As a college music educator, it's the author's primary duty to prepare the next generation of music teachers for their careers. Considering the ever-increasing demands on music educators, the task may seem daunting. Therefore methods teachers cram their lessons to the brim with National Standards, child development, Kodaly, conducting, Orff, instrumental and choral methods, and countless other pedagogical components that directly relate to their students' future work. Once students leave the classrooms, methods teachers realize that there's a world of information they haven't yet taught them. It may not necessarily be the type of information that works its way into a course syllabus, but it is the type of information that may help music teachers endure the many professional and personal struggles that are sure to arise over the course of a career, particularly in the first few years of teaching. In this article, the author presents six key principles for maintaining a healthy level of sanity (or insanity!) as a professional music educator.