By Michael Laskow
I’m not a therapist or psychoanalyst, but I’ve been working with musicians at all levels for 50 years. That might qualify me ;-)
I’ve worked extensively with huge rock stars, indie bands, composers, songwriters, and artists my entire adult life. And I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes musicians tick along the way.
Here’s something I’ve seen in virtually every one of them, myself included!
Every songwriter, composer, artist, and producer knows that haunting little voice that whispers, “I’ll do it later.” It sounds harmless enough—until later turns into next week, next month, next year, and oftentimes never. And before you know it, your career is in the same place it’s been since the day you played your first note or wrote your first song.
We all think procrastination comes from laziness, but it rarely does. More often, it comes from fear—fear of being judged, fear of not being good enough, fear that our best effort will fall short. If you don’t finish that song, nobody can judge it. If you don’t submit it, nobody can tell you it’s not good enough or on-target enough.
As author Stephen Pressfield wrote in his seminal book The War of Art, “The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”
That “resistance” is what keeps so many talented people from taking the steps that would actually move them forward. Instead of finishing the cue, submitting the song, or booking the trip to the Road Rally, they wait for the mythical moment when they’ll “feel ready.”
But the truth is, you’ll never feel ready. Nobody does. Every successful TAXI member you’ve read about in the TAXI Transmitter started where you are—uncertain, overwhelmed, and afraid of rejection. The difference is, they acted anyway.
Waiting until you’re “ready” before you go to the Road Rally is like waiting to get into shape before you go to the gym.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard TAXI members say, “I was going to go to the Rally last year, but I figured I’d wait until my music was a little better.” Then they finally attend and come home saying, “I can’t believe I waited so long—this completely changed my outlook, my approach, and probably my life.”
Here’s the irony: the Rally is exactly what helps you get ready! It’s where you meet collaborators who make your tracks better, mentors who tell you what to fix, and industry pros who explain how the business really works. Waiting until you’re “ready” before you go to the Road Rally is like waiting to get into shape before you go to the gym.
Procrastination feels safe because it disguises itself as preparation. It convinces you that doing nothing—while convincing yourself you’re “working on it”—is progress. But that’s just resistance winning. It’s the voice of fear whispering to you.
If you’ve been putting off writing to more TAXI listings, finishing those cues, or registering for the Road Rally, ask yourself what you’re really afraid of. Because the fear isn’t going away. The only way past it is through it.
The most successful musicians I know have learned to act in spite of fear. They’ve built habits that make motion automatic—submitting songs even when they’re not sure, showing up to the Rally even when they don’t know anyone, and finishing tracks even when inspiration fades.
Pressfield calls this “turning pro.” It’s the moment you stop waiting for confidence and start building momentum.
So, if that little voice whispers, “I’ll go next year,” recognize it for what it is—resistance trying to keep you stuck where you’ve been since you played your first guitar chord.
Go this year. Write the song now. Submit the track today.
Your future self will thank you for not waiting another year to become who you’re meant to be.