The Best Project by Matthew

The Best Project by Matthew - December 2022 Scholarship Essay

In 2022 I learned that the best project is one that you’ve finished. I spent many of my afternoons in 2022 in my basement studio recording, producing, and mixing music for local artists, in addition to completing hundreds of freelance songwriting jobs on Fiverr.com. Before 2022, I had a problem with finishing songs. I’d start new songs constantly, chasing my tail in an endless cycle of incomplete musical ideas. As I began to work with paying clients, I was forced to finish the songs I worked on because my clients were expecting a finished song in a timely manner. At first, this was difficult for me. I was used to obsessing over every little detail, pointlessly striving for perfection. I had to learn to stop when the results were great instead of pursuing the impossible goal that is perfection.
Nothing I do will ever be perfect. That was a hard lesson to learn. But when I finally found that balance of doing my best work and knowing when a project was finished, I became more productive and happier with all of my work. With every project I complete, I become better at managing my perfectionism. I took this lesson to heart and set my new goal for 2023. My goal for this coming year is to finish as many songs as I possibly can. I’m excited to make a ton of music!