Hey Reader,

Welcome back to Inside the Studio – my weekly newsletter about finishing tracks, staying productive, and building your music career next to a 9–5.

Ever had that moment where something finally works?

You get support on a track, positive feedback, maybe a repost.
And your first thought is: “Yeah, but that was just luck.”

That’s exactly what went through my head last week.

A DJ played one of my tracks at ADE, and a video of it was posted on Instagram.

For a second, I smiled — and then immediately thought:
​“Probably a coincidence. Maybe he didn't like the track after playing it.”

But here’s the truth: that mindset doesn’t help.
It’s like refusing to let yourself win.

You keep working, improving, putting in hours.
And when something good happens, you downplay it.

That’s not humility.
That’s imposter syndrome disguised as realism.

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What helped me move forward

I started looking at the situation differently.
Because that “coincidence” didn’t happen out of nowhere.

• I spent months improving my sound.
• Sent demos, followed up, learned from rejections.
• Built relationships with labels and DJs.
• Put in hundreds of hours in the studio, even when no one noticed.

That’s when I remembered a quote from The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy:

It’s not about luck.
It’s about giving your work enough time to be seen.

The moment you stop dismissing your progress as “random,” you start recognizing how far you’ve actually come.

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What changes when this works

You stop tearing yourself down for not being “there” yet.
You realize that every finished track, every hour in your DAW,
every email or connection — it’s all part of the compound effect.

So if you’re reading this, let me tell you something clearly:

You’re not behind.
You’re not “just lucky.”
You’re doing the work, and it’s paying off — even if you don’t see it yet.

You deserve to be proud of that!

Thanks for showing up every week.
Reading, learning, producing, improving.
That alone already puts you ahead of most.

Keep going — your consistency is working. 🚀

Stay Productive,
- LEMAN

P.S.: I released a new edit of one of the greatest tracks of all time. You can listen to and download it for free right here: https://on.soundcloud.com/Sn0penCpaJxXCtSD15

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If you're looking to go deeper, here’s how I can help you:

🎯 Track Finishing Blueprint
My complete system to finish tracks faster, from first idea to label submission.

🚀 Stay Productive Template
Organize your music business, manage tracks, and stay on top of everything.

This email is sent by Stefan Lehmann via https://musicbyleman.com. I help independent music producers stay organized, consistent, and focused – even with a full-time job. These emails share tools, workflows, and personal insights to support your music journey.
You can reply directly to this email with questions or feedback – I read every message. To manage your preferences or unsubscribe, use the link below. For legal or support inquiries: contact@musicbyleman.com

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