"Failure comes with the game..." - Offset

What is your relationship with failure? If you plan on winning big in the music industry, or in any area of life for that matter, a healthy relationship with failure is best developed early.

Truth 💣 #1 - Not everyone is going to be a fan. THIS IS OK. If you get caught up in the haters, the negative comments, the non-believers... you will hinder your progress. BE CONFIDENT in your own dopeness, and YOUR fans will find you and BE LOYAL TO YOU.

Truth 💣 #2 - Success is built brick by brick, and "overnight success" is very uncommon and is not typically sustainable. One fan at a time one city at a time... that is how a solid and lasting fanbase is built. Don't focus on "going viral" or get discouraged when your social media following doesn't embrace every post with millions of views and likes. Start locally - right where you are - and build out from there.

Truth 💣 #3 - All great artists hit speed bumps and experience failure. Even the biggest artists in the world put out music that isn't received the way they hoped it would be. Even Michael Jackson, arguably the most successful and beloved performer ever, had moments in his career that were lackluster. The key is to NOT ALLOW FAILURE TO STOP YOU. Learn, adapt, and keep it moving.

Correctly navigating failure, overcoming misses, and persevering when things don't go your way builds greatness and grit. So look at L's as LESSONS, not losses. This game is a marathon, not a sprint. Do you have the tenacity to stay in the race?

**This podcast was recorded before the unfortunate and untimely death of Migos member Takeoff. Our prayers and condolences go out to the friends and family of Takeoff, and there is no discussion about the incident or anything pertaining to it in this episode.

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com

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"I cleared out everything that was not driving me toward my bigger goals." - Rob Dyrdek

Something beautiful about life is that each day we are presented with options. In fact, it's estimated that the average person makes about 35,000 decisions a day. Because you have chosen a path that requires an exceptional amount of FOCUS, the decisions you make will impact your level of success in extremely important ways.

WINNING BIG REQUIRES SACRIFICE that others may not understand. It means early mornings and late nights. It means avoiding distractions like mindlessly scrolling social media and binge watching Netflix. It means surrounding yourself with OTHER WINNERS who will push you into new levels. Hours disappear quickly, and your hours need to be filled with DELIBERATE and DISCIPLINED decisions designed to move you toward greatness.

When you clear the clutter and make space for a WINNING MENTALITY, you WILL see progress - and this progress will fuel an unwavering self-belief, which will propel you to bigger and better versions of yourself. You've found what gives you energy - now clear out anything that gets in the way of pursuing that.

Don't worry about the doubters or those who don't understand. They are not going where you are going. Congratulations on your decision to win big.

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com

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"When you're doing it yourself; trying to get it yourself, you are setting yourself up for longevity." - Swae Lee

Social media has a way of making people think that others' lives are one big highlight reel. Like they're crushing it on every level and have it all figured out. What you don't see behind the smoke and mirrors is the struggle, the stress, the failures, the missteps, and the wrong decisions that everyone experiences one time or another. Just because you are not SEEING these moments on someone's feed does not mean they don't exist. Behind the scenes, many of these influencers, artists, and creatives are in the same spot you are, and the image they are portraying is not reality.

More often than not, the path to the life you want is not glamorous or Instagram-worthy. It is full of hard work, long hours, strategizing, planning, executing, and sacrifice. While most don't highlight those moments on their social media accounts, you can bet that the winners who continue to win are the ones who have put in this type of work to set themselves up for long-term success.

That is why it is crucial to block out useless noise and distractions and the bad habit of comparing your journey to what you see people putting out there on social media. Most of them are imposters who are focusing on the facade and false appearances rather than taking genuine steps toward building sustainable success. Your path is different so stay focused on YOUR plan, celebrate small victories, and I'll see you at the top.

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com

Follow Clinton Sparks: https://www.instagram.com/ClintonSparks/

"My mother told me a phrase one day, and I'll never forget it. It costs you nothing to be nice." - Shaq

Some people associate being successful with being cut-throat. They think success is a result of "ladder-climbing," ruthlessly competing with others, using people to get to the top, or "doing whatever it takes," even at the expense of someone else. It is true that some use these tactics, Shaq and I are here to tell you that this is not the path to sustainable success and happiness.

I can sleep at night and fully enjoy the success I have achieved because I got here WITHOUT screwing people over and being an asshole. Quite the opposite, actually. Staying true to my word, honoring my commitments even when something seemingly better came along, respecting others, and always striving to add value to others' lives and work - that is how I've continued to win and have maintained great relationships in every industry I've worked in for the past 25 years.

You already know you want to win. Now, decide how you want to get there because the HOW may be the determining factor of whether or not you STAY winning or fall off altogether. Integrity goes a long way, and a lack of it will burn bridges, ruin your relationships, and destroy your credibility no matter what business you're in. So, listen to Shaq's mom - "It costs you nothing to be nice." However, being a dick could cost you everything.

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com

Follow Clinton Sparks: https://www.instagram.com/ClintonSparks/

"I inserted myself in certain places. I knew where to be." - Lil Yachty

I don't know who needs to hear this, but you are not obligated to stay where you are. READ THAT AGAIN.

You do not have to hang out with the same people you grew up with, you do not have to do the same things that the people in your family have always done, you do not have to stay in your hometown forever, and you do not have to pursue the plans that others might have for you.

Matter of fact, if you are savage enough to have chosen a career in the music industry, it is almost an absolute necessity for you to get out of your neighborhood at a certain point and into the circles that will move you forward. You need to surround yourself with people who think bigger, who are further along than you are, who are doing things that align with your own plans for yourself, and who are like-minded WINNERS.

I'm not saying to completely ditch your best friends and stop talking to your family just because they don't understand or appreciate your vision. But what I am saying is that the world is big - and there is a place for you in whatever world you want to live in. You just have to be bold enough to insert yourself into the place you want to be and become a fixture. This might make the people from your neighborhood feel some kind of way, but consider this: letting the opinions of others hold you back may cause you to miss your shot.

Lil Yachty chose to insert himself into the circles that he wanted to be a part of and it made all the difference. Do you know where you need to be?

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com

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"The timing will never be perfect; you can only make the perfect use of time."
- Daymond John

It's widely believed that "time is money." That may be true, but winners understand that TIME IS MORE VALUABLE THAN MONEY. Why? Because you can always earn more money, but you can never earn more time.

I can't tell you how many people I have spoken to over the years who have big plans, big goals, and BIG TALENT... but no one knows. Why? Because they are sitting on all their dope ideas and waiting for the "perfect time" to release their genius to the world. THIS MAGICAL MOMENT DOES NOT EXIST.

You need to understand that you have no time to waste. In this highly competitive space that YOU HAVE CHOSEN, you must be mindful that there are winners all around you constantly moving and pushing to the front of the line. If you are not also pushing forward, then WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Are you spending time you will never get back scrolling social media, comparing your journey to the journeys of others? Are you procrastinating getting started on that hit record you've been thinking about? Are you focused on following someone else's roadmap to success? Habits like these will not yield results. You cannot and will not win big if you are wasting your precious time.

There are 1,440 minutes in a day. How many of those minutes are you dedicating to making your dreams come true? How many of those minutes are you using to make progress in your career? How many of those minutes are you using to take actionable steps toward achieving your goals? Dreaming big is nice, but LIVING BIG IS BETTER. Use your time wisely.

For more, visit: https://www.howtowinbiginmusic.com/

Follow Clinton Sparks: https://www.instagram.com/ClintonSparks/