Jon Acuff, in his hilariously written book Finish, goes to war against perfectionism.
He walks us through how psychologically wired we can be to avoid the unknown. We don't just procrastinate; we also actively avoid finishing things that could bring us greatness.
Perfectionism is a myth. When you get close to perfecting something, you realize all the million ways you can make it better. Sometimes those things will make it better.
Other times, those things are just excuses to leave the work unfinished.
- A half-written song lacking a final verse.
- An 8-bar production you're afraid people will dislike.
- A folder full of mixes that are "almost done!"
What Happens Next?
One of the fears he points out that's related to finishing is the "Feat of What Happens Next."
"It’s not uncommon to experience the fear of success as you get closer to finishing...Sometimes you’re not afraid of the finish; you’re afraid of what happens after the finish. It’s one thing to complete your book. It’s another thing to have that book open to feedback from strangers on Amazon."
I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that it's nervewracking to put something out into the world where anybody with an internet connection can tear it down (luckily, my Step By Step Mixing book gets overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon).
But you don't finish your work for the haters. You finish the work because you hope it will entertain and educate your audience. You finish it because you have to get it out. Otherwise, you'll bottle up all this unspent creative energy that's bound to transform you into the repressed internet troll you're trying to avoid.
When was the last time you didn't finish something because you were worried about what you had to do next? Once you finish something, that's it. You're done.
Should you go on to the next one?
Or does the voice in your head tell you that you should labor a little longer, tweaking things and wasting time perfecting something that would never be perfect in the first place? It's easier to keep working on something because then you won't have to worry about what happens next.
The Fear of "What Now?"
Another fear he talks about is the one I'm currently battling. It's time for me to figure out "what now?"
The successful launch of Step By Step Mixing last month was a major milestone. I'm not sure I need to say anything more about mixing that I haven't covered before. To me, that's great because the sense of completion and fulfillment from creating such a resource is gratifying. But it also begs the question: What Now?
Jon Acuff writes,
"When people say it’s lonely at the top, I think they’re referring to the unbelievably heavy sense of “what now” that lands on you after you accomplish something. The first fear, what next, is about what happens to the goal you’ve finished. Dreaming about a business is a lot easier than actually finishing and opening one. “What now” is about finding a new goal entirely. If you’ve had a single-minded focus on some goal and suddenly it’s done, what do you do
now?"
He finishes with a silver-lining, writing,
"The finish line isn’t scary when you realize it’s also a starting line for the next thing. It’s not the end, it’s just a different kind of beginning."
The thing is, goal-setting and accomplishments aren't linear. They're cyclical. There is no finish line at the end. Instead, there's a reset button at the top. You hit the button at the top of the cycle, and you get to decide what you're going to do next. And then the cycle repeats itself. If you're more successful, maybe the cycle is bigger. With more bells, whistles, and glitter.
But it's just a ride, and you get to decide what kind of journey you want to take.
So let me end this by asking you, my subscriber, customer, follower, fan:
In six months, what are you hoping to achieve with your music career?
I want to serve first and tackle your biggest problems.
I've already helped you make better mixes. That problem is finished. What's next?
Leave a comment and let me know what you want to achieve. Maybe I can help.
Sincerely,
Björgvin