“The challenges, struggles, and pitfalls musicians face”

Music education teaches off pitch notes are either too high or too low, and therefore, not in tune. If the notes played don’t match the related sound wave frequency, the difference is noticeable, especially when more than one instrument is playing. Pitch can be impacted by outside factors like stress, health, environment conditions. Sometimes musicians play slightly off pitch to create an emotional feeling or artistic technique, but it’s not the standard. Achieving the correct pitch takes training, practice, and dedication. Mastering the tuning of an instrument can be likened to navigating life and a career in the highly competitive music industry.

A musician’s life is one of highs and lows, which can lead to lack of clarity, definition, and harmony. Musicians are respected and esteemed for their gift and what they give through the music. Musicians are worshipped and idolized for not only their gift but also their persona. On the other hand, artists deal with criticism and ridicule. Musicians are expected to live wild lives. For some aspiring musicians and fans, the seemingly uninhibited, glamorous lifestyle is part of the intrigue and fascination.

It’s normal to show up to work to do the gig and not talk deeply about personal lives. It’s no secret that musicians go through things. No matter how great the gift, we are real people with real problems. We know from watching others or personal experience. We see musicians in the news, but think about all the stories we never hear. Some live in isolation and talk to no one. Often times, the truth isn’t revealed until after death. The people around us the most don’t even know what we’re dealing with. Sometimes we speak up and sometimes we don’t. But that has to stop. We’ve got to figure out how to recognize the things that cause us to be off pitch in life and resolve to live dynamically.

Life is full of transpositions, ups and downs. The high life of success is wonderful, but not so much when life is low. Life is riddled with challenges, struggles, and pitfalls. What is the difference?

Challenge: a situation or issue in life that contests our will, strength, and knowledge. Represents all the things we face that tests and tempt us and then we must decide what to do with what we’re presented

Struggle: to wrestle or battle with a task or other kinds of hindrances and obstacles. Represents things we fight against good or bad and anything else that tries to stand in the way of us reaching our full potential. We either overcome or be taken over.

Pitfall: the traps, dangers, difficulties, and troublesome situations we get into because we fail to be cautious, watchful, or guarded

What are some of the challenges, struggles, and pitfalls musicians face that impact wellness?

• Long days & late nights. Normally sporadic with demanding hours & travel schedule
• Overworked & underpaid. Working a lot of gigs/jobs just to make ends meet
• Workaholic, never take time off
• Lack of sleep
• Irregular eating and limited access to nutritious meals & beverages while working
• Declining health and medical problems
• Memory loss
• Missing gigs. Showing up late for work.
• Having trouble performing and working due to physical or mental issues
• Unhealthy coping mechanisms and behaviors related to schedule/performance demands, stress, anxiety, life pressures (substance dependency/misuse/abuse, mood & performance enhancements, triggered behavioral responses, wellness disorders like obsession, depression, mood swings, unhealthy eating behaviors)
• Loss of control over emotions, public & private meltdowns
• Actions lead to embarrassment, shame, guilt
• Have trouble getting in touch with feelings
• Wake up often not knowing what happened
• Legal issues due to substance use, incident, or confrontation
• Financial pressures & obligations – slow/intermittent work, no work, lack of opportunity. Work is unpredictable, jobs or gigs only last for so long. Overworked due to having to work a lot of gigs. Low pay rates. Not being paid on time or not paid at all for work. Past due bills & financial commitments. Difficulty qualifying for funding support.
• Lack of confidence & experience with business deals, contracts, management
• Inequality, unfair practices, discrimination, coercion, and abuse in the industry & workplace
• Having a hard time making decisions
• Knowing when to say yes or no to opportunity
• Disappointment in how your career has progressed
• Loneliness and isolation. Difficulty interacting with others.
• Feeling or being misunderstood
• Work in environments that test or comprise beliefs & values
• Unresolved trauma & hurts from life experiences & negative past (family, friends, relationships, mentors, leaders, neighborhood, school, church, work, business)
• Mind flooded with thoughts, visions, nightmares, delusions, hallucinations
• Dealing with unhealthy connections & relationships (professional & personal)
• Tendency to avoid or flee from obligations & responsibilities
• Lack of support
• Feeling unappreciated & unrecognized
• Scrutinized, judged, condemned, and shunned for what people think or believe to be true about the life of a musician
• Seen as a joke and creativity not taken seriously
• Criticism & negative words spoken against you. People doubting & telling you your gift or career won’t or can’t make money doing music. Telling you to get a “real” job.
• Viewed as an outsider or evil for the type of music or places you play
• Lack of vision, purpose, drive, motivation, focus, desire to practice, hone craft, or work.
• Lack of spiritual grounding
• Self-doubt, low self-esteem
• Feeling unprepared or inadequate
• Fear of failure or actual failure
• Comparing your gift to others or the success of others to yourself. Competitive spirit.
• Pride and Conceit. Concentrating on celebrity/fame instead of an influence.
• Obsessed with your own image
• Being viewed as a larger-than-life figure and not a human being
• Not talking about the problems. Lack of transparency.
• Living in denial about issues. Put up a façade or pretense to avoid problems/confrontation and keep others from prying or knowing what you’re really going through. Refuse to ask or accept help.
• Become frustrated or defensive when people confront you about your issues.
• Duplicity or multiplicity in who you are onstage and offstage. Lack of authenticity.
• Lack of identity outside of stage or performing.

Challenges and suffering aren’t abnormal. They are part of life. Sometimes adversity comes by way of temptation. We have free will to live however we want, but not everything is beneficial or helpful to us and those around us. Our thoughts, desires, and fears are reflected in our words and actions. Having the freedom to choose in life shouldn’t cause harm ourselves and others. Living life without boundaries usually leads to negative consequences. The misuse of alcohol, drugs, and food can cause physical and mental health problems. Aggressive or long-term use can severely damage the body and mind, leading to overdose, chronic disease, or death.

Trying to control anything other than our own actions, like a situation or person, can backfire on us and our relationships. If we have wise counsel and a good support system, we can make decisions for the better. The right assistance can lead us to healthy pathways for addressing the issues we face. We discover how to open up, be proactive and reactive, adapt and adjust to change, set goals, broaden our mindset, and set priorities. We also give ourselves space to learn life lessons, grieve as necessary, transition well, and find true joy in the midst of it all.

The Keys to Transition to Living a Dynamically Transformed Life

Seek transformation that leads you to being your best self.

1. Pray for guidance, wisdom, discernment, and peace in every area of your life. Acknowledge your challenges, struggles, and pitfalls. Seek support and therapeutic ways to deal with what you are going through. Put into practice daily what you learn and never stop learning. Learn from the mistakes you make and those of others. As you are faced with obstacles, you will have a better handle on how to navigate them and prevail over your circumstances.

2. Realize wellness starts in the mind. Acknowledge hurts, expectations, experiences, imaginations, all the things built up in your head. Live in the reality of the present. Control your actions and responses, release what you can’t.

3. Understand life is a gift. It’s not an accident you were born. The mindset to live with purpose and conviction will radically change how you make decisions, how you speak, how you act, how you think, how you live. The goal is to live in truth and integrity, not darkness and secret. The music doesn’t make you, you make the music. You are the instrument. Indeed, you are the gift!

4. Prioritize healthy living. Educate yourself about wholesome options. Learn to listen to your body. If you’re not feeling well physically or mentally, make necessary changes to your care, schedule, rest, nutrition, exercise, environment, and interests. Wellness priorities improve quality of life (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social).

5. Recognize every opportunity is not for you. You don’t have to say yes to everything. It’s okay to say no and pass on an offer when it doesn’t line up with your schedule, goals, or values. If you’re not sure how to move on a matter, reach out to a trusted professional or find a mentor who will listen to you and discuss your thoughts and concerns before making decisions about opportunities. Talking to someone with industry experience could help you decide what is best for you.

6. Have people around you that will help you maintain your goals, be honest with you, assist in times of need, and encourage you along the way.

7. Find something to be grateful for every day and do something that brings you joy.

Someone may say, “I’m allowed to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. I’m allowed to do anything, but not everything encourages growth.
1 Corinthians 10:23 NOG

Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing.
James 1:2-4 VOICE

Never compromise on who you are. You are born with the capacity to achieve greatness if you so desire. Learning to say no is a critical element to accessing that greatness. Your choices will define you; so make them the right ones.
Denzel Washington

My legacy is that I stayed on course… from the beginning to the end, because I believed in something inside of me.
Tina Turner

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Marcus Aurelius

LifeNotes online publication written and edited by Hope N. Jones. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication and distribution prohibited.