3 tips to beat perfectionism as a music producer

Perfectionism… we all struggle with it. Some days more than others.

But finding ways to move forward even when suffering from it is key to your sustainability in anything you want to do in life.

Let’s talk about what Perfectionism is and 3 mindsets that I have found extremely helpful to work through it.

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Perfectionism Is Fear of Failure

Perfectionism, in many cases, is just fear of failure in disguise.

This is why it drives us to create impossibly high-quality music. We want to do everything we can to prevent failure.

And this can be good! We want there to be a driving force that pushes us to be our best.

But when out of balance it is paralyzing, making it impossible to finish your tracks or even start new ones.

We’ve all been there - I have had strong attacks from it throughout my life that paralyzed me for much longer than I care to admit - I know how frustrating it can be.

But I’m grateful to have built mindsets that have helped me get through it, and release music even when it’s just “good enough.”

And thank goodness, because many of those “good enough” tracks were the ones that resulted in placements, clients, millions of streams and other exciting experiences.

If I had waited for perfection, who knows if I would have ever released the songs that changed my life?

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Mindset #1: Let Go of Expectations

Finish that song, even if it kinda sucks.

Send that cold email to the label or music library, even if you're scared of rejection.

Respectfully DM that artist you look up to, even if you might never hear back.

Release a song, even if it might not get any streams.

Make that post on social media, even if the lighting isn't the best.

The key here is to let go of your expectations, because it's your expectations that are keeping you stuck and triggering your perfectionism and fear of failure.

But if you just do the thing, and expect nothing, then anything that does happen is a win.

And you get to celebrate the fact that you did it... which is more than you did yesterday!

This mindset is a superpower, and a practice - because it will not feel comfortable, especially when you start.

But with practice, it will ease your anxiety, help heal your mental blocks and most importantly, get you comfortable with taking imperfect action.

So let go - and grow, Grow, GROW!

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Mindset #2: You Don't Have to Be Special. You Just Have to Show Up

Part of our perfectionism might be coming from an underlying need to feel special... or at least feel that our music is special.

But you don't need to be special.

What is special anyway? What's "special" to one is "mundane" to another.

It's enough to just be who you are, making what you are making, each day you make it.

It's enough to just show up.

Because news flash... showing up is the thing that is special.

It's the one thing most people don't do.

You don't have to be the best - you just need to exist.

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Mindset #3: Your Most Successful Work Will Not Be What You Expect

It's a common discussion for those of us out here working... the tracks that tend to go the most viral, make the most money, or get the most love? They're never the ones we expected.

Because the way WE listen to our music is NOT the way the world hears it.

For me, my most profitable song was a barely-mixed rock track with a simple "woo!" vocal line made in a weekend.

Listening back, the guitar was out of tune. Oops! Yet it changed my life.

And my most viral song, used as a professional Apex Legends team's theme for a year, has been heard millions of times, used in hundreds of videos, and attracted love from all around the world...

But I think the kick is too loud and the verse is kinda empty.

Far from perfect! 🙃

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“Art Is Never Finished, Only Abandoned”

Don't let yourself be the one who says "no" to your music - let it go out and have a life of its own.

It's your child. And a good parent does not set unreasonable expectations for their child... they simply create space for them to discover who they are.

Let it surprise you.

After all...

"Art is never finished, only abandoned." -Leonardo da Vinci