10 Ways to Increase Your Luck: A Musician’s Tips for Freelancers

credit: by kaibara87 on Flickr

Okay, admit it. You can’t even carry a tune in a bucket. Or perhaps the happiest day of your childhood was when your parents stopped making you take piano lessons.

So, what could you possibly learn from a book written for musicians? Quite a lot!

My own encounter with David Cutler’s new book, The Savvy Musician, happened by chance. I was browsing the library’s new books shelf, and there it was. The Savvy Musician includes vignettes of 165 working musicians who enjoy meaningful and prosperous careers. I’ll admit that I’ve only heard of Anonymous 4 and the Kronos Quartet. Maybe that means that my ears need to get out more.

One thing that these musicians have in common is a high level of skill. And luck.

As Cutler says, “They have all experienced fortunate breaks, partially or completely out of their control. Their lucky moment may have been getting a job offer (no one better for the position happened to apply), winning a composition award (their aesthetic happened to suit the judges), or being signed by a recording label (a talent scout happened to listen to their demo).”

However, Cutler adds, “[T]here seems to be a science to getting lucky.” He offers 10 suggestions for increasing your luck. I think that they apply very well to freelancers:

1. Be good at what you do. When you’re good, word gets around.
2. Have a plan for your life. Set goals and define how you’ll accomplish them.
3. Schedule “luck” time. Periodically review progress toward your goals.
4. Make “luck” happen. See an opportunity? Pursue it with all you’ve got!
5. Build your network. The more people who know how good you are, the better the odds are that they’ll spread the word.
6. Increase your level of “fame.” Successful people are perceived that way. Shouldn’t you be too?
7. Be flexible. Opportunities don’t always show up at the right time. Be prepared for when they do arrive.
8. Plant a lot of seeds and see which ones grow. Cutler advises musicians to apply for 20 grants, rather than one. See any similarities to your freelancing business?
9. Plant better seeds. Over time, you’ll know which of your seeds are most likely to grow. Concentrate your efforts there.
10. Turn negatives into positives. Don’t view obstacles as road blocks. View them as things that you can maneuver around.

Another thing that struck me about Cutler’s savvy musician friends is how they take the expression “Multiple Streams of Income” to heart. They don’t just play concerts. They record and sell CDs. They own music schools. They organize music festivals.

And more.

Take, for example, New York percussionist Justin Hines. He succeeds in making the rest of us look like slackers by deriving his income from 15 different sources.

Among other things, he plays in a wide variety of ensembles, including Broadway pit orchestras, writes songs, develops curricula for arts-in-education residencies, and hosts concerts of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Not surprisingly, Cutler refers to him as “the quintessential freelancer.”

Does Justin Hines’s multiple streaming wear him out? Nope. Cutler says, “This huge variety of activities keeps Justin energized while allowing him to constantly evolve in exciting new directions.”

Last but not least, this book will show you that there’s no shame in having a day job. A lot of musicians have day jobs, and guess what? They work hard at work – and they enjoy their jobs.

Ever heard of jazz pianist Denny Zeitlin? He’s not included in The Savvy Musician, but the keyboard isn’t his day job. Practicing psychiatry is.

Likewise, my friend Jim Hewitt. His day job is computer applications development. On evenings and weekends, he’s a bluegrass fiddler who records and produces his own albums.

Photo credit: kaibara87 on Flickr