Stop Beating Yourself Up and Start Building Yourself Up

I’m sure a first response to the title of this blog would be, “easier said than done”.  Is it?  A friend confessing to losing his confidence as an artist and considering throwing in the towel inspired this blog.  I avoided the whole “you can do it” pep talk with my friend because the truth of the matter is that maybe he can’t do it and he knows it and I don’t.  I know he has the talent, but talent is never enough. 

Do you know what made David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust brilliant?  David Bowie knew when to say “when”.  Ziggy Stardust was a great gag that ran it’s course and then David Bowie packed it in and evolved into something else as an artist.  This is something that a few of my artist friends don’t grasp as an idea.  Some artists will get attached to an idea, concept or style that doesn’t work and then sit around scratching their heads as to why they are not progressing with their efforts.  I’m not saying that everyone should abandon every idea that doesn’t show commercial promise at the drop of a dime, but on the same note, if people didn’t like it yesterday and they don’t like it today…they are probably not going to like it tomorrow.  Get out of your comfort zone and grow as an artist.

Yeah, I know, you think that the general public is stupid and can’t generate enough brainpower to understand your highbrow, brilliant creative concepts.  It could be that…or it could be that you suck and need to try something else.             

The band Kiss can get away with dressing like mimes and doing circus gags like blowing fire between songs because people keep showing up to see it.  If people lost interest in Kiss’ classic live show I guarantee you that Kiss wouldn’t be doing it.  Taking that into consideration, if your audience is shrinking instead of growing maybe it’s time to reconsider your act.  Instead of beating yourself up you need to be building yourself up.  I know that jacket looked good on you in 1985, but people don’t want to see you in that jacket anymore…it’s possible they didn’t even want to see you in it in 1985.

I don’t know what’s going on in a person’s head.  Maybe it is time to call it quits and go back to college.  Maybe your parents did win and your ex-wife was right about you all along.  I don’t know that.  Only you know that.  I can’t make you someone you’re not, but you can change your game up.  Results change when you change what you are doing.  Basic science.