I wish it always sunny days.
I’ve had a rough few days recently regarding music and how I feel about myself. I’ve been dealing with the heavy weight of doubt and questioning my path.
It felt like no matter what I try it’s not budging for me. I don’t know how to get more people to see and hear about my music. And with two jobs, I don’t feel like I have the time and energy to keep putting toward that part of the equation.
Things simply weren’t going my way.
But then it was like I put my seat belt on. Something clicked.
I thought about how everyone has bad days. Everyone has obstacles they’re trying to overcome. No matter what job they have or what career they’re pursuing. It’s not always smooth sailing. There’s going to be challenges. Things aren’t going to go their way sometimes.
And then I thought, if I was going after a safer job or career route I’d still have to get through hard days, rough times, and difficult stretches. And I could still fail.
I could fail at what I don’t love.
I would have hard days, rough times, and difficult stretches in pursuing something I wasn’t passionate about. And that sounds like it would be way worse.
If you’re following something that doesn’t mean much to you, how much harder is it to fight through the hard days? Or do you just surrender and let it pass? I genuinely don’t know.
It seems to me like a lot of people get into certain jobs and careers because it’s safe. Because they know that they can earn a decent wage. And that’s understandable. Maybe that knowledge in itself makes the hard times more durable.
I wouldn’t know because I never took that route.
What I do know is that I still show up every day. I show up when I don’t feel like it. I do because I know that it’s temporary. I know that this shit means a lot to me and it’s worth fighting for.
And knowing that has led me to understand this.
I made the right choice in picking something I care for, music and writing. The roller coaster of a journey has been beyond challenging. But I’m fighting for something I stand on. I’m fighting for something I believe in.
So I can’t throw in the towel. Because what’s the alternative?
Starting something new that I’m not passionate about, or at least not as passionate as I know I am with music? And trying to move up the ladder to make more money?
Something there’s not a fire driving me to perform? That sounds devastating. That sounds like it’s not worth fighting for.
That sounds like a dead end.
So I continue to show up on my worst days and give it my best shot. Because you’re going to have hard days regardless of what kind of life you live. Tough times pass. It’s all temporary.
Just take it one day at a time.
—
This post was previously published on medium.com.
***
From The Good Men Project on Medium
What Does Being in Love and Loving Someone Really Mean? | My 9-Year-Old Accidentally Explained Why His Mom Divorced Me | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | The Internal Struggle Men Battle in Silence |
***
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—–
Photo credit: Ryan Parker on Unsplash