Being a musician, and the son of a musician, a painter and a playwright, I have spent a fair amount of precious time pondering what being an artist means and, more importantly, what the heck I should do with my life. I know, join the club. These musings aren’t unique to me, as I’ve had this conversation with countless others, usually over a bottle of wine and fits of sadness. One of my friends calls it “the artists burden”.

A burden, indeed.

Ah yes, the (hard knock) Artist Life. Anyone out there want to sign up? Well prepare yourself for frequent bouts of depression and occasional crying in the fetal position. Just kidding. But seriously, I’ve heard it happens.*1

The thing is, this condition affects more than artists, it’s crept into the minds of dreamers, entrepreneurs, and soccer moms alike. If there is a common thread, it’s that many of these folks, myself included, feel the weight of expectation; to dream big, to pursue your passion, to avoid “selling out”, etc. This weight can prove so heavy that many of us do something more grievous than most other options.

We do nothing.

Sometimes we do this because we are searching for a dream that feels so mindblowingly large, so inarguably noble, so exhaustively life changing, that the dream itself becomes the downward pressure. Been there. Other times, it’s because we are trying to figure out what’s worth our offorts. Our culture’s capitalist whisperings would tell us that the only worthwhile things are those that produce cash, and lots of it. I mean, enough for it to be your job. Then, when you realize that many people are willing to shell out $8 for (10 cents) of popcorn at the movies, but question whether buying your (painstakingly crafted) music for $5 is worth it, you die a little inside. Maybe that was a personal rant, but you get the idea, these moments can leave us paralyzed, and again, we do nothing.

This is a bad thing.

Think of the untapped potential of the awesome people around you, and the things they are capable of. Songs could be written, and sung. Adventures started. Dreams could be realized, some so big it might surprise us. It would be a festive occasion. So, here’s my challenge: Renegotiate what is worthwhile, and start doing more of what you love.

Musicians, make music, and lots of it.*2

Entrepreneurs, start businesses, and please make lots of money (and support the musicians.)

People Working Desk Jobs, I get it, but remember that time you were doing something you loved and said, “I’ll never make any money doing this,” and that thing died? Bring it back to life. You’ll probably still need to work, but at least you’ll be smiling.

Poor, Struggling Dreamers, I know you. I am you. If you are afraid to get a job, don’t worry, it’s not selling out, it’s called being practical. Try it. You might actually like it, but please, please…

…don’t stop dreaming.

*1 Is that normal? (Asking for a friend)
*2 Unless you love Nickback, then you should probably let your dream die.