Life in the electronic music industry can be very cutthroat, and you have to admit that it’s hard waking up on a Monday and not feel like it’s you versus the world out there. Truthfully, this feeling extends to all industries, and life in general too.
You versus the hundreds of thousands of music producers trying to break through. You versus a Government that often seems to not care about your survival. You versus your boss and co-workers. You versus that other guy or girl that has the attention of your crush. You versus your teenage kid’s rebellious behavior. You versus the weather (unless you live in LA, of course). The list goes on, and on…
Sure, you have to work hard to accomplish important things. Yet, we are often led to believe that we are at odds with everyone and everything and that we must beat, squash and even kill our enemies in order to survive.
Think about it though: we are not only all human, but our bodies and our flesh are made from the very same cells as the bodies of our neighbors, our co-workers, and every single other human being on planet Earth. We are all one, and we are all important, vital cogs of a vast machine that relies on each cog to function properly.
This applies to life in general, as well as its various settings: at work, at home, at school, and so on. And it applies to literally every industry, including the electronic music industry, which is known as being one of the most cut throat sectors to work in.
As you face your day and your week, don’t forget that everyone you will be dealing with is, just like you, trying to survive. Yes, we all have our own respective life experiences, and yes, there are people whose thinking process and behavior isn’t like ours. There are people whose entire modus operandi is taking advantage of others, we cannot deny that. But ultimately, as different as we may be, we are all aligned towards the same purpose of survival, of getting through another day while, hopefully, bettering our condition in the process.
Empathy, defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of other people, enables one to see things from a 360-degree angle, to understand why others behave the way they do, to anticipate their actions and to act accordingly.
True empathy allows us to be kind, to set ego aside and to be humble. Empathy teaches us to be good to one another, not only because we all have bad days, but because if there is one thing truly worth fighting each other for, it’s for justice, fairness and for equality. The rest is just a distraction.
As a music producer, DJ or industry professional it is more than likely that you will encounter unkind people, selfish people, ruthless people. The electronic music industry, just like with all other kinds of entertainment industries, is very cutthroat and has a bad reputation for being so. There is no avoiding this fact at the moment just as there is no avoiding the fact that you cannot control how other people will treat you, but you can definitely control how you will treat others.
Empathy gives you at least one second set of eyes from which to look at every situation you face: yours and those of the other person involved. Empathy allows you to understand the other person’s feelings and why they act the way they do, and it allows you to anticipate their behavior, to prepare for it, and to react in the best possible way.
With empathy, the ego is intrinsically set aside and there is more opportunity for kindness and compassion. With empathy, there is a higher chance to do good in this world and to succeed not in spite of others, but alongside others. When you view things with empathy, they aren’t so cutthroat anymore, even in the electronic music industry.
Reflect on this as you start your week: what can you do today to be more kind, and to do more good for those whose lives you touch?
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