You always hear about people trying to perfect a craft, but it isn't something to strive for. Perfection in the creative world is impossible to get unless you are a robot or you're overprocessing your voice to the point of sounding like one.
Flaws are actually beautiful, especially when you're a performer. Flaws can help bring out the emotion in a song sometimes.
Striving for perfection can drive you nuts to the point where you can't even enjoy your craft any longer because of all the pressure that is being put on you.
If you are putting enough effort into practicing consistency, learning consistently, and positively reaching people, you do not need to strive for perfection.
You will be all the better and more appreciated for the flaws that make you human and ultimately more relatable to your potential fans.
The way I see it, you want to strive to be a master of your craft and not a perfect person. This way, you give yourself grace AND allow yourself to grow from your mistakes.
The first key to mastering something is ensuring your heart is in the process. You may be able to master a craft in theory, but if you don’t love the field, you will find it extremely difficult to stick to.
If you’re one of those people who are not following a dream of your own, consider changing your field of work to something you will truly enjoy doing in the long run.
Yes, parental guidance and financial woes can be huge influences on what you choose to master, but if you can find the perfect balance between something that people will pay you for with a job that you truly enjoy, you will be set.
Once you’ve found a field that you are passionate about and that has the potential to pay your bills, it’s always a great idea to start studying some of the best people in your niche that are successful and living a life similar to something you want for yourself.
How long was their journey to greatness? Where did they start? Who helped them along the way? What part of the journey was most complicated for them?
Some of the best content to consume from the people that inspire you comes from interviews on shows, radio, and podcasts.
Sometimes the gems that successful people drop are worth more than the thousands you can spend going to school.
Related Post: The Best Singing Competition Shows [Top 10 Ranked]
Studying someone successful is great and all, but what if you can get direct advice and feedback from a mentor that you personally get to meet with to discuss the ins and outs of the niche you are studying?
A great mentor can be really hard to find because of time constraints. These mentors are likely busy with a million other people who are vying for their attention.
If you come across a mentor with nothing but time and nothing going on, they may not be the right person to mentor you. How good were they at what they were doing that they had so much free time?
The biggest part of mastering a craft is practicing and being consistent with your practice.
You may be tired of hearing the phrase "practice makes perfect" since it's definitely been worn out. But on top of being overused, it technically isn't true.
It's often told to me or someone around us struggling to learn something new, like a new song, so in most cases, it is generally decent advice to give. But that doesn't mean the advice is accurate.
The act of practicing something will never make you perfect at it for three main reasons that I want to share with you. Don't worry; I'm not trying to stop you from practicing, and it's an amazing thing to do. Just know that it isn't that simple.
I like to think of practicing as a way to do your own research and development for yourself as a musician. Most dedicated people will practice over and over, which is great. Keep that up. But know that it can bring you permanent consistency, not necessarily perfection.
And again, perfection is way overrated!
Related Post: Music Practice Quotes That Can Motivate You
Taking a course may seem like a bore, a time suck, and a safe of money, but for many fields of mastery, it’s a requirement.
Not only is it required for many fields, but it’s just a solid option for learning. When it comes to furthering your education, the most successful way of learning in the past was through formal education.
In some cases, it’s a good idea to skip a degree if the costs don’t make sense for your pay afterward, so it depends on what you are looking to master.
Sometimes it’s a great idea to study the greats on your own, find a mentor, and take some classes to get all types of valuable education coming at you from multiple angles.
When it comes to creative collaborations, the possibilities can seemingly become endless.
Thanks to social media and the internet, you can find people to collaborate with on the other side of the world without the limitations of location being in the way.
Social sites, including Twitter, Instagram, and Soundcloud, are good places to find like-minded creators.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to find many people to collab with that won't require any far traveling. Sites like Meetup.com can help connect you with local creatives that would love to work with you on upcoming projects.
The most important part of successful collaboration involves using each other's strengths to make the overall project as great as possible. Many successful collaborations allow individuals to shine differently and create an even more powerful whole.
Getting the benefits of another's skills is always a great idea, but why not take it a step further and get some worthwhile knowledge while collaborating? And why not do the same thing for the person or people you are collaborating with?
Learning often happens organically when you collaborate, but you may need to nudge people in the right direction and get them to open up about their process as much as they can.
Related Post: People Make Time For What They Want (How To Deal With It)
As a session singer, writer, and producer that has worked with over 300 clients to provide high-quality jingles, singles, and features, Yona spends her time creating and marketing new music and helpful resources for creators. Check out Yona’s latest releases on her Spotify, her Youtube and share if you like it!
If you are in need of singer, songwriter or song producer services, see what Yona Marie can offer you on her services page.
