During my years as an entertainment lawyer I have seen music biz colleagues leave their Music Row offices and continue their business careers in in other businesses. Without fail I later hear comments like "so and so says he is now happier than he has ever been." Makes one wonder.
While the great majority of my clients are really good people and a joy to work with, there are still the "crazies" out there. . . . the Off-Music Row (figuratively) con-men, the thugs, the disloyal, the smiling liars, truly insane - to name a few. I have often wondered if it is really any different in other industries and have come to the conclusion that it is probably the same. The solution for me has been to at least attempt to carefully screen clients and matters before accepting them. Not everybody has that luxury and I am grateful that I can do that -- if I will. I chose the life of a solo and small firm entertainment lawyer for life style considerations -- not for the money. So it is very important for me to find peace and serenity one day at a time. But still I wonder at times -- would it have been different had I made a career in a different industry?
I was discussing this with a friend last week. He is the former manager of 4 major label artists, one of whom reached super star status. Before getting in the music business my friend was an accountant at a fortune 500 company in an industry having nothing to do with entertainment. When I queried "I wonder if it is different in other businesses" he said "The difference is that in the non-entertainment world your work is about the job . . . about achieving success in the job you find yourself in. Whereas in the music business it may be about that but it is also strongly about the peer pressure to succeed. It is about looking good to other people in the business -- not just about doing a great job." Wow! I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a world where it didn't matter if one looked successful to his or her peers. To get caught up in that lifestyle is of course unhealthy mentally and spiritually.
The only way I know to escape this "you better be successful in everybody else's eyes" syndrome is to find the self confidence and satisfaction with where I am and the job I am doing on my own. To put on the music biz blinders and become comfortable that I am making a contribution to my clients, my family and hopefully society. Expensive toys are an option -- but only if I need or want them. Not because others need to see that I have them.