You know that terrible feeling when your friend tells you your zipper on your pants is down? That feeling of being completely caught off guard and unprepared. That’s the feeling a lot of us feel when people ask us about our music.

You approach life differently when you’re in it for the long haul. And by in it for the long haul, I mean you are willing to endure hardship or loss because the end result is worth it.

First, can I just say, we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others. Compare and despair. The only person you should compare yourself to is you yesterday.

I have a lot of weaknesses. A basket full. Over the last year, one has stood out more than others—my lack of focus. It comes it many forms, but the most common is having good ideas.

One of the most frustrating aspects faced by independent artists is landing a reputable show. A countless amount of time, energy and money is dedicated to preparing a proficient product, however convincing a talent buyer of your products sufficiency is often disheartening.

I’ve been making records for seven years now, the last three of which, I’ve done it full-time. Many of my friends are entering five to ten years of full-time music, and one thing that keeps coming up in our conversations is that it feels different than it used to.

When is a project good enough? This may be one of the more difficult questions you have to wrestle with when creating.