In the world of skiing, “death cookies” refers to hitting hard chunks of ice that can “fowl up an otherwise smooth turn.” This can be both scary and exhilarating. And this concept is also applicable to creative artists even if you’ve never slid down a slope.
For musicians, think of death cookies as the scary things you’ve been avoiding. The things you know in your heart of hearts need to be done—if you’re going to move forward in your career. It’s whatever you keep avoiding doing because we’re afraid of failure.
Eat your death cookies every day
The only way to get past a death cookie is by “eating” it: confronting it head on and blasting through it. This applies if you’re on the slopes, as well as if you’re in your studio.
Therapists Phil Stutz and Barry Michels talk about eating death cookies as a practice. This means every day prioritizing—and then doing—the scary things you’ve been avoiding. And doing these first each morning. The beauty of this is that once you’ve eaten that death cookie, everything else that day will seem easier in comparison.
You get to feel great about yourself
This is about proving to yourself that you can follow through on your promises. That you aren’t a victim of your fear, your overwhelm, or your distractions, and that you can move forward on what matters most. This doesn’t mean that you don’t tend to your other responsibilities. It just means that you make sure to put your own oxygen mask on first. Eat your own death cookie before helping others with theirs.
My clients use death cookies for practicing and composing as well as grant writing, promoting their teaching studios, reaching out to contractors, and more. I regularly use death cookies for the emails and phone calls I’m scared to make and the projects I’m terrified to start. These are the small daily actions that need to be taken to move your music career and your artistry forward.
This is on my mind because this past week one of my clients emailed me to report that she’d eaten not one, not three, but FIVE death cookies that morning. She’d gotten past some real blocks that were holding her back. WOW! I love seeing my clients move forward courageously in their careers!
Here’s to eating more death cookies,
Dream Big, Plan Smart, Live Well
PS: Curious about working with me? Check it out HERE.
