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So - you've been trying to do composing professionally for a long time now.
(Maybe you've even dreamt of this career ever since you were a kid.)
You love the idea of...
- 🥰 Doing what you love for a living
- 🤩 Getting to work on cool projects
- 😎 Getting to work with cool people
- 🤑 Getting paid well to do it
And yet...
You're now hitting a point where all the things you've tried to get there aren't working.
Worst of all - you've got no idea what to do next.
I've been there, too. 👋
I remember sitting on a beach in 2020 during the global COVID pandemic, thinking to myself:
"I don't love making music anymore."
See, I'd overworked myself.
I'd tried so hard for so long that I became burnt out, pessimistic, and hopeless.
But it didn't stop there.
Because I'd attached so much of my self worth to my art that, without any composing work...
I started experiencing panic attacks.
Every time I'd sit down to write music, I'd get tight in the chest.
So I'd lie on the couch instead - doing nothing.
And that cycle repeated for months.
So if you're feeling that way, I want you to know that you're not alone.
And there's good news.
This "insurmountable obstacle" that you feel like is stopping you from getting where you want to go is actually just a tiny little roadblock in the whole of your career.
Remember...
This career is not a straight line to the top.
It's a path full of hills and valleys.
The things you'll learn when you're stuck will become some of the most valuable lessons for the future of your career.
So what can you do in the meantime?
First off, you've got to focus on your health.
Let's face it - right now, you're drained.
The tank's empty.
And you need to refuel, replenish yourself, and do some things you love again so you can keep moving forward.
Because despite what "grind culture" tells you...
The people who find long-term success in this career are not people who simply keep their head down.
They're the people who can maintain the energy to see this through to the end.
So go find things you love doing that aren't music.
In quarantine, I started to explore new hobbies, like:
- 📚 Reading self-improvement books
- 🕹️ Playing video games
- ☕️ Socializing more
- 🪵 Woodworking
Keep in mind...
I didn't do any of those things with the goal of "recharging so I can get right back to my career".
Instead, I did these things for myself.
Next...
Start practicing patience.
Sometimes, when things aren't working the way we hoped, our instinct is to try and change things.
We think:
"That email I sent didn't get answered yet - what did I do wrong??"
Take a breath. Slow down.
Ask yourself if you're really being patient enough to accurately assess the results of the things you're trying.
Because in most cases, you're actually not doing anything wrong.
You just need to do it more, and you just need more time.
I've had so many times where I tried things with no immediate wins, thought I'd messed up, and then years later had those things I tried finally reward me.
I've had times where I've reached out to people with no response for years, and then suddenly landed work.
In fact, one of the best gigs I had - writing additional music for Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight on Netflix - came from not one email to the composer...
Not two emails. Not three emails...
But four emails, numerous in-person hangouts, and tons of back-and-forth messages over the course of years.
Think about it.
If I'd only sent that first email, thought it didn't work, and immediately pivoted, I'd never have gotten to write for that show.
Time is an essential ingredient in this career.
And time isn't something you can control - it's something you need to learn to accept.
But I know what you might be thinking:
"I don't HAVE much time left, Zach! Time's running out!"
I hear that one all the time.
But is that really true?
Is time running out? Or are you just trying to get there faster?
Want a perspective flip?
It's good if your career takes a long time.
That just means you'll be that much more prepared with a sustainable attitude, mistakes you've learned from, and skills you've developed.
Because...
By the time you get what you want in your career, you want to:
- 💪 Have a good lifestyle.
- 😍 Feel good about yourself.
- 🖐️ Be comfortable saying no.
What you don't want is to attach yourself to your career so deeply that when there's no work, you feel like your life is falling apart.
That's where I was at.
And until you overcome that, the doors to long-term success will remain shut.
Remember:
Sometimes you are doing everything right, and you just need more time.
The more you can be at peace with that, the happier you'll be.
👋 Ready for more?
When you're ready, here's 4 ways I can help:
- 🎥 My YouTube. Watch 350+ videos including music tutorials, career tips, and more.
- 🗞️ The Newsletter Archive. Read articles from previous weeks of this newsletter.
- 🎬 Composing Career Bootcamp. Join my 6-week cohort-based course to learn how to land paid composing work from anywhere in the world. (100+ students, 5 stars)
- 👋 Work Directly with Me. I'm offering private mentorship to a handful of select media composers. If you're interested, click the link to apply.
That's all for now!
Hit reply to share your thoughts, questions, or just to say hi.
(I love hearing from my readers. 🙂)
Otherwise, happy music-making and I'll see you next Tuesday!
- Zach
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