What would you make if you knew you’d fail?

I’ve been listening to this interview with Seth Godin;

One thing that he said made me think a little bit.

He said, “what would you make if you knew that you’d fail.” He follows that up by clarifying that if you knew every single person would reject the project, what would still be worth making.

I know that sounds very ethereal and not very practical and realistic, but I think it’s something that we, as musicians or even as people, should consider. Making a living is definitely something that needs to be considered, but I think this question requires just as much consideration. Especially if you want to be making anything that is personal and means something to you.

It’s a hard question to answer and takes some thinking. It also takes some serious introspection because it means that you would still be proud of making that thing, knowing full well that every single person that heard it wouldn’t like it. That’s hard to do. It’s really hard to do. No one wants to be rejected, let alone rejected by every single person that sees/hears whatever you made. But if you do that, I’d bet that you’ll make something pretty good. If you make a song that is something you’re proud of, no matter what other people say about it, you’ll be happy you made it.

From personal experience I know this is true.

My album Expanding (An Electric Symphony) is something that I’m proud of no matter what people say about it. It’s my first release. It’s my first album. It’s one of my first long form pieces of music. Few people have heard it. The people that have heard it (mostly friends, family, and professors I had in college) have said wonderful things about it, but even if no one heard it I’d be happy I made it. That, I think, is the answer to Seth’s question.

Expanding is something I’d make knowing full well no one would like it.

Now, to be realistic, it’s hard to make this happen every single time you make something. For me at least, that’s not realistic at all. I couldn’t spend the energy I spent on Expanding every single time I make a piece of music. BUT. And there’s a very big but here. If you enjoy the process of making the thing, then that, I think, satisfies that question.

It’s is one of the reasons I really enjoy the music of Andrew Huang. He seems to enjoy the process of making music. The act itself of making music is enjoyable to him. So he makes a lot of music. Naturally as a result of enjoying that specific process, he makes a lot of music.

If you enjoy the process of making something, then it’s worth making.

ISJ