124. 2-Minute Reframe to Help Your Songwriting

Dear Songwriter,

A student told me the other day, "I don't want to release my music if hardly anyone will listen to it. I think that would destroy me."

My initial reaction?

I've been there. I'm STILL there. And I get it.

So now that I've expressed my empathy...

And since you might share these feelings...

Let me offer you, with the most care and compassion in my heart, a reframe:

You're being selfish.

You're more concerned with avoiding potential disappointment and being labeled a "failure" than sharing your gift with the world. You'd rather keep your music hidden forever than risk those uncomfortable feelings.

You're not considering that the song or EP you've created might be exactly what someone needs to hear—the piece of music that helps that struggling individiual feel less alone, even if just for a brief moment in their day.

If you knew your song would touch that person’s life—even if they were your only listener—would you hesitate to share it?

While it’s no guarantee that your song will reach a lot of people…

If you never release it, you guarantee it never will.

Your move.