either, and that the person(s) critiquing was gatekeeping for something that they were flat out wrong about.
If you’ve been around here longer than I (which most of you probably have), then my guess is you’ve experienced a similar moment. So instead of wallowing in self pity, I decided to write some notes of encouragement for anyone that might be in a similar spot. (And possibly for myself as well)
1. Remember this important piece of information. That specific return/critique does not define you, your work, or your musicianship. It’s a tool to be used for growth in the context of a taxi listing... not to make you doubt your abilities or second guess yourself to the point of being discouraged. Let it serve its purpose and nothing more.
2. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Someone that has been in this business a long time told me this early on, but I think I’m just now starting to get it. Everyone wants the fast track, and everyone wants to get it right every single time. The problem is that unrealistic expectations like this can end up biting us in the butt if we aren’t careful. Work hard, stay humble, and trust that the process works if you stay committed. And don’t forget to enjoy the journey!
3. Don’t downplay the successes that you’ve already seen. (I can thank my wife for this one) Are you actively composing music for film and tv? Awesome.. your doing better than you were before you started. +1 Have you taken active steps to improve your craft? Great. +1 Are you plugged in to a helpful and encouraging community that wants to see you succeed? (You’re reading this, aren’t you?) +1 Have you made the sacrifices needed to finish a song and actually submit it to a listing? Sweet... that’s doing better than every other musician out there that’s giving excuses as to why they’ve never even tried.
Even before your first forward or contact from a library, there are a lot of wins to be celebrated. Instead of fixating on a seemingly unjustified return, focus on all the accomplishments you’ve made thus far and keep striving for that next step.
4. Learn to divert that frustration into helping others. It could be a simple post congratulating someone on a forward, or maybe helping and affirming someone in the peer to peer section. In my experience, showing kindness and encouragement to those around you is a phenomenal way to take the attention off yourself for a bit and give you some new perspective.
5. Last but not least... Remember you’re not alone in this thing. I have a gut feeling that just about every person that has seen success through taxi has felt discouraged and maybe even considered throwing in the towel at some point. Stick with it. If they can make it, so can you. There are others in the exact same boat as you, dealing with the exact same frustrations. Don’t be afraid to reach out and commiserate for a minute with those that have been there (or are maybe still there).. just do it with the intention of finding the strength you need from the community to get off your butt, brush yourself off, and move forward.
I sincerely hope this giant wall of text was at least a little helpful or encouraging to you on some level! Keep learning and keep growing and you can’t go wrong.
Andrew
