Written by Ernest
Videos by American Songwriter
I find it ironic as I sit here, trying to decide how I’m gonna write this thing—being a “writer”—but I figure the best way to do it is just DO IT. That might actually be a great segue into this whole thing. I feel like “just do it” has kinda always been my MO when it comes to writing. Whether it be dropping out of college to pursue it full-time or showing up to a writer’s room on a day that I might not “feel” like it—do it. I’ve never accomplished anything by not doing it. There will be days you show up to write a song and you end up with a piece of junk that no one will ever hear, thankfully, but you did write something. The other side of the coin is showing up on a day you aren’t feeling the juice, but one of your co-writers has something or says something that sparks magic; then your life can change. Why? Because you showed up.
This isn’t, by any means, a TED talk on getting off your ass and getting to work. There is truly nothing wrong with regathering and taking a deep breath when you feel depleted. (I write this passage as I look out at the ocean in the U.S. Virgin Islands getting some much-needed family time.) But the chances are, in those moments or days, an idea will float across your imagination or someone will say something at the bar that hits you like, “That could work,” and it’s in that moment you have a choice: Let it go or throw it in the notes for later. DO IT.
My life story is all over the place, as anyone’s is. The right place / right time factor is always going to be a key scene in everyone’s personal biopic. Songwriting, to me, is my golden ticket chance of being in the right place at the right time. The power of a song is limitless. The power of that song you wrote in the fifth grade that got the girl in the lunchroom, and all of a sudden you have someone to hold hands with on the playground. Then there’s the power of the song that was just a silly idea in your dorm room that you wrote over a “Drake-style instrumental” and ended up landing you your first publishing deal. If you’re lucky, the power of a song can be strong enough to run to the top of the charts and change not only your life, but maybe millions of lives. None of which would happen if you didn’t just DO IT. The only thing you can control in this ever-changing format is showing up and allowing yourself to be a vessel.
So, if you’re reading this and you have been having thoughts like, “I wonder if I could write a song?” or “Would anyone ever even hear it if I did?” let this be your sign and positive reinforcement to DO IT. You can’t regret it. You might just strike gold.
It’s the same thing with being an artist. There are nights where stepping on stage is a challenge because it’s just not a good day, but we just DO IT, and every single time those fans remind you of your why and help you through a moment of weakness. All that takes is showing up.
Life works in the same way. There’s never been an open door, or a closed one that I had to work to knock down, that I walked through that didn’t teach me something or leadme to a new opportunity, and all it took was showing up consistently (sometimes for years) and DOING IT.
If you’re reading this, I hope this serves as a reminder to use the gift you have been given to the best of your ability, because you just never know how the world may change around you because of simply just DOING IT.
Photo by Delaney Royer
