No matter what you do as a "day job," or even if you have a successful band that gets regular gigs or you teach music, you will run into all sorts of people who think you are an idiot for being a musician. They will try to distract you with promises of better pay or job stability, if you will just spend that money and time on more lucrative pursuits. We all know that isn't going to happen, so here are some ways in which you can pat yourself on the back and learn to ignore these obnoxious, unhappy people.
ADMIT YOU ARE AN IDIOT
One of the worst things you can do to a critic is to agree with them. Admit you are stupid for choosing this line of work, but point out how happy it makes you, especially when things go really well-an award, a good gig, a thank-you note from a charity you wrote music or played for, and so forth. Point out how selling your equipment, now that it has been depreciated a few years, would probably make you a profit, you don't want to pay the taxes on the increased income, so you are just stuck with them, now. You were so stupid to have bought them in the first place, that you might as well at least make enough money using them each year to cover the deductions, and keep the business going. This should distract these naysayers for a little, at least, until you can come back with a few more retorts.
FIND MORE WAYS TO BE AN IDIOT
Sometimes, success is the best revenge. Make your critics even more angry by finding more gigs, contests and volunteer work at least that is related to your music. Spend your time with these more supportive types rather than the mentally unstable folks that would rather spend time running you down than going out and finding their own happiness. The more time you spend with your fellow writers, too, the more exposure you get and increased chances of finding people who have the connections you will need to get further in your genre. You certainly won't find any songwriting opportunities hanging around with a bunch of haters, unless it is finding fodder for some good whiney songs or material that pokes fun at such emotionally unhealthy sorts. And yes, that is exactly what they are-unhealthy.
BE A TOTAL IDIOT
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