We all have dreams. Our dreams tend to be really big when we're young. Many will grow out of these dreams as they begin careers and start families. For others the dream never dies, they just learn to tame the beast and not let it control them too much. Still others are controlled by these dreams as much at age fifty as age fifteen.
I'm not sure where I fit in. Probably the second choice. I had dreams of musical success when I was a teen. It centered around writing and performing my own music. I outgrew that part of it and replaced it with being a successful music teacher. I found my niche when I was in my early 30's and have hung on tight ever since.
At its core, my job is about helping others fulfill their dreams. Some have dreams of being entertainers, some just want to make music with their friends and have some fun. As one of my adult students so aptly puts it, "This in not a 'gotta' in my life, it's a 'wanna'."
The world is full of dream merchants. The hardware stores and outfitters that sold or rented equipment to miners during the San Francisco gold rush generally were far more prosperous than the miners themselves. Today we still have dreamers and the businesses that sell them the tools they need and offer advice and encouragement.
I don't believe it's more prevalent than in the world of music. Every magazine and website is filled with offers to help the aspiring musician "create your special kind of music" or "reach millions of potential fans." Some of these are legit, but some are almost laughable. A couple of weeks ago I signed up for a free service that is supposed to help with marketing. I get daily updates about their service and some of the other clients. Two days ago they notified me that one of my songs was #1 in Michigan in their classical charts and #5 nationally. It's kind of exciting until you realize that I'm likely the only Michigan classical musician currently on their roster and I can only guess how many are on their national roster.
Some are way better than that. I recently completed a lengthy survey for Skype. They are making improvements and were genuinely interested in businesses like mine. I'm not sure what they are going to come up with but it looks promising. Anything they can do to help me be a better teacher or operate a more efficient studio interests me.
It's tempting to say that these are "exciting times" or that it's "like the wild west out there" but I think it's always been like that. The details are different but the motives are the same. Miners who expect to find chunks of ore just just beneath the surface and "pick and shovel" operations who will gladly help them for a price. But personally I'm grateful for many of these operations. They too are dreamers, but a bit more pragmatic. And while it's easy to complain about the few who are inept or dishonest, the vast majority are honorable. I guess it's inevitable that I conjure a vision of Steven Tyler and Aerosmith not only imploring but demanding that we "Dream On".