"Success is a journey, not a destination" - Anon

What does success mean to you?

It's a very difficult question to answer. Yet the answer that we give determines how we see ourselves as a musician, songwriter or anything else in life.

Hence the importance of having your own definition of what success is.

If you look up the word success in an online dictionary would you see a picture of a musician up on stage playing in front of 50,000 people.

No. You would actually see this:

"The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted" - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/success

If we believe what the music industry says about success we would all think that to be successful we would need to

1. Have a number 1 hit song under our belt
2. Have sold 1,000,000 CD's
3. Have played at Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden
4. Be insanely rich
5. Be known by every person on the planet
6. Been discovered by a record company
7. Be young, pretty and (preferably) female
8. Have won a Grammy Award

But that IS what we (as a global music industry) generally believe isn't it?

It seems that we have this notion that the definition of "success" and "being successful" in the music industry is the sole domain of record companies and the artists and bands they represent.

Let me let you in on a little secret...

Success is defined by YOU and how successful you are is determined by YOUR definition of success.

Success is not a universal constant. It's determined by individuals. It's determined by YOU! For you alone.

With that in mind let me ask you the question. "What is your definition of success?"

Now, you can choose to align your definition of success with what the music industry says or, you can pave your own path by establishing your own definition of success and devote your musical life to that.

That is what being INDIE is all about.

Take me for example.

I make a full-time living out of music but I'm not playing in front of 50,000 fans nor do I have a number 1 song under my belt (yet). Does mean I'm not a successful musician?

In the eyes of someone who believe what the music industry says, perhaps. But to me, I am doing what I had set out to do and therefore, I am a success in my own right.

How you feel about yourself and what you do is much more important that what anyone else says. Especially when it comes to "success" and "being successful" in the music industry.

Have you heard of the old saying "Success is a journey, not a destination". Define what success means to you, set your realistic and step by step goals, put your goals into action and walk your own path with your head held high!

I wish you every (individually defined) success in your endeavours.

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Indie Musician
www.coreystewartonline.com
www.myspace.com/coreystewartonline
www.orangutangmusic.com
www.myspace.com/orangutangmusic

While you're here you might as well check out my other blogs
Corey Stewart Songwriting Tips
The Bizzo - Indie Music Industry Tips
Recording Studio & Live Music Tips

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