The Guitar Player's Resource
An artist called me after reading my article about apathy and music artists. He told me he believed most artists lived in the "victim mentality." I asked him if he knew what the difference was between a victor and victim. I told him it is two letters and a choice.
Victor ends in or which means you have a choice whether to be successful and reach new goals with your music and art. Victim ends in im which is a choice many artists make because they somehow believe if they act like or choose to be in the victim mentality people will feel sorry for them and give them what they want with no real effort on their part. I have found that the media, our political leaders along with others who promote this mentality, easily sways artists into it. They preach that you can't possibly succeed because some imaginary person is holding you back from accomplishing your goals.
Being successful or feeling sorry for yourself is a choice. Every artist can sell thousands of CDs or downloads. They can sell out shows and impact people with or without media support. Success is determined and achieved by artists that believe in themselves whether everyone likes their music or not. Contrary to the constant message we hear all the time, no one is stopping you from being successful. I have seen artists get their fans to pay for recording and touring through fundraising efforts, I have seen them sell out venues they shouldn't have by following what I have taught them and some hard work. I have seen the media get behind artists simply because they felt like they were missing something and I have seen major artists I work with call indie artists I mentor and ask them to open for them just because they respect their work ethic.
The choice to be successful or not is yours like I talk about in my last book, "Getting What You Want Out Of Life". Either you can have a successful career and create the life you want or you can be one of the thousands of people that agrees with the victim mentality and sits in front of the television complaining while the media is successful in getting you to watch more commercials.
Turn off the television and go out and find and meet your new fans that live in your hometown. People need artists that can inspire them, who can lead them and can get them onto a better mindset and path in life. Whether you believe it or not, that's you. The choice is yours whether you act upon it.
Author Tim Sweeney is head of Tim Sweeney & Associates, who are entering their 18th year of being, "the only true artist development company in the world."
Tim is one of the music industry's most sought after experts and consultants, and has written several influential books including "Tim Sweeney's Guide To Releasing Independent Records".
