its effects on you
This song is about a country singer who writes songs that live in obscurity. He cranks out song after song that sit on the proverbial shelf, devoid of an audience. (Ironically, this song has half-a-million plays on Spotify.). But it’s the idea that the artist is alone, in obscurity, toiling in futility and anonymity.
In Seth Godin’s little book, The Practice, he develops the idea that you create the product irrespective of other forces that would bear down on the process. So, you do your thing. And trust the process of creation. So, there are two things at work here: The creator and the creation. The author and the book. The songwriter and the audience.
But, there’s another factor at play here: Don’t underestimate its effects on you. When you practice guitar thinking that you’re going to be famous, you may not become famous, but you are practicing guitar! You’re doing it. And the reps will change you. Writing the first verse and hammering out the chords will change you.
Work on the reps with this change in mind; that as you go, you will become different. Practice will have its effect on you.
Control what you can control and trust the process of practice. It will change your eyes and your hands and your skill level.
Instead of being down in the dumps about lack of audience or promotion or “no one is listening”, focus on how all of it is changing you.
And more information probably won’t change you. It is the practice of practice that will change you.
