Humans are masters at procrastination, especially when it comes to taking on a difficult task. As we all know, starting a music career – much like any creative endeavor – can be synonymous with the word “difficult.” You’re building a platform from zero, with no clear indication of how long it will take, or what challenges lie on the road ahead. Scary stuff!

Not only is procrastination a great way to not accomplish your goals; it’s harmful. A 2013 study from Psychological Science shows that procrastinators “end up suffering more and performing worse” than their counterparts. Indeed, those same fears that appear in place to protect us are actually hurting us in the long run.

The antidote to those fears – and the key to achieving your creative vision – is simple: Just start. We’ve visited that idea before here on the Muze blog, but today, we’re going to take it a step further, and break down the excuses we make that often get in the way.

Procrastination Reason #1: I’m waiting until the right moment or opportunity.

Here’s a philosophy shared by many successful people: the perfect moment to begin a project is this one, right now! James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, has written extensively about the benefits of simply getting started. In this post, Clear suggests that living a fulfilled life means being willing to embark on new challenges in business, relationships, fitness, and more.

Reason #2: I’m putting it off because I don’t feel ready.

You’re in good company! Clear wrote an intriguing profile piece on Sir Richard Branson – founder of the Virgin Group and a high school dropout-turned-billionaire. Sir Branson made his fortune on eschewing procrastination and taking plunge after plunge. It didn’t matter if he felt ready – or even qualified – to begin. What mattered was that he picked an origin point for each of his business endeavors, and committed to finding the resources and knowledge to see each one through.

Reason #3: I’m not good enough.

Nobody is in the beginning! Even so, how are we ever supposed to create something beautiful, if we don’t first work out the ugly stuff?

I recently had the opportunity to interview international pop artist Will Linley on my podcast, The Quinn Spinn. One of my favorite points is this clip, where Will describes Ed Sheeran’s philosophy toward songwriting:

If Ed Sheeran didn’t start creating in the first place, we wouldn’t have his breakthrough album, Divide. It doesn’t matter how good your output is at first; it’s all in how you resolve to evolve from that point onward. Even the worst creative output is better than procrastination.

Reason #4: I’m afraid others won’t enjoy my work – or working with me.

Audience feedback is a valuable asset for anyone on a creative path. Any negative feedback you receive represents an opportunity to assess your skills and improve. It could also be indicative that the audience you’ve been targeting isn’t your audience to target. In that case, negative feedback serves as a compass, pointing you into further alignment with your tribe.

The same can be said for collaborative relationships. Certainly, not all musical and business collaborations are meant to be. However, you’ll never know which types of collaborations work for you if you never put yourself out there to find out which ones don’t.

(Fortunately, Muze has all types of tools to help you find better collaborative matches. Why don’t you sign up and give us a try?)