Worrying About The “Real World”

A friend of mine recently sent me a video compilation of words of wisdom spoken by Will Smith. You might not initially think that a guy like Will Smith–an actor who’s made his name starring in big-budget action blockbuster films such as Independence Day and Men In Black–has a lot of philosophical things to say. And you would be forgiven for assuming any advice he might have to offer would apply to actors much more than musicians (although Mr. Smith is no stranger to the Billboard charts himself, with hits like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” under his belt).

But this video proves that Will has quite a bit of interesting, practical and inspirational advice.

He says that work ethic goes much further than talent when it comes to making it in the entertainment business. He also believes there is greatness in all of us, and we need to focus on small tasks one at a time in order to complete a seemingly impossible goal–much like laying individual bricks to build a large wall. Smith believes we need to work hard every day toward our dreams in order to get ahead, and that we should all strive to be a positive influence in the world.

But my favorite bit of advice has to do with Smith’s take on the so-called “real world…”

He says that being “realistic” is the easiest way to be mediocre. That we can’t concern ourselves with what’s realistic when we’re pursuing unrealistic goals, because it will only hold us back. This is great advice for musicians. The fact is, not too many people make it big in music. Because the odds are against us, you might say that it’s unrealistic to dream of being a famous and successful artist. But even if that’s true, it won’t do you any good to think about it that way. As soon as you limit yourself by thinking, “I probably can’t do this,” you’ve made that limitation a reality.

Dreams have no limits. Goals may be unrealistic, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on them. Not too many musicians become huge sensations, but the ones that did believed in the impossible. You should, too.

Luckily, recording a professional album with world-class LA session musicians isn’t at all unrealistic. Just call Studio Pros today to get started!

Posted on: August 4th, 2010