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Saying "no" feels great

4 things I'm not doing in 2023

Hello fam! I hope you're well. We're already 7 weeks into 2023 already! In January when I was thinking about my goals for the year, I specifically noted some of the things that I would STOP doing so I could focus more on the goals I've set.

Let's dive into the list:

1. My mix series

I’ve stopped producing my mix series “ReFuel Your Soul” on a regular basis. (I'll still do it when I want to -- just not regularly). Instead, I’ll focus more on creating content and experiences that helps us connect with each other as a community on a deeper level... Content that adds more value for YOU than the typical release announcement posts.

I'll share content about things that I've learned that have helped me over the years. This isn't to say that I think of myself as some kind of an expert... I'm just sharing what I know, and I expect that my perspective will evolve over time. Some of the topics I’ll cover are around the areas of mindset, music business, productivity, and general thoughts I have about the industry.

2. Social Media

I won't be on social media nearly as much as I have been in years past. I'm not quitting all social media. But... I already started reducing my social media consumption a lot last year, and it's been very healthy for me.

For a lot of us, social media can be a big time suck, and we often use it as a counterfeit for genuine connection with others. Instead of spending time on social media, I'm working on creating opportunities to experience meaningful, deeper connections.

And... I've made a commitment not post content in 2023 that I feel isn't helpful to the core group of people who consume what I post. Even when I announce releases, I'll do my best to at least give you a sample of the audio, some background of how I was inspired to make the track, and/or behind-the-scenes video of how I made the track. In the interest of creating deeper connections... I'll be putting more of myself out there by sharing my thoughts on various topics, sometimes maybe even controversial ones.

3. Traxsource DJ Charts

I will not be curating Traxsource DJ Charts very often. This decision stems from a lesson I learned a couple of years ago. I did an experiment in the first quarter of 2021 where I curated and published Traxsource charts every week for three months. I was testing whether publishing DJ charts had any affect on my track sales overall, but it really didn’t seem to make a difference.

Tracks that sold well didn’t necessarily have a ton of DJ charts, and on the flip side, tracks that had tons of DJ Charts didn’t necessarily sell well or place high on the sales charts.

I know it doesn't need to take much time to create a chart, but I still don't feel like there's much bang for my buck with the time spent making them. If I were a bigger artist, my DJ charts might mean more to the house community in general, but currently I don't really think there is anything remarkable about my charts that really separates them from anyone else's.

Traxsource encourages artists to publish charts because it supposedly helps with sales. But it seems to me that Traxsource benefits a lot more from the buzz generated than the individual artists benefit. Don't get me wrong... I don't think Traxsource is evil. They seem to be in the game for the right reasons, because the crew genuinely loves house music.

I mean... I'll still share links to my Traxsource releases when they come out on exclusive promo, but as I mentioned, my priority for content is to get deep (on multiple levels).

4. Fear-based Decisions

I will not be making decisions based on fear.

  • Fear of missing out.

  • Fear of rejection.

  • Fear of failure.

  • Fear of being on camera.

  • Fear of not being good enough.

  • Fear of what people think of me.

I’ve struggled with all of those fears at one point or another. For example: even to this day, I hate being on video, and for two years I’ve been wanting to make video content to serve you and connect with you, but I’ve let my fear stop me. I even recorded a few "talking-head" style videos two years ago and never posted them.

But this year, I will push through my fear and achieve my goals despite the fear. This doesn’t mean I expect fear or anxiety to go away but that I will no longer let it paralyze me or keep me from doing what I know in my heart I should do.

Wrap-up

So... those are a few of the things I'm not doing in 2023. I'm working on simplifying my life by subtracting activities and spending more time on habits that will help me to become the person I know I need to be. I’m more clear now on my boundaries and purpose than I was last year - I have clarity on the things what I want and what I don’t want. I have a better sense of what aligns with me as an artist and what doesn’t. I’ve learned this the hard way by saying “yes” to too many things. It feels good to say "no".

Is there anything you've decided to stop doing this year?

About the author

Tony Fuel Home

Tony Fuel is a Minnesota-based house music producer. He also helps house music artists with productivity and music entrepreneurship.

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