Whether you're an entrepreneur or an artist, living a life dependant on finding creative solutions and monetizing that work can come with, well, innumerable setbacks.
Whether those mountains to climb are externally (capital, competition, logistics, technology) or internally (self-doubt, lack of motivation, gaps in knowledge) motivated, there's no path forward that doesn't include boosting confidence, becoming comfortable with risk, and building resilience.
As a recording artist, music entrepreneur, and music industry professional with 15+ years of experience in the business, author Dani Felt has been through that ringer more than her share of times. Her new book, Becoming Unstoppable: The Playbook for Creatives and Entrepreneurs, grew out of the experiences and lessons she's learned throughout multifaceted career. It's focused on helping creatives navigate the less glamorous side of building their careers, overcoming rejection and self-doubt, creating sustainable opportunity, and learning to think strategically while retaining one's creative identity.
Hypebot is proud to offer this complete chapter excerpt. Enjoy.
Fuck Perfection (Seriously, Let It Go)
I have been so challenged to try things outside of my comfort zone when it comes to being an artist. I have been getting really pushed to my limits, like trying to topline. I have tried to write over ten songs of toplining melodies. But then I started teaming up with people who topline and this comes so easily to them. My thing is lyrics. Everyone has their own thing.
As artists, we are so often told to be perfect. To have perfect social media numbers, be an incredible performer, sell lots of music, have perfect merch, be incredible in the studio, be an amazing topliner, lyricist, play all instruments, blah, blah, blah. I am here to tell you: IT IS SAFE TO NOT BE PERFECT. Drop the perfection act and play to your strengths. Team up with people who are good at what comes hard to you. This whole pretending to be perfect thing is super exhausting and I would much rather see you thrive.
It is safe to not be perfect. It is safe to have weaknesses. It is safe to ask for help and admit you need guidance on something. We are human and divine, but not perfect! Forgive yourself for what is not your best skills, and find people to team up with who are amazing with those things you struggle with. You will feel so much better.
Also try to be less harsh on yourself. Love yourself more, forgive yourself more. Your imperfection is a beautiful thing! It is okay to not have a great day, week, or month. Do what you gotta do. Be kind to yourself. YOU ARE AMAZING JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. Just be You!
Why do we always put so much pressure on ourselves to complete everything so perfectly? Why do we feel that art always has to be perfect? What happened to giving ourselves space, time, and magic to act on divine timing and know that it does not have to be perfect to be great? Can we, for once, start to enjoy the process and let go of rushing into everything? Can we learn to have more fun and enjoy the process of creating? Instead of wanting it to be perfect and never releasing it because we do not feel it is good enough. Can we just slow down a bit and breathe in the magic, and let go of some of the weights we put on ourselves day by day?
This was the reminder I got when I took a mini road trip to Ashland City to meet with a dear friend I have not seen in over five years. This girl is very special to me; we have so much history. She even performed at my book release party in New York City. When I stepped into her home, I felt such a warm, welcoming energy, such a good vibe. I saw plants everywhere, beautiful lighting, and amazing interior design. I felt like I was on vacation and it was just what my soul needed.
The trip was amazing! My friend is just a pure, kind-hearted person. She treated me to such delicious home-cooked meals. We had the most amazing songwriting session and
heart-to-heart conversations. Her home is surrounded by trees and it felt so good to just be surrounded by nature. My soul felt so happy! Sometimes, we all just need to slow down and take a mental break.
Oh by the way, one crucial thing I did at this time was I turned my phone off for almost the entire day. It felt so good being disconnected from everyone and just focusing on being in the moment with my friend for our writing session. I highly recommend everyone to start taking more breaks from your phone. It led me to some powerful downloads and insights.
I also noticed that day, I felt more at peace because I barely looked at my social media. I think social media can really trigger a lot of anxiety in me, and hence, I’m trying to use it less. I think the biggest thing it does is lead me to constantly compare myself to everyone else’s “perfect” life and what they are doing. That is actually not healthy and can cause a lot of insecurity, at least in my experience. So I vow to try to use social media less, except when posting, and focus more on staying in a state of peace. Really being in a peaceful state of mind is where we can manifest the fastest and most powerful, anyway.
When I asked my friend about the plans for her music, she told me she is working on an EP/album and that she is taking her time with it. She is not rushing to finish it so fast because she would rather have an amazing quality than rush just to get songs out. I loved this way of thinking and decided I will start to adapt this into my everyday way of being. Why rush? Why not enjoy it? Why not really appreciate where we are in the moment versus trying to always rush into the future and accomplish every single thing in an instant?
As an artist, I have felt pressured to release music every four to eight weeks, and honestly, that is a lot. I would rather be at peace and take my time than be in a state of constant stress and pressure. Maybe that is just me.
When I was working towards releasing my single “Unapologetic,” I asked so many different producers their opinion of the song. I just could not part ways with it. It was never complete in my opinion. I could have mixed it over and over again. Being an artist, I can be quite the perfectionist. I just wanted it perfect. But you know what? I had to learn to let it go. To surrender the process. To give it up to God and the universe. To tell myself it is complete.
As an artist, as a creator, we can always keep editing but this is also a form of self-sabotage. We must learn to trust, let go, and surrender to the process of creating art. Music is subjective anyway, and it will never sound perfect. We can never please everyone! So learn to just embrace the imperfections of art and find harmony within yourself to enjoy the Process!
Aim for Greatness
One New Year’s Eve, I was really excited to go out and have fun, and see one of my friends perform live. I was on some kind of sugar high, not paying attention while I was doing laundry. I walked into my laundry room and suddenly bent down then straightened back up, and banged
my head on the laundry dryer door which I forgot was not closed. If I was being more present, if I was in less of a rush, and paid more attention to the moment, maybe that would not have happened.
My long-winded point is maybe we just need to start to take our time more and take the pressure off ourselves. So what if something does not turn out as perfect as we wanted it to? Sometimes, things are going to be messy and we are going to make mistakes. If life was about perfection, gosh, we would all be so bored! Although sometimes, the project takes longer because the original idea is just not aligned anymore.
A great example: I had been working on my TV show for almost five years. It is absolutely not perfect. In fact, I have probably come up with at least nine to ten different versions of the show. But when it comes to creating, it’s about development, it’s about making it better and better. It is not about wanting it to be perfect, but it is about creating something great! So take off your “perfection lens,” and instead, replace it with the “lens of greatness.” Take it one scene at a time, one line at a time, one story at a time.
Why are we in a constant state of “this project needs to happen right now or else?” Why does it need to be perfect? That song you did might not be perfect, but it could be on its way to greatness! Take your time and just put in a beautiful intention for the song. Do not rush it. It does not need to be perfect. Just keep working on it until it is great. That book you are sitting on? Start writing it! That business plan you are dreaming of, start drafting it. Do not wait until something is perfect to get started on it. Just go forward and take action!
Also, let’s start to look at things differently. Can we shift our mindset to: Projects will be done when they are meant to, that it is not about perfection but that divine timing is always at play.
Can we normalize just living in joy and embracing the messiness of life rather than being so damn critical of ourselves all the time? Life is not about perfection! It is about the experience, the good, the bad, the ugly, it is all for us to build our journey. This is the blessing of being human, not being perfect. Can we make a conscious effort to just enjoy life more and live in the moment versus acting in a constant state of fear and lack?
Can we start to adapt the mindset of “if not now, another time.” If not this one person to work with my team, another one. If this singer will not record one of my songs, then another. If we cannot release our EP this month, then another month. If not this client, another one. A better-fitting client. A better-fitting singer. A better-fitting person to pitch xyz, or manage us, etc.
Rejection
I got rejected from The Recording Academy and I want you to know that rejection is a common part of being in this music world. It is part of being an artist, a producer, or just working in this
industry, in general. It might hurt my feelings but at the same time, I believe that everything happens for a reason. If something is meant for us, it will be for us.
I want you to know, no matter how many doors get slammed in your face, you will be okay! And I want to encourage you to keep going no matter what. Keep trying, keep putting yourself out there, keep applying to every opportunity your heart desires. What’s meant for you will align for you. Maybe someone else needed the membership more than me and that’s okay. Sure, my ego might be like, how dare they not choose me! (You know what I mean, our ego can be a bit wild.) But my soul is like, it’s okay and what is meant for me will be for me.
Never let an opportunity determine your worthiness. You are worthy of just being born. Never think that if you do not get an opportunity, or get into a certain label or management company that you are less worthy than a peer in your community of music friends. I shared this story to encourage you and to let you know, you got this. Do not be so hard on yourself when you do not
always hear a “yes” in this fun music world. Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going, and keep going. You are talented and an amazing human. The world needs your music no matter what. We need your creativity, inspiration, voice, etc.
Energy
The reason people will hire you as a coach, consultant, or artist; or buy your merch, go to your shows, or become a fan or client of yours is because they feel good about being around you. They love your energy and who you are. Let’s be real, there are millions of artists out there. So, what makes people purchase from you or become a raving fan? It comes down to the quality of your offer, your brand awareness, and who you are as a human being. Your energy, your personality, your essence are the reasons people hire you, or buy your products or services, or become a super fan.
I got this realization when I asked some of my clients what their favorite part of my three-month program was and they said my energy and attitude. :) Then it hit me, it is not about being perfect, it is about being ourselves.
So take a deep breath, take the pressure off yourself and realize that the people who purchase from you are the people who love you for who you are, your attitude, your energy. Even your music resonates with a certain energy. Really take that in! You get to be paid for just being yourself. How beautiful is that?! It is not about being perfect, it is about being YOU. Although, do not get me wrong, if you are a producer, you do need to nail that mix or as an artist nail that recording. But at the end of the day, people hire us for being us!
Key Takeaways
1.Take mental breaks, surround yourself with nature, and surround yourself with things that inspire you.
2. Sometimes when you remove yourself from your current environment, you start to see a different perspective and get new insights, ideas, and creative thoughts that you never would have otherwise.
3. Slow down and enjoy the present moment more.
4. Take breaks from your phone and social media.
5. Be less harsh on yourself and just enjoy the process more than focusing so much on the destination of whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish.
6. Take care of yourself, get enough sleep, and eat healthy. Make sure you have energy to do the things you want to do.
7. Take it one step at a time.
8. Really get clear on what you want in your life, not what others tell you is good for you. You want to be a signed artist, great! Go for it. You want to do more songwriting behind the scenes, that is okay too. There is no wrong or right answer. It is ultimately your life and you have to choose what is best for you!
Affirmations:
1. I am perfect just the way I am.
2. My mistakes become my biggest power-ups in life.
3.Being human is my gift and blessing.
4. This or better always.
Order Dani Felt's Becoming Unstoppable: The Playbook for Creative and Entrepreneurs in hard copy on Amazon or listen to the book on Audible.
Dani Felt is a recording artist, music entrepreneur, and author with 13 years of experience in the music industry. Based in Los Angeles, she has built a career spanning music, entrepreneurship, and artist development.
