SUCCESS – often comes at times you don't expect, and in ways you might not expect – don't give up

(I wrote this in response to a thread on Reddit about how a producer was feeling jealous towards some of his friends who are now enjoying decent success while they haven't been in the game as long. Thought I'd share! This is a public post, so feel free to share this.)

People's lives go different paths, and things happen at different times. One cannot and shouldn't compare the time it takes a person to break through and reach success to the time it takes some other person.

Success often comes at times you don't expect, and in ways you might not expect.

Allow me to use myself as an example. Also, please don't read this at any cocky tone – only here to encourage you with an example from real life.

I started making music in 1992 (I'll be 41 next month).  I got my first vinyl release roughly 10+ years after I had started. A few years after that, I got a really decent release, which lead in me having a fairly nice DJ career for over 3 years and I went around the world (that did go on for several years after that but way less steam).  Music sales and DJing paid for my living; was a student at the time.  Kept making music all the time.

Around that time for sure I was dreaming of becoming this traveling DJ and a full-time producer, as it was looking good.

I had to take a break from music in 2009 to concentrate on finishing my uni studies: they were dragging a bit (I wasn't mega far from graduating, and had already done my master's thesis for example, but some stuff I needed to wrap up) as I was always travelling for gigs a bit too much while I should've concentrated on my studies.
I always felt that this whole year I took off of music to graduate kind of took me off the music radar, because as I tried to get back to the DJing thing after I graduated (which I do not regret!), it didn't happen, as i felt my momentum had lost some steam, and demand was really low.

Fast forward a little bit, was doing a bit of teaching, as I got a degree for that, and all this time I had been making music, but my music thing wasn't nearly as much in demand as it was at some point, while I did see of my contemporaries and old musical friends "make it" in the producer / DJ field: they were seen in relevant media and now doing all the gig life, while my stuff didn't seem to ever make it – and I can say it was hurting me, a lot, as I was thinking of how much work I had put in.
Often, more than once, I came very close to quitting and I took some time off of music…I was comparing myself to others and didn't see the logic. I had been working longer than many of those who were enjoying success. I can admit now that I was feeling very bitter at times.

At this point I felt I was failing and the work I had done got me nothing.

Anyways, I took a break – just to realize that music had given so much to me already in my life and always been a big part of me (started producing when I was 12) that no way I'd let it go…I'd continue to make music for fun…and this, shedding off all the external BS helped so much at that point.

BTW, I didn't continue teaching full-time (I did one year at a very respected school), as something inside of me said I need to stay on that musical path. I only did some one-off teaching gigs to cover my rent and food. For a while I wasn't making much, but I was able to put as much time into music and audio as possible.

A bit after that, I realized I had so much experience and ear in that field that I started thinking, I mix and master so much of my own music that I might try and offer that to others, and started putting even more emphasis on being great at that. And that really started snowballing once I put it out there.
Now, approx 10 years after that moment, I'm a self-employed full-time mixing and mastering engineer that runs his own little business and makes an OK living doing that.  And sure enough I do a bit of Patreon stuff on the side, helping people out, and that goes well. My expertise currently pays for my living, and it's nicer than my initial (and maybe naive) hopes of success. I'm also Ableton Certified, and that coupled with my teacher's degree + 29 years experience in electronic music is a good look and makes me a credible music production tutor, and I get jobs on that front, too. I'll say that wasn't initially in my plans of "success" either when I was younger, and back then, I didn't even see how the teacher qualification would help me in the field of music (tuition).
Also, all the music I always made and released (even when I thought it all was going slow and I was feeling desperate) now also earns me some music sales and also a bit of streaming money, which feels good.

Everything I was doing was kind of contributing to where I'm now – I was just sticking to my guns and doing what I thought I did best, which I've seen often seen as advice, and put forward as advice myself.

Well, what's my final point?
Success comes to those who put the work in, and it often comes at times you don't expect, and in ways you might not initially expect.
 
Did I ever plan on doing what I do now when I was younger? No way.
Is it better than what I was dreaming of? Much, much better.

Am I glad I didn't quit when I was thinking I wasn't going anywhere with the music stuff? Of course.

The times when I was comparing myself were the worst times in my career in terms of productivity, happiness etc.

I say once more, I'm not saying any of this to brag: been putting work in for 29 years, and it's paying off now.
And I've now also made it to a record label I also dreamed of joining…I was listening to their music in the mid-90s, even hyped by their record covers.
Joining the label happened approx 25 years after I started making music…so, not too soon, but some good things come slow and they take a bit of patience. I guess the good things never really happen overnight, right?

Keep putting in work, stay in your lane, and never compare…and YOU WILL succeed!