5 challenges you WILL face while pursuing a music career…(or any arts based career)

Hi friends, happy new year. I am writing to you in the hope that you can take something meaningful from this article.

I must begin by stating that I do not have it all figured out. Not even close. I have simply learned a few lessons over the last couple of years that I continue to study and try to practice every day. There are many more than 5 points that could be addressed, but these are the 5 I hold most dear… I hope they are helpful to you on your professional creative journey. Press on, and hold fast, friend.

1. No One Cares Yet

When you decide to pursue music, there is no parade of Instagram followers or instant super fans just because you released your first single. No one is waiting on you. Early on, your wins will feel invisible. You might pour a thousand hours into a song and watch it land quietly, if it lands at all.

This is not a sign that you are failing. It is simply the default. Sometimes a project does not gain momentum until much later. A prime example is Tyler Childers’ Purgatory record. It had a small but loyal following when it first came out, but became his most popular record three or four years after its release.

Caring has to come from you before it ever comes from anyone else.

Make music because you love it. External validation and commercial success matter for long term growth, but they do not determine the inherent value of your art. Your art is spiritually priceless. Learn to celebrate both the small and the big wins, even when no one else sees them. Keep showing up for yourself. If you do, people will slowly begin to notice. Over time, you will find your audience.

And remember, easy come, easy go. You do not want to be a flash in the pan. You are in it for the long haul. A lifetime devoted to beauty and art is worthwhile.

2. People Will Doubt You and Question You Constantly

Pursuing music is a rare and unconventional career path. Most people never get the opportunity, or never believe they are allowed to take risks in pursuit of something they love. That is one of the sad symptoms of modern society.

Fun fact: according to Boring History to Sleep, ancient humans spent about four to six hours a day on subsistence activities like hunting, foraging, and shelter building. The rest of their time was spent making art, music, exploring, socializing, eating, and sleeping.

Some people will be skeptical of your career path due to genuine ignorance. Others will project their insecurities onto you. Somewhere along the way, they allowed their own spark to be extinguished.

You will hear questions like:

“What is your backup plan?”

“Is this really sustainable?”

“Do you not think you are too old/too young?”

“Why do you not make songs like a certain artist or band? They are really successful!”

Most of the time, this is not malice. It is a lack of understanding, and sometimes jealousy. Your job is not to convince them. Your job is to keep moving anyway.

They may never understand your choices, and that is okay. Do not let their doubt discourage you. Do not let it make you bitter or resentful. Have empathy for them. Many people struggle to be happy for others or to understand nuance. We are taught that stability is a virtue, even when it comes at the cost of fulfillment.

3. You Will Live in Discomfort Constantly

Pursuing music means choosing instability on purpose.

There will be financial uncertainty. Creative doubt. Long drives. Playing shows to half empty rooms. Releasing songs that do not connect the way you hoped they would.

Comfort and growth rarely exist together. If you are waiting to feel settled before moving forward, you will wait forever. Discomfort is not a phase you pass through. It is part of the lifestyle. Learning to coexist with it is one of the most important skills you can develop.

Here is an illustration I am living through right now:

When we jump, there is always a moment when our feet are off the ground. That moment is terrifying. There is uncertainty about whether you will land where you intended.

If you never jump, and if you cling to the certainty of stability, you will never be satisfied. You have to ask yourself what is more logical: playing it safe and never fulfilling your purpose, or doing what you were made to do despite the lack of comfort.

4. Doing the Right Thing Is Usually the Harder Option

I am no stranger to the mental health ups and downs that come with being an artist. The traps are easy to fall into. Drugs, alcohol, and other distractions are readily available and often celebrated in creative spaces.

Hear me clearly. I hold no judgment for anyone. But if you want a sustainable career and a fulfilling life, you have to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Exercise. Meditate. Pray. Eat well. These things make the work more enjoyable and the journey longer.

The right decision often offers little immediate validation. Integrity compounds slowly, but it does compound.

Hold onto your values. Hold onto your goals. Most importantly, hold onto your sense of purpose. The rest will fall into place.

5. You Are the Only Real Obstacle

Gatekeepers exist. Algorithms are unforgiving. The industry can be messy, discouraging, and at times slimy.

But the thing that ends most music careers is not rejection. It is doubt. It is self-sabotage. It is comparison. It is waiting for permission that will never come. Insecurity waits like a snake in tall grass, striking when you least expect it. I wrestled a few of those serpents myself over the last year.

Your habits matter. Your consistency matters. Your resilience matters. Your purpose matters more than anything. These things will carry you farther than talent alone ever could.

At the end of the day, the biggest battle you will face is with yourself. If you keep showing up, keep learning, and keep creating, you will succeed against all perceived odds.

The truth is that luck and fate are not real. If you honor your purpose and follow what brings you genuine joy, success will follow in the ways that matter most.