When coaching, one of my strategies is helping people build their Music Dream Team. You only have to read the “Thank You” and “Credits” on an album to begin to appreciate just how many people are behind the success of one artist or band.
One of the essential Dream Team members (and often the first) is your Music Life Coach and in Part 1 of My Dream Team series, I’m going to delve into the roles of a coach and how they can help you.
People who are serious about achieving their dreams have coaches. Look at world-beating athletes such as Usain Bolt. He is the best at what he does, and still has a coach. Whilst many people feel that when you reach a certain level, a coach is no longer necessary, the reverse is true. Most people that don’t succeed, don’t have a coach and are left to flail around trying to work things out for themselves. In music, especially for independent artists, there are no solid deadlines. For major artists such as Coldplay or Adele, being signed to a major label begins the pressure to deliver your next album on time to prevent the company share price going into a tailspin.
As an independent artist, one of the toughest challenges I faced was delivering on the promises to myself. It took a coach – someone who I had to be accountable to – to take me to the next level and make me follow-through on my promises. A music tutor plays a similar role in helping your improve your musical ability. If you had a teacher growing up, imagine how different your musical skill level would be today if you didn’t have to show up each week and play them that you said you would practise?
For many big artists, their “coach” happens to be their manager. I think a handful of the best managers out there (who manage major artists), happen to be excellent coaches. They are there to encourage and cheer-lead their artist on their journey, celebrate in the successes and help to pick them up when they trip. The trouble is that most artists don’t get full-time managers until they are selling a large number of records and have been picked up by a major label. As a manager earns their money on what their artist generates (typically a 20% cut of all revenue), this can sometime lead to a conflict of interest. Sometimes managers can push their artist in a direction which might result in a big commission for them, but not necessarily in line with the artist vision or dreams. An example of this is signing to a label they are friends with, but doesn’t necessarily fit with your own philosophy.
If an Independent artist has a manager, it is often a friend or close acquaintance. Like family and loved ones, it is very hard for that manager to not be emotionally involved. Arguments and difference of opinions often surface and they part ways. If you have ever attempted to learn how to drive with a parent, you’ll understand that there is a reason why people pay good money for a driving instructor!
A Music Coach is different. When I work with people, I am guided by what they want to achieve, but like an Olympic coach, I am there to push you to your highest potential. I also work with you taking into account your whole life. Music might be central to that but your success can sometime be unlocked in related areas such as:
– Helping you with your productivity
– Examining your relationship with money
– Working on how you can set effective goals
– How to boost your self-esteem
– How to deal with criticism (which is a dream breaker for many in music)
– How to build your “Dream Team” (because no successful artist has ever done it alone)
– How to visualise your success and understanding why this is important
– How to keep grounded when major success comes your way
– How you want to use your platform of success to give back to the world
One of my fundamental theories I teach when living out your music dreams is LAO – “Little And Often”. Do something every day that moves you one step closer to your dream. Like exercise however, it is easier said than done. We all have good intentions, but a coach can make all the difference by helping and encouraging you to make those intentions a reality.
In my music coaching sessions, I have a different approach to most generalist life coaches. I have not come from a text-book, but from having lived my music dreams. I like to bring all theses experiences into my sessions to help inspire people to know that whatever they want to achieve – no matter how big – it is possible with the right focus, direction and guidance. I believe that before you are going to coach, you should have done it yourself and have real life experiences to bring to the relationship.
If you feel coaching could be the next stage for you in your career, I currently have space for two artists. Please get in contact for a free 20 mins session to find out more: https://www.musiclifecoach.com/contact/
If you are excited to get started now on the fundamentals of my coaching, you can subscribe to my “7 Secrets to Success in Music” course right now.
