No matter where you are, there is will always be much more unknown in your universe than there will be known.

For some people, this presents a big problem that must be solved, but for artists, this represents an endless stream of opportunity–to discover, to create, and to grow.

Just how one benefits from the abundance of the unknown depends heavily on their learning style and their individual expressive make up. Some are natural improvisers, ready to jump in and see what happens. Others embrace the unknown by carefully preparing and equipping themselves for whatever variables might arise. Still others rely on familiar forms and structures in order to embrace the mystery of the particular situations they find themselves in.

What kind of explorer are you and what tools do you need to fully draw from the wellspring of creativity in your music and life?

Learn from artists as diverse as John Cage and Sasha Baron Cohen to find the common denominators and the uncommon wisdom in this SOS episode from out on the edge…

 

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When you make your music, who do you do it for?

Is it for your audience–a selfless gift of sharing your art with others who can derive nourishment from the expression that springs forth from your soul?

Is it for yourself–an act of relief, giving form to the whims of your imagination and reveling in the fun of the creative process?

For many, the question of who the the music is being made for opens up what may seem like a competition between selfishness and generosity. The issue can grow even more complex when you factor in making a profit from your art.

On the one hand, we are taught that it is better to give than to receive. At the same time, there seems to be an undeniable part of our nature that is self-focused, self-centered, and self-interested.

So is it one or the other? Are we to chose between modeling Mother Theresa or Gene Simmons?

Listen to this podcast as several solutions are provided for achieving greater balance between selfishness and compassion in the life of the professional artist.

This part 5 of the 5-part “Prosperous Musician” series of SOS podcasts.

 

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