“What’s a good backup plan if you’re studying music?”
A student asked this today during a really frank and positive conversation about music careers. Pursuing a career in the arts is scary, isn’t it?
But my answer seemed to surprise them: don’t have a backup plan. For three reasons.
First, I think backup plans subtly discourage you from going all-in on your studies. There’s always part of you thinking, “This might not work out,” and it’s hard to go all in on the practice and study that a good music degree requires.
Second, backup plans are usually something demanded by parents or other concerned adults who telegraph that they don’t think you can succeed at this. Someone thinking you need a backup plan isn’t someone who believes in your ability to succeed. By agreeing to the need to a backup plan, you are subconsciously agreeing with the people who think you’ll fail.
Third, I don’t think backup plans are all that useful. Having a plan in place for some indeterminate distance in the future may be reassuring, but my guess is that in the vast majority of situations, the plan won’t be particularly actionable should the moment come that you want to pivot to it. It’s probably more effective, if stressful, to be reactive in the moment, rather than planning far in advance.
Work hard. Plan for your future. Have low overhead and don’t incur massive debt for your education. Be aware of what you’re getting into.
But I don’t think you need a backup plan.