Oh man - this is a very difficult topic to reply to. I'll do my best, but please don't take my words (or anyone else's) as gospel.
First, you're 18. You're very young - and you have a lot of TIME. I will always encourage you to follow your DREAMS, even it if it's not necessarily business or entrepreneurial. If your dream is to be a musician, by all means pursue it. Pursue your dream harder and with a furious dedication. Realize you will fail, a lot (we all do). Pursue it anyway. Don't pursue being a musician if you are just after MONEY. Money may not follow. Happiness just might.
You may decide in a few years that you want to keep pursuing music. You may decide to quit.
Have you considered that even after pursuing your music career for 5 years, you'll only be 23? If you call it "quits" in five years, you can go after anything else you may want.
I don't have much experience or knowledge in the music industry outside of music I listen to. I don't know the formula, if there is one, to "make" it in the music business. I do know it's incredibly difficult to become very successful in the music industry, and that the industry doesn't always reward people with talent and ridiculous work ethic.
But if you do pursue music, pursue it with all your heart and soul. Forget everything else.
Here is the honest truth most people won't tell you. Building a business is HARD, really hard. The chances for success are probably higher than becoming a famous/rich musician. The truth is, you will probably have to drop music for a period of time while you're building a business. You will need to pour your heart and soul into a business, and forego the rest. You can't have it all. When your business is successful, and after YEARS of building a business and business systems, you will be able to take a step back from the business and resume your hobbies.
Only you can make the choice. There is on right or wrong answer - there is only a right and wrong for YOU.
First, you're 18. You're very young - and you have a lot of TIME. I will always encourage you to follow your DREAMS, even it if it's not necessarily business or entrepreneurial. If your dream is to be a musician, by all means pursue it. Pursue your dream harder and with a furious dedication. Realize you will fail, a lot (we all do). Pursue it anyway. Don't pursue being a musician if you are just after MONEY. Money may not follow. Happiness just might.
You may decide in a few years that you want to keep pursuing music. You may decide to quit.
Have you considered that even after pursuing your music career for 5 years, you'll only be 23? If you call it "quits" in five years, you can go after anything else you may want.
I don't have much experience or knowledge in the music industry outside of music I listen to. I don't know the formula, if there is one, to "make" it in the music business. I do know it's incredibly difficult to become very successful in the music industry, and that the industry doesn't always reward people with talent and ridiculous work ethic.
But if you do pursue music, pursue it with all your heart and soul. Forget everything else.
Here is the honest truth most people won't tell you. Building a business is HARD, really hard. The chances for success are probably higher than becoming a famous/rich musician. The truth is, you will probably have to drop music for a period of time while you're building a business. You will need to pour your heart and soul into a business, and forego the rest. You can't have it all. When your business is successful, and after YEARS of building a business and business systems, you will be able to take a step back from the business and resume your hobbies.
Only you can make the choice. There is on right or wrong answer - there is only a right and wrong for YOU.
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