For the Creative Soul > Disappointed Again

Darn. You really thought that was it, didn’t you.

Your big break. Your grand idea. Your eeeevvviiil plan thwarted!

Why is it just when we think we have the answer on how to perfectly lead our creative life, we hit a great big road block?

The publisher doesn’t realize your song is genius! The label that offered you a record contract (in the mail!) was a sham and they send that to everyone (want to see my shocked face?). The worship minister says he’s just not sure you are right for the worship team at church. Or maybe you are a professional creative, and you just thought for sure by this time in your life you’d be doing a bit better in your ‘big dream’.

Well, I have been there folks. I’ve driven home from Nashville with my tail between my legs many times when I was just starting out. Another door that so certainly seemed open by God Himself, has closed not so gently.

I remember times when I would fret that I wouldn’t be able to feed my family trying to ‘make it’ as a music producer outside Nashville (and a couple of times ‘inside’ Nashville!)

Now you’re really going to hate this part: There is a bright side to disappointment.

“If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.” - Henry David Thoreau

The bright side is, disappointment and rejection are what make us move in the direction we needed to go in the first place. If I had become a staff writer like I wanted to in the 80s, who knows how my life would have worked out. I never would have met my wife, my daughter wouldn’t have been born, and I may have never shifted gears into producing, which now provides me a good living, and I like to think hundreds of artists good recordings. You may not even be reading this now if circumstances were different even the slightest.

It’s kind of like on Lost and in an alternate reality...okay, forget that idea, no one really understands that show...

So maybe, our grand “failure” or major door closing, is actually signaling the beginning of the amazing life God has for you.

“My failure, during the first five or six years of my art training, to get set in the right direction, and the disappointment which it caused me, drove me the more persistently into writing as an alternative.” - Laurence Housman

In his book “Thriving as an Artist in the Church”, Rory Nolan offers this:

“God has great aspirations for you. That doesn’t mean there is only one possible script, predetermined down to the last detail, and if you miss it, you’re out of luck. God’s plans are more general and flexible than that, and your talent most likely plays some part in those plans. The Lord can’t reveal his design for our entire life all at once because we wouldn’t be able to handle it. Or if we could, we’d probably bypass every route He wants us to take in an effort to get there by our own means and in our own timing.

“God’s direction for each of our lives unfolds over time, and sometimes God uses rejection and failure to guide you into the areas of service for which you are better gifted.”

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11

Now this isn’t a big “Make lemonade out of lemons” speech. It’s more like, if life gives you lemons and you really wanted to make coffee, then maybe it’s time to re-evaluate. Or maybe the lemons can be used for something else. You may have really wanted to run a coffeeshop, but what if you are meant to be the next Snapple?

No? Then guess what, dump the lemons, and think of something different. Put them down your disposal, they will make it smell pretty.

Then, go a different direction.

I remember distinctly a few long rejected drives back from Nashville to Lexington when the idea cropped up of writing songs directly to independent artists and then recording them, and how to do it with quality. Today, I work full time doing that every day. And it’s actually much more matching to all my talents than just being a songwriter is.

Writing songs, all day, every day? Now I’m like, geez, what was I thinking?

So are you disappointed? Feel like you’ve failed?

Maybe this is God’s not so gentle nudging towards a whole new direction for you. Pray for it. Ask Him to put the next idea in your head. Journal. Take stock in all the talents you have, not just the one you are trying to become “famous” for.

Then, go confidently in a new direction.

If we can help, just give give a comment, shoot an email, or throw a lemon!

Have a great week!

EC
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Eric Copeland is producer, songwriter (Ha, take that Nashville!), and owner of Creative Soul in Nashville, a consulting, production, and development company for Christian creative folks. For more information, check out http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com, or to read more blogs like this one, go to http://www.FortheCreativeSoul.com.

He is not at all bitter from past failures. As far as you know.

We'd like to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below...

For the Creative Soul > Seeking Success

There is a sign hanging in our bathroom downstairs, right under the one that says 'Dream a Little' (enough with the dreaming!!!). It's one of those small inspirational plaques that reads "Success is a journey, not a destination."

What is success?

That inspired me as we all are trying to understand what God has for us in the way of success in our art.

I think it would surprise us all that we are already pretty successful.

"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." - Bob Dylan

OK, so Bob Dylan can't sing or play guitar, but I do love this quote. If you can manage to do each day (even a little bit) what you feel God has made you to do, then you are a success.

I don't think success is having "made it". Look at the richest people ever. When did they make it? One million? Ten million? You don't think each one of those million brought it's own share of problems?

Success in music, as I have found it, is just about consistent, good work.

Chances are most of you are already "successful" in your life. In your town, region, or family you are "known" as the music or some kind of artsy person. You make your art and everyone knows you as THAT person.

Welcome to success. I bet if you look back before you started all this that THIS is what you hoped for at least. Now you have it. It's been some work, but you have achieved success.

"I was made to work. If you are equally industrious, you will be equally successful." - Johann Sebastian Bach

And guess what, the next "success level" will sneak up on you too. Suddenly one day a song will be on the radio, something gets published, an award comes your way, a new recording is made, and everyone looks at you and says "what a success".

So, the chasing of 'success' is actually kind of ludicrous isn't it? Because it comes as a result of our good WORK.

I think a more apropos idea would be to love what we DO. And then just - DO.

Sounds simple doesn't it? But it really is.

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Herman Cain

I quote "The Heart of the Artist" by Rory Nolan alot. Here's what he has to say on our desire to have success (in our own minds).

"For many of us, it's not enough to be talented. We want to be the most talented...Deep inside many of us hide the desire to be first. The disciples struggled with this too, and often ended up arguing about who among them was the greatest. We may laugh at them now, but within many of us artists there is a strong desire to be number one. Instead of being the best we can be, we want to be the best there ever was.

"We live in a world in which being average doesn't cut it. There's no glory in being just good. We've been made to feel that if we're not composed of the stuff that legends are made of, we don't measure up. But this should not be so in the church. Ministry is not a popularity contest, and jockeying for position is wrong among Christ's followers. Jesus is the head of the church, and He is to have first place in everything. When you and I die to our need to be noticed, we'll fulfill an even greater need: the need for significance in God's eyes. Exchange self-importance for a life of true significance."

Maybe sometimes we do put success in our own mind ahead of success for the Lord. It's a natural human condition.

But I think if you take a good look, you're already pretty successful just doing what you do.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." - (Psalm 1:1-3)

Have a great week!

EC
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Eric Copeland runs a successful (he thinks anyway) music consulting and production company in Nashville TN. Need help? Ready to move to the next place in your music and ministry? Check us out at http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com

For the Creative Soul > Pursuing Your Dreams

"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

OK, I have to admit it. I am a Disney addict.

Hello, my name is Eric, and I'm a Disneyholic.

I have literally cried in the little movie they have about Walt Disney at the Hollywood Studios. More than once!

His unceasing desire to bring joy into people's hearts, and quality into everything he did, inspires me to no end. And it's a big part of my company Creative Soul.

We continually find ourselves at Disney year after year, even when we say we want to try someplace different next year...or even when we do find someplace different! We still find a way to weasel our way to Disney!!

But it's because it's a place built on dreams. And it never fails to inspire me to enhance, grow, and build what God has given me to do.

So as this new year starts, I encourage you to take stock of what dreams YOU have, and where you are with them.

I think God wants to use our dream to serve Him.

I often refer to the book "The Dreamgiver" by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. It's a great book that describes God as the Dreamgiver. How all He wants is to lead you from the land of ordinary, to the land of your dreams.

This may sound kind of fluffy, but we all have dreams. Most of which readers of this may center around music or some other creative venture.

Do you long to use the creative gift God gave you? Or maybe just want to use your gift on a larger stage than you have previously?

Listen, life strikes us all. We have a dream as an 18 year old, then then "life" happens. Marriage, kids, college, career, debt, disappointment...

But the beauty about God is, He is patient, and has a plan that is far greater than anything we could dream.

What if everything you've been through in your life has been for a reason?

What if all the stops and starts, all the right roads and wrong paths were so you could speak to hundreds, thousands, (millions?) about how God led you here?

Sometimes, as in the Dreamgiver, we have to face the giants, the land of doubt, and other seemingly impossible things to get to our dreams.

Walt Disney was told in his first job that his little "mouse" cartoons weren't really cutting it. And we all know how THAT turned out!

Or maybe you've reached one dream, but God is leading you to the next one?

See if this fits: You've got a great job or talent, and God has blessed, but you KNOW there is a next step; a next stage that God has been leading you towards and preparing you for.

“Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.” - David J. Schwartz

No matter what, make 2010 the year you muster the courage to at least investigate your dreams.

See you at Disney!

EC
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Eric Copeland is a producer, consultant, and creative cheerleader for Christian artists and songwriters looking to take the next step in their music and ministry. His company Creative Soul is located in Nashville, TN and works every day to help artists and writers realize their dreams. Check out http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com and their artists site at http://www.CreativeSoulRecords.com