Episode 203: Ten Things We Wish We Knew As New Artists

While we have both had successful careers as independent artists, there have certainly been a lot of ups and downs along the way. There were also many situations and realities that we probably could have avoided or handled much better if we had an OG to pull our coattails and put us up on game earlier. In this episode, we pull all you newer artists to the side and break down ten lessons, as your Big Homie or Uncle truly should. Episode 203 of Super Duty Tough Work is TEN THINGS WE WISH WE KNEW AS NEW ARTISTS and is out now. Check out the video, audio, and show notes below.

SHOW NOTES:

1. Maximize Being New – Being new comes with a lot of novelty because the media is setup to always want to shed light on the hot new thing. Don’t squander your opportunities as a new artist and don’t get jaded when you’re not new anymore.

2. The Importance of Momentum – We’re not machines, so everybody has to take breaks once in a while. But be careful to not lose your momentum. Getting it back is much more difficult than you will ever understand.

3. Classic Albums – One classic album is worth more than ten decent albums. Strive to make art that makes an impact, not just make art because you can build a career off one classic.

4. The Problem with Big Crews – Big crews are great for having access to talented people and staying inspired, but they’re difficult to keep together because of all the complicated relationships.

5. It’s Not A Sprint, it’s a Marathon – Thinking short-term will cause you to take the easy way out of building skills that are essential to your survival. View things as a marathon and not a sprint, so that you will focus on what’s important long term.

6. The Problem with Changing Directions – People love to praise artists who change things up and go evolve, but they dont speak about how easy it is to lose people by changing. Every time you change you may gain people, but you will certainly lose people.

7. The View From the Top – Being at the top isn’t what you think it is. It comes with a lot of responsibility and resentment that people don’t talk about. Be prepared should you ever become successful.

8. Nobody Owes You Shit – Stop expecting people to work with you just because you’re talented. Nobody owes you anything. They will work with you because you are valuable. No more no less.

9. The Power of Great Art – No artists has everything they need to be successful. Focusing on making great art will open up doors and fix these gaps as you go.

10. On Teamwork – Do as much as you can but understand that you can’t do it all. And it’s impossible to reach the next level without a strong team behind you.