Do It Anyway: Building a Creative Career When Nothing Is Promised
Do It Anyway: Building a Creative Career When Nothing Is Promised  
Podcast: Mixing Music | Music Production, Audio Engineering, & Music Business
Published On: Tue Dec 02 2025
Description: In this solo episode, Dee Kei thinks out loud about what keeps creatives going when outcomes are uncertain. He unpacks a hard truth many avoid: results are not guaranteed, and tying your identity to them creates desperation and bad decisions. Instead, build a career around love of the craft, alignment, and service to the song. Along the way, DK contrasts winning vs loving the game through Michael Jordan and Shohei Ohtani, explores ikigai and Japanese craftsmanship, pokes holes in hustle without purpose, and explains why the illusion of control shows up in studio superstitions. The practical takeaway is simple and difficult at once: enjoy the work, separate from the outcome, and your best mixes follow.What you will learnHow detaching from results reduces fear and improves decisionsWhen grit helps and when to keep your head down and take the hitWhy “use your ears” remains the only answer that mattersThe role of ritual and superstition in performance psychologyWhy craft comes first and money follows as a consequence SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!⁠SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE⁠Join the ‘Mixing Music Podcast’ Discord!HIRE DEE KEIHIRE LU⁠HIRE JAMES⁠Find Dee Kei and Lu on Social Media:Instagram: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLu @JamesParrishMixesTwitter: @DeeKeiMixes @MasteredbyLuThe Mixing Music Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Izotope⁠, ⁠Antares (Auto Tune)⁠, Sweetwater, ⁠Plugin Boutique⁠, ⁠Lauten Audio⁠, ⁠Filepass⁠, & ⁠Canva⁠The Mixing Music Podcast is a video and audio series on the art of music production and post-production. Dee Kei, Lu, and James are professionals in the Los Angeles music industry having worked with names like Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Trey Songz, Keyshia Cole, Benny the Butcher, carolesdaughter, Crying City, Daphne Loves Derby, Natalie Jane, charlieonnafriday, bludnymph, Lay Bankz, Rico Nasty, Ayesha Erotica, ATEEZ, Dizzy Wright, Kanye West, Blackway, The Game, Dylan Espeseth, Tara Yummy, Asteria, Kets4eki, Shaquille O'Neal, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Arista Records, Position Music, Capital Records, Mercury Records, Universal Music Group, apg, Hive Music, Sony Music, and many others.This podcast is meant to be used for educational purposes only. This show is filmed and recorded at Dee Kei's private studio in North Hollywood, California. If you would like to sponsor the show, please email us at ⁠deekeimixes@gmail.com⁠.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mixing-music-music-production-audio-engineering-and-music/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy