21 lessons for navigating the game of being an artist

Nov 28, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Dec 9, 2024

A creative philosophy guide to thrive as an artist.

A necessary disclaimer, these are not absolute truths, but simply my own observations, experiences and ideas that I live by and apply in my creative process.

These lessons, rules, principles, or whatever you want to call them, are ideas that allowed me to find meaning, fun and personal fulfilment as an artist.

There are endless ways of being an artist, creating meaningful art and finding personal success along the way. This list barely scratches the surface of what could be said about this heroic task...

So take these lightly, just as another point of view to consider while finding your own path to follow.

Let's begin ...

Nearly all of us, artists, feel underappreciated, self-conscious and unclear about our next steps.
There isn't a single, rational and logical path forward as an artist. If there was one, we'd all be following it.
Each one of us needs to find our own way to play the game of being an artist—that is aligned with our own unique experiences, values and interests.
One way to become prolific as an artist is by reflecting on this question: "What feels like play to you, but looks like work to others?"
We have to deliberately and intentionally decide what success actually means to us while disregarding all external influences and expectations.
Following our curiosity, what excites us and continuously finding ways to have fun in the process might be one of the most important artistic principles.
In moments when I'm no longer having fun or enjoying what I'm doing, I'm on the wrong path. If I'm not enjoying what I'm doing, what's the point?
Social media seems like an obvious place to focus our efforts and attention, but it's just one of many parts of the game of being an artist. It's not the main one.
On the surface, social media seems more important than it actually is because we look at it every day and often it's all we get to see about other's lives. (There are lots of psychological biases that distort our perceptions: availability heuristic, recency bias, bandwagon effect and lots more.) We don't get to see all the work that goes outside of it. In reality, most of the progress, momentum and opportunities happen behind the curtains.
The game of being an artist is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time and effort to create something truly exceptional. To realise how much more you can actually achieve expand your time horizon from months to years. The more impatient the world is, the more valuable patience becomes.
Most of my artistic success and progress came from continuously improving my craft, making music purely for myself and connecting with like-minded people.
Try to spend 80% of your time and effort on making music and learning. Then spend the remaining 20% on social media to share with the world what you've been doing by creatively documenting your journey.
Give people a reason to care about you and your art.
It's way more important to be unique than to be the best.
Imperfections are often what creates the magic and intrigue.
'Meaningful' is more important than 'perfect'.
The gap between what you can hear in your head and what you can create is your growth zone. Don't be discouraged by it. Instead, learn to embrace and use it.
Resting from and reflecting on your music are also a part of the creative process. Sometimes taking a break or a spending few minutes to ask questions is exactly what is needed to take the music in the right direction.
The music you create is a reflection of who you are. Your art is a mirror. It reflects not just your skills, but your thoughts, emotions, and how you see the world at any given time. (It also works both ways. That's why it's so easy to connect with people who have a similar taste in music.)
What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.
Artistry is a personal journey of curiosity, imperfection, and meaning—guided by your own values, fueled by joy, and reflected in the world you create.