It always feels scary to start something new. I’m scared when starting DJing that I’m not going to make it. Although I feel like that’s ridiculous thinking. I know that anyone can make it if they want something enough.
There’s always something you can be afraid of, if you focus on fears
That brings me to my next fear. I’m scared that I don’t want this enough, and that I’m wasting my time and money. In that case, it’s a learning experience, and I wouldn’t be wasting time and money. Rather, that’s just the cost of figuring out what it is you want to do in life. And in any case, DJing is something I’ve been doing for 6 years. I’m not going to lose interest in it all of a sudden. It has stood the test of time, it’s been my goal for years, so it’s time to start moving towards it.
If you’re afraid it’s not worthwhile enough, think about the fact that everyone loves to party, and throwing a great party to entertain people is totally worthwhile. Life isn’t just about grinding and working. Life is a party.
I think another thing I am afraid of is wasting money. I still have my goal of buying a house, and having that goal makes me feel like if I spend money now it’s a waste. However, I don’t want to keep waiting to do the things I want to do. I don’t have to do this either. It makes sense to do them now. I can still afford to save for the house.
After deciding to do DJing like I have now, it doesn’t make sense to double back. I don’t care even if there’s no value in it. The fact that I’ve decided to do something this strongly shows that there’s value.
I don’t even want to think about all of these doubts. I think doubts like this creep in whenever there is any endeavor that I take on in life. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his autobiography that he likes to wander into new situations like a puppy dog. He doesn’t want to have too much information, because if you do, you never even get started, because it sounds impossible. However, if you take things one day and one step at a time, all things are possible.
Throwing our own party
Zac brought up a very interesting idea last night – he was saying that one way to get your first gig is to throw your own party. This is something that I hadn’t thought of, but it re-sparked my memory that that was something that I had always wanted to do. Me and him could team up and throw a party at a venue that we rent out. It reminded me of the talk I had with Marcello about this. Marcello used to do this, and one thing that he told me was that it could be hit-or-miss from a business perspective, but that it was great fun to throw parties.
Think about how it would feel to play at amazing festivals like Burning Man, Electric Forest, etc. This isn’t a dream that it makes sense to just give up on. Even playing at techno clubs and events you host yourself will be phenomenal, and has been a dream of yours for a lifelong time.
It’s okay if it’s difficult.
Arnold started out his bodybuilding career when bodybuilding was not very mainstream. It’s easier to stand out and become the best in something when you’re fishing in a small pond. On the other hand, be grateful if it’s difficult, because more competition makes you forced to get better. Seth Godin calls the difficulty “The Dip”.
Focus on the upside, not on fears
Dain Miller said that whatever you focus on grows. It makes more sense to have the dreams that you visualize, and keep those fixed in your mind. Write down the places you visualize yourself on goal cards, and use that for motivation. Goal cards can be:
- Have your own DJ bus like the guys at Northern Nights security camp
- Play on DJ bus like at E Forest afterparties
- Throw your own events and make lots of cash while also having an amazing time, and learning the business side of creating an event
You always said that the reason you wanted to pursue an education was to get a job that you could use to save up money, while you worked on other dreams that you really wanted to do. You’ve been a serial goal achiever, doing one thing after another. First going to school to find something you wanted, becoming a web developer, getting over social fears, and now next goal is DJing. There’s no reason to think it’s not going to work. Everything can be successful, even to a smaller degree. Going out and throwing parties on the street like you did on Bourbon Street New Orleans is still a success. See things that way instead. You’re taking such a black and white view subconsciously – If it doesn’t work out in some huge way that you’ve abstracted in your head, you will be a failure and that’s bad.
Remember what Arnold said: “I’m not worried about failing, because that’s part of life. You’re not going to go and win everything. And how far can I fall? That’s the ground, that’s as far as I can fall.” Just go for the dream and go full force. Don’t worry about things not working out. Focus on the vision you have, and only on that. You become tunnel vision and you can achieve anything.