As an emerging artist/creative saying YES to everything now, in your early years will allow you the wriggle room and ability to say NO later when you become more established.
As an artist, when you are building your career, your network, connections or gaining experience, you have to be willing to say YES. Even when it’s inconvenient, and means missing out on spending time with family or friends. Even if it means sacrificing or that it will encroach on your personal time.
Even if it means that you might have to spend your own funds or lose some money, learn to say yes more. I can go on and on, but to win big, sometimes you have to be willing and open to compromise. You have to be able to do some things that might at times be uncomfortable or make you feel uncomfortable to get ahead.
I have seen artists/creatives jump on a song they are feeling or like, or seek a collaboration or feature with a trending/popular artist even when the artist or owner of the work is in another state, country or location. They will go out of their way, pay their expenses and even go as much as funding videos and paying for promotions knowing it will be of benefit to them later on or in the long run.
Some people will call you names or think you are crazy for saying yes to opportunities or requests that don’t necessarily add any value to you or your career in the short term.
But sometimes saying yes to an opportunity that doesn’t or isn’t paying well right now can set you up to earn 10 times more in future. Sometimes the value only appreciates with time and the advantages might not be in cash but in kind. Oftentimes you might lose money trying to build on an opportunity but in the long term it can give you the ability to make 100 times more than you spent creating it.
As an upcoming or emerging artist, the key is, knowing how to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. Obviously some people will ask, should I say yes all the time and to everything that comes my way? No! Being discerning enough to know the times to say yes and what to say yes to is also an art. It is the difference between those that have a winning mentality versus those who do not.
It’s not just about saying yes and taking advantage of opportunities, it’s also knowing “WHEN” to say yes and “HOW” to take advantage of each opportunity that arises. There’s a song about taking “one step forward and two steps backwards”, when you say yes to the wrong opportunity, there’s always a possibility it will take you 2 or 3 steps backwards. That’s the power of saying YES to the right moments, the perfect opportunity and benefiting from it. So when you think you don’t have the ability or power to build your career or business because you lack money, contacts or connections, remember you always have the power to say yes or no.
Always be mindful of the things or people you say yes to and the opportunities you readily say yes or no to too. Be open to saying yes to new ideas, and to trying new ways of doing things. When you realize that saying yes now gives you room to say no at a later date, you will say yes more often than saying no. You will begin to say YES any chance you get!
Yes I will be open to free appearances, shows or gigs.
Yes I will read more, study more, learn more.
Yes I will go further and put in more effort.
Yes l will invest in myself.
Yes I will do the things I don’t necessarily like or want to do today, so I can do all the things I want to do tomorrow.
Yes, I will go out of my comfort zone and add value to others without any expectations.
Yes, I will inconvenience myself today so things will be more convenient for me tomorrow
Yes, I will work hard, longer and listen to advice.
As an artist when you understand the advantages of saying YES today, you will come to understand the power it gives you to say NO tomorrow.
