You get offered a gig. They're on the phone waiting for an answer. Does it excite you or drain you? You hear about some new technology. People say you need to check out this new app. Does it excite you or drain you?

Your instincts have a compass that points in two directions. What excites you? What drains you? No matter what advice anyone gives you, no matter how smart they may be, you need to let this compass guide you.

Whatever excites you, do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it. For example, many musicians get into music because they love playing their instruments. They love it so much they want to do it full-time.

But nothing is worth losing your enthusiasm. Nothing. Whatever excites you, do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it. You have to pay close attention to that compass, even in the little day -to -day decisions.

But then, well-meaning people say, if you're going to be in the music business, you have to read this book on music business law, you have to learn networking skills, marketing, tech skills, accounting, and writing good newsletters, and so on.

Soon, those musicians are spending all their time doing everything but playing their instrument and decide it's not worth it. They give up, get a dumb job, and lose interest in their instrument because a music career seems tedious and overwhelming.