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Why learning to “figure it out” may be the greatest competitive advantage in music

By José Valentino Ruiz and Steve Rucker

When students decide to pursue music professionally, they often focus on developing visible skills. They work on technique, repertoire, improvisation, composition, production, conducting, recording technology, or entrepreneurship. These competencies are essential and deserve serious attention. Yet after decades of combined experience as performers, producers, educators, and mentors, we have come to believe that another skill may be even more important than any individual musical competency.

It is the ability to figure things out.

At first glance, this phrase may sound simplistic. In reality, it describes one of the most valuable professional capacities a musician can develop. Figuring it out is not guesswork. It is not luck. It is not pretending to know something you don’t know. Rather, it is the ability to encounter an unfamiliar challenge, assess the situation, identify what matters most, make informed decisions, and continue moving forward despite uncertainty.

In today’s music industry, this ability has become increasingly important because very few careers follow predictable paths. Musicians often find themselves working across multiple disciplines, technologies, genres, and professional environments. The performer may also be an educator. The educator may also be an entrepreneur. The composer may also be a producer. The producer may also manage marketing, social media, and business operations.

Success increasingly depends not only on what you know, but on how effectively you respond when you encounter something you do not know.

Why this matters for every musician

Students sometimes assume that adaptability is primarily important for entrepreneurs or freelancers. In reality, every area of the profession demands resourcefulness.

Consider just a few examples:

– An orchestra substitute receives music with limited preparation time.

– A recording session encounters technical problems minutes before a client arrives.

– A music teacher must redesign a lesson when technology fails.

– A composer receives extensive revisions after a project has already been completed.

– A bandleader loses a performer hours before a concert.

– A producer is asked to create music in a style they have never previously explored.

None of these situations are unusual. They occur regularly throughout professional careers.

The musicians who consistently thrive are rarely those who have all the answers. More often, they are the individuals who know how to remain calm, ask good questions, identify possible solutions, and take action.

This is why we believe adaptive resourcefulness—the ability to figure things out—is one of the most transferable skills a musician can develop. It serves performers, educators, composers, producers, arts administrators, entrepreneurs, and virtually every other creative professional.

What “figuring it out” actually means

Students often hear professionals say, “You’ll figure it out,” but rarely hear what that process actually involves.

In practical terms, figuring it out means developing a disciplined approach to solving problems. It involves learning how to:

– Analyze a situation objectively.

– Separate essential information from distractions.

– Make decisions with incomplete information.

– Take action rather than remaining stuck in uncertainty.

– Evaluate results and make improvements.

Notice that none of these steps require perfection.

One of the biggest misconceptions among young musicians is the belief that successful professionals always know exactly what to do. In reality, many professionals regularly encounter situations they have never faced before. What differentiates them is not certainty; it is confidence in their ability to learn, adapt, and respond effectively.

The hidden cost of overthinking

One of the most common obstacles facing talented students is not a lack of ability. It is a lack of decision-making confidence.

Many students are highly intelligent, deeply creative, and genuinely committed to excellence. Ironically, these strengths can sometimes create problems. Students who care deeply about quality often become trapped in endless evaluation.

They ask themselves:

• What if this arrangement isn’t perfect?
• What if I choose the wrong microphone?
• What if there’s a better chord progression?
• What if someone else would have done it differently?

These questions are understandable. However, when they become excessive, they prevent progress.

Professional musicians eventually learn that creativity depends on movement. A completed draft can be improved. An unfinished idea cannot.

One of the most valuable lessons students can learn is that excellence often emerges through iteration rather than perfection. The first version creates the opportunity for the second version. The second version creates the opportunity for the third.

Progress almost always precedes mastery.

Learning to identify what matters most

As musicians mature, they often discover that creative growth is not simply about adding more information, more notes, more effects, or more complexity. It is frequently about identifying what is essential.

In music production, for example, experienced professionals often begin by asking questions such as:

• What is the emotional purpose of this piece?
• What harmonic elements are truly necessary?
• What rhythmic characteristics define the style?
• Which choices support the artistic vision?
• What can be removed without weakening the music?

This way of thinking helps reduce overwhelm. Rather than trying to solve every problem simultaneously, musicians learn to focus on the few variables that matter most.

Creative maturity often reveals itself not through addition, but through thoughtful subtraction.

How to develop the “figure it out” skill

Like musicianship itself, resourcefulness is not something people either have or do not have. It can be developed intentionally.

Students can strengthen this skill by seeking experiences that require adaptation and independent thinking.

Some practical strategies include:

1. Take on projects without complete instructions.

Not every assignment should come with a detailed roadmap. Some of the most valuable learning experiences occur when students must determine the process for themselves.

2. Work under realistic constraints.

Constraints often accelerate learning. A limited budget, a short deadline, a small ensemble, or restricted technology can force creative problem-solving.

3. Learn beyond your primary specialty.

Performance majors can benefit from studying recording technology. Producers can benefit from conducting ensembles. Educators can benefit from entrepreneurship. The broader a student’s perspective becomes, the more adaptable they become.

4. Reflect on how problems were solved.

After completing a project, take time to analyze the process. What worked? What didn’t? What would you do differently next time?

Reflection transforms experience into wisdom.

What to ask professors and mentors

Students often ask professors which courses they should take. While that question is important, another question may be even more valuable:

“What experiences will help me become a better problem solver?”

Consider asking mentors questions such as:

– How can I gain more leadership experience?

– What opportunities exist to work across disciplines?

– How can I learn to function effectively under deadlines?

– Where can I develop entrepreneurial skills?

– What experiences will require me to make decisions independently?

The answers to these questions often reveal learning opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

What employers and collaborators really value

Students are often surprised to learn that technical skill alone is rarely enough to distinguish someone professionally.

Many musicians possess strong technical abilities. What frequently separates successful professionals from equally talented peers are qualities such as:

• Reliability
• Adaptability
• Initiative
• Communication
• Professionalism
• Problem-solving ability

Employers, collaborators, and clients want to know they can trust someone when unexpected challenges arise.

In many cases, being the person who can solve problems is just as valuable as being the person with the most impressive résumé.

A simple framework for figuring it out

When faced with an unfamiliar challenge, we often encourage students to follow five basic steps:

Analyze – Understand the problem.

Isolate – Identify what requires immediate attention.

Decide – Choose a reasonable course of action.

Execute – Take action and complete a working version.

Refine – Improve the result through thoughtful revision.

While simple, this framework applies remarkably well to practicing, performing, teaching, composing, producing, and entrepreneurship.

The future belongs to adaptable musicians

Today’s students have access to extraordinary tools and opportunities. Artificial intelligence, advanced recording technology, online education, and global distribution platforms have created possibilities that previous generations could scarcely imagine.

Yet these same developments also create constant change.

The musicians who thrive in the coming decades will not simply be those who know the most. They will be those who can learn continuously, adapt intelligently, and remain effective when circumstances evolve.

Technical excellence will always matter. Artistic excellence will always matter. But beneath every successful career lies a quieter skill that makes all the others possible.

It is the ability to figure things out.

Develop that ability, and you will carry with you a skill that extends far beyond music—one that will serve you throughout your career, regardless of where your creative journey leads.

Dr. José Valentino Ruiz is Director of the Music Business and Entrepreneurship program at the University of Florida. Stephen Rucker is Associate Professor of Professional Practice for the M.A.D.E. Program at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. Their recent composition together is titled | July 14, 2026 3:31 pm