This song was heavily inspired by my time as a busker! I have big dreams but tiny biceps... I wrote it after doing hundreds of performances on Grafton Street and other venues in Dublin. The challenge of carrying my sound equipment and instrument everywhere was a huge part of what inspired me to write this. I'll never forget the struggle of lifting that gigantic gear suitcase up and down the stairs over Fairview Bridge every weekend as I changed buses on my way to my gigs, or carrying my gear for miles alone in the middle of the night after a gig. Even just lifting it up into the bus was so hard every time. The physical labor behind getting to do what I love is a huge part of the fine print. That's why I put working out with music gear into the video ;)
This song is about all the work I believe it takes to do what you love!! I have never heard anyone talking about this. I see so many dreamers give up when their dreams start to feel like work. The myth that it will never feel like work if you really love it I feel does dreamers a great disservice because it undervalues the persistent effort and dedication (AKA work!) that earning a living with your passion really calls for. It makes me so sad to see dreamers doubt if they are on the right path or even wonder if they really love it enough when things start to feel like work. Freedom from work seems to be the idyllic illusion we are chasing when we try to monetise our natural passions and skills, but as everyone who summons the guts to go down this path inevitably discovers, it's actually a lot of work. I feel like this is especially the case for dreamers with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. When those are factors too, sometimes even just getting out of bed is work! One of the most heartbreaking symptoms of depression too is sometimes losing interest in the things you enjoy. Oftentimes, the lion's share of my energy is spent in my mental battles, fighting off the weight of sadness and anxiety before I can even get to working on the music. For people like us, we might have to work even more to reach our dreams.. I don't believe work is bad, nor do I believe escaping work should be the goal. Work is a beautiful and important thing, especially when it's for the thing you love the most. 10% of the time I get to spend writing and singing and performing. The rest of the time is spent on the work :) And it's absolutely worth it.
I guess part that never feels like 'work' for me is the songwriting itself. I love those beautiful moments of quiet creative solitude, when it's just me, my muse and my instrument. After an hour or two (or five), I'm left with a beautiful shiny new song that no one in the world has heard but me. It's me, my slippers and a musical secret. I live for that process and it's fun every single time. But to transform an unheard song baby into a living is where the work comes in! I'm so thankful for the chance to work this hard in the direction of my dreams. The truth is I do what I love AND I work every single day of my life. I believe it's a gift to get to put your effort towards a purpose that is in alignment with your passion. It is work, and that's okay. I wish someone had told me the truth about that before I began. That's why I wrote this song. What do you think? Do you believe if you do what you love that you'll never work a day in your life, or do you believe it takes work to do what you love?
