Maybe you were there when I submitted about
playing guitar for a sold out crowd or about
touring the country playing guitar on the street. Well, it's now been about a year since I left the corporate world to try my hand at becoming a full-time guitarist. There has been no shortage of struggles, disappointments, and triumphs through it all, and I thought the fine denizens of
/r/guitar might appreciate some insights I've gained related to playing music for a living and 'following your dream', if your dream happens to be playing guitar.
First, some vital stats:
- I'm 37
- I have a college degree in Philosophy
- I live in Colorado
- I have no kids
- I am not married
- I have no debt whatsoever
- I own a car outright
- I am in terrific health
- I'm kind of on the fence about turtles...I mean, I kind of like them but honestly I think newts are cooler
Anyway, the above list should help to explain how it is that I was able to do what I did - namely, leave a salaried job with benefits to just start playing guitar all the time, hoping that things would eventually work out and that I wouldn't end up being the poster child for all of the reasons why it's a bad idea to pursue a lofty dream like being a professional musician. Realistically speaking, if I had a kid, a wife, a lot of debt, or some other such burden, quitting my job to play music wouldn't have been half as feasible of a prospect. In hindsight, it took a lot of fucking balls and regardless of how it all shakes out in the end, I'm damn proud of myself for having the courage to do it.
First, I want to share with you a few of the negative things that I've encountered as I've taken this path. They're not all insurmountable, but they are definitely a change from the comfortable, cushy corporate life that I used to lead:
The chicks, record deals, band invites and fame did not suddenly fall into my lap. As it turns out, the saying is true: "Just because you want something really bad, that doesn't mean you deserve it."
I found my limit of how many hours I can play guitar in a week. That limit is 35. Any more than that and I start to develop overuse injuries.
Speaking of playing-related injuries: I have had to deal with ganglion cysts, numerous blisters, torn fingernails, numbing in my fingers, a back problem due to the uneven weight that the guitar puts on my spine for all those hours, etc. It really is amazing how my body starts to break down after that 35th hour or so. Maybe it's age...probably...
I wasn't suddenly cooler to my friends and family. In fact, they were all worried about me. They still kind of are.
I have re-learned something I knew a long time ago, but had forgotten: youth and looks can and do trump talent. A fucking LOT. That is to say, a younger, better-looking guitarist can sound half as good as I do and there is a very good chance that this dude is going to get picked over me for a gig or even SESSION WORK! Yes, I'm completely serious. It happens. Which leads me to my last, notable challenge...
The money fucking sucks. To be fair, I'm saying this against a backdrop of a 16-year sales career that was very lucrative. Going from six figures to about $29,000 was...character buliding, as my dad would say.
And honestly, that's really it. I intentionally left out some of the more typical downsides that come with being self-employed - managing your own time, finding gigs, marketing yourself, etc.. All of that notwithstanding, I wouldn't change a thing about how my life has turned out. Even though I make a quarter of what I did in my prior career, I'm happier, more engaged, better connected with others, and I feel more aligned with what I was put on this earth to do. Compared to where I was this time two years ago - flying from client to client, working on Excel spreadsheets on the weekends, going to industry trade shows...UGH. I now wretch when I think about that life.
And so there's a lot thas gone RIGHT with all this. Here are just a few more things that I'll put in list format just because I like lists and this post needs at least three of them, right?
I'm now the 'house guitarist' for two restaurants in Denver. It's steady work and my employers are fantastic people.
I still play music on the street, only now it's even BETTER. Having the confidence that comes with being a full-time musician has spurred me to experiment with my playing, resulting in grooves and sounds that I never thought I was capable of producing.
I can sleep at night. I'm kind of being hyperbolic...what I mean is that I feel good about what I'm doing with my work. It's a creative pursuit that is also a service to others - I think, at least. This feature of my life makes every day so much more...liveable.
My old coworkers and business colleagues haven't gone anywhere. They've actually all expressed great curiosity in all this, and they'll be there if I ever decide to return to the corporate space again...something that is HIGHLY unlikely.
I've found love. Since pursuing this dream, I've fell in love with an amazing woman. I genuinely don't think this would have happened if I had stayed in my soul-sucking, white-collar job. I was so miserable with myself and my 'professional trajectory' that I couldn't really love someone. Now I can and it's pretty damn liberating.
I set out to make a post that would offer a realistic view into the life of someone who took the risk to play guitar in lieu of chasing corporate success. My hope is that this gives you some food for thought if you've ever kicked around the idea of giving music a shot, like FOR REAL.
And you know, even if you don't throw yourself into it like I did, there is a middle way, as the Buddhists would term it. You don't have to cut-and-run like I did - do what you love and live a balanced life if that's your thing.
I just happen to like taking risks.
Stay true, guys.
