by Eshaan Sood
A life in music is an amorphous one. All of us living a life in the field of arts go through each day and we never really stop working. If you ask most people in a creative field you will find that something or the other is always brewing in the back of their mind.
What does a life in music look like? Well, in 2024 a life in music can mean many different things. Some people sit in a practice room for hours on end, some teach in the day and gig at night, some sit scratching lyrics to songs, some plough through their voice memos for the next spark of creativity. There are also those who write, shoot and edit videos, administer orchestras and theater companies and a whole plethora of different things. It is difficult to understand what it is like when someone on the outside looks in, but sometimes it is also difficult to figure out what you are supposed to do when you are in too deep. Whatever path you may be on your musical journey, nothing brings it to a screeching halt like the crickets that ring around when you ask the question ‘What am I supposed to do next?’
While this may look different just like the different hats every musician wears, it is crucial to have an easy method to figure this out for oneself. In this post we’re going to break it down using journaling and some journaling tactics to help you figure out what it is you could and/or should be doing next.
Just a quick note — the examples I give in this post are hypothetical and are meant to serve only as … well, examples. At no point should you compare yourself for better or for worse. We’re all on our own journeys and these will look very different for you. So let’s get into it.
What is Journaling?
Well, simply put. Journaling is writing out your thoughts and feelings. People have been using journaling as a therapeutic tool for ages and it has many benefits. The benefit we are focusing on however is discovering and planning what you want to do with music. All you really need is a pencil and paper, or whatever you prefer to write with and on. I personally use a notes app on my computer but I’ve also used scraps of paper stored in a box before and a stereotypical leather bound journal with a fountain pen too. It really doesn’t matter as long as the tools you use do not get in the way. For example, if you use a computer, try to not let the notifications get in your way. Or if you use a fountain pen make sure it doesn’t leak ink everywhere. Apart from that the world is your oyster.
Writing Prompts and How to Use Them
A writing prompt is usually a simple statement or question that can kick start the process for you. It is important to remember though to not be too tight gripped with these prompts. So if you get distracted mid way and start writing about some random unrelated subject, don’t worry, there will be time to clean up later. Just let your mind flow in whatever direction it pleases. We’re going to discuss three prompts today. A macro Prompt, A Micro Prompt and an internal prompt.
Macro Prompt — The Journey GPS
I call this one the GPS because it helps me figure out where I want to get to next. The simple statement for this prompt is — Where do you see yourself in 10 years, 5 years and 1 year from now. What this prompt does is help you work backwards towards your goals. For example if your ten year plan is to release 3 albums, be nominated for the grammys and go on a world tour. Then your five year plan needs to be to release at least 1 album and play your first international show and learn how the Grammy’s work. Which would in turn mean your 1 year plan needs to be to have at least 2–3 singles recorded and released and be playing regular gigs in your home city. When you read that from 10 years back, those goals seem idealistic and far away, just like ten years are. However, if you read them from 1 year to ten years, they seem like a natural trajectory. It is important to not worry about what the world would think about your goals when you do an exercise like this, no one is going to read your journal. You can get even more granular. You can break it down to 6 months and then further to 3 months and then 1 month and soon you will know exactly what you need to be doing today.
Micro Prompt — The one task to rule them all
While it might be a little overwhelming at first, you might soon be in a pool of small tasks that need to be done everyday. It can be hard to deal with a perpetually unfinished to-do list. One thing that I have learned from creator Ali Abdal, an excellent Youtuber, is the one important task technique. In this method you just ask yourself the question, “What is the one thing I need to do today?” Just take 5–10 minutes to write out what the one most important thing you need to do today is and some details about it. What would you like to do? Where would you want to do it? How long will it take etc… Once you have that down you can aim at finding the time to do that thing. Sometimes it can be as simple as calling and catching up with a family member or old friend. For example, for me yesterday this was to practice for my upcoming rehearsal and learn the songs for it. These usually end up being at least the important if not the important and urgent tasks in your day. Every time I can check this task off my list I always feel good about my day.
Internal Prompt — The Internal Compass
The simple statement for this one is — “How did my work make me feel today and do I still want the same things?”
While the first half of this prompt is good to do everyday, I will warn against using the second half too often. This one should be used sparingly. I have found that once every 6 months is a good time to ask the second half of that prompt but the first half is something I try to do every other night. Most of us are our own worst critics and I find this question helps me keep track of how I am doing and fuels the motivation to do more on the days it feels good. Conversely when I say I write down work that didn’t feel good, it helps me understand why and then try to fix it. For example, I left my practice room absolutely frustrated the other day failing to have played anything useful on a song I was supposed to learn. However, by journaling about it, I was able to discover that it wasn’t my inability to play the song that frustrated me, rather it was the fact that I was on a high horse thinking I should already be able to play this song and it should not have been as hard. It helped to go in the next day having left the ego outside the room and I made more progress in 40 minutes than I did in the 4 hours the previous day. This exercise has helped me a lot with being more self aware between the relationship of my mind and emotions with my performance and practice. It is a useful tool not just for practical reasons of being more efficient but also just to know yourself better and therefore know how you do what you do.
Journalling Health and Routines
Like any new habit journalling can take a little getting used to. and be a part of your life. I find leaving my computer open on my notes app makes me want to just scribble something down before I get to work. I also use an event in my daily calendar to remind me, but full disclosure, I don’t always stick to it. However having your tool of choice handy can be a good way to journal. Maybe you journal just for 4 minutes before a 1 hour practice session creating 3 20-minute time blocks. That way you won’t sit down and start noodling on your instrument like I do. Journaling can also reveal different aspects of your life that you might have not paid attention to, so remember to not judge yourself while writing your own journal. This is for you to become a more self aware artist. What this is not — is for you to have a platform to critique yourself.
Lastly, journaling can give you a lot of information, not all of it useful. Some of these things might just end up being bits of information that don’t mean much once you get them out of your head. So sometimes it is useful to go back and mark or highlight the actual useful stuff and forget about the rest. Well… my journaling alarm just rang.
Happy Journalling!