A Songwriter's Journey

What possible advice could the National Football League team, The Tennessee Titans, have to offer singers/songwriters? Well more specifically, advice for newbie writers or artists.
The Titans find themselves today with a chance to make the post-season playoff games. But to make the playoffs several things need to happen. There are scenarios where certain teams have to lose today and certain teams need to win. The sports commentators have been burning up the tv screens outlining the possible ways the Titans can make the playoffs.
But Titans Coach, Mike Munchak, gave what I believe is the most important advice: The thing needed to make the playoffs – the Titans HAVE to win today – period. If they don’t, none of the other scenarios matter! So they need to just FOCUS on winning today’s game.
That’s the advice newer singer songwriters need to take to heart!
Focus only on today – this song, this performance, this recording session. So often I see songwriters/artists so intent on getting the big record deal or song cut or staff songwriting deal they lose sight of the NOW!
So what happens is the quality of their creative output suffers which will lead to a publisher turning the song off after 15 seconds, or an audience tuning out listening after a less than rehearsed performance.
It all is so exciting – the money, fame, hearing YOUR creations played on the radio or in a film or tv show. Then there are those who place their family’s financial security in jeopardy because they just HAVE to get that several thousand dollar CD recorded and distributed. When what they should be doing is taking a deep breath, stand back and ask themselves, “Do I need this yet or Am I ready for this yet?”. Most times the answer is “no” which by human nature we don’t want to admit to.
I have been at this songwriting game a long time (since the mid-1970’s) and have made many of these mistakes. Some mistakes need to be learned the hard way, but so much can be avoided by taking Coach Munchak’s advice to just focus on this day and to win this game first! Then thoughts of the next steps can be entertained!
Dave