Being an independent artist is tough.
Being a content creator is tough.
Making anything and sharing it with the world is a constant exercise in overcoming our own fear and doing what we love, regardless of the outcome.
And while it’s easier to give into self-doubt and the perception of other people’s opinions, if we can push past that and do what we love anyway, there is freedom on the other side.
A quote
“The best art divides the audience.”
— Rick Rubin
A note
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’ve been seeing a lot more of Rick Rubin on social media these days, my guess is because he’s got a new book out.
Full disclosure: I haven’t read it yet.
But that’s not the point.
I think about this quote often. For me, it addresses the fear of creating things and putting them out into the world for others to see, hear, and judge.
This quote brings to mind questions like:
“What if they don’t like it?”
“What if people think less of me because of this?”
“What if I end up looking stupid or get embarrassed?”
I wish I could say self-doubt like this doesn’t affect me, but the truth is it does.
And my guess is it does for you too.
Second-guessing oneself seems to be a natural byproduct of creating and releasing anything—it just comes with the territory.
But this quote reminds me to be bold despite my reservations, to take chances with my art, my content, my music—everything.
The greatest returns are most often found in the darkest corners, the places that require the most risk and bravery to pursue.
I find comfort in that for a few reasons:
First, most people aren’t brave enough to take the necessary risks to create what they truly want. Simply by showing up and doing the thing, we are already ahead of 99% of the competition.
Second, this quote reminds me that, no matter what I do, someone is going to hate it. The sooner I can accept that, the easier it becomes to just do what I want anyway.
And third, given the current state of the internet and the algorithmic cultivation of content, if I make something truly, objectively terrible, odds are no one will see it anyway.
There’s freedom in that.
That means taking artistic risks now has unlimited upside potential and almost zero downside.
In my mind, that’s a risk worth taking.
A question
What is something you’re working on (or maybe have always wanted to work on) that you’ve failed to pursue out of fear?
What can you do to overcome that fear and do that thing anyway?
Being an independent artist is tough.
Being a content creator is tough.
Making anything and sharing it with the world is a constant exercise in overcoming our own fear and doing what we love, regardless of the outcome.
And while it’s easier to give into self-doubt and the perception of other people’s opinions, if we can push past that and do what we love anyway, there is freedom on the other side.
A quote
“The best art divides the audience.”
— Rick Rubin
A note
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’ve been seeing a lot more of Rick Rubin on social media these days, my guess is because he’s got a new book out.
Full disclosure: I haven’t read it yet.
But that’s not the point.
I think about this quote often. For me, it addresses the fear of creating things and putting them out into the world for others to see, hear, and judge.
This quote brings to mind questions like:
“What if they don’t like it?”
“What if people think less of me because of this?”
“What if I end up looking stupid or get embarrassed?”
I wish I could say self-doubt like this doesn’t affect me, but the truth is it does.
And my guess is it does for you too.
Second-guessing oneself seems to be a natural byproduct of creating and releasing anything—it just comes with the territory.
But this quote reminds me to be bold despite my reservations, to take chances with my art, my content, my music—everything.
The greatest returns are most often found in the darkest corners, the places that require the most risk and bravery to pursue.
I find comfort in that for a few reasons:
First, most people aren’t brave enough to take the necessary risks to create what they truly want. Simply by showing up and doing the thing, we are already ahead of 99% of the competition.
Second, this quote reminds me that, no matter what I do, someone is going to hate it. The sooner I can accept that, the easier it becomes to just do what I want anyway.
And third, given the current state of the internet and the algorithmic cultivation of content, if I make something truly, objectively terrible, odds are no one will see it anyway.
There’s freedom in that.
That means taking artistic risks now has unlimited upside potential and almost zero downside.
In my mind, that’s a risk worth taking.
A question
What is something you’re working on (or maybe have always wanted to work on) that you’ve failed to pursue out of fear?
What can you do to overcome that fear and do that thing anyway?
Being an independent artist is tough.
Being a content creator is tough.
Making anything and sharing it with the world is a constant exercise in overcoming our own fear and doing what we love, regardless of the outcome.
And while it’s easier to give into self-doubt and the perception of other people’s opinions, if we can push past that and do what we love anyway, there is freedom on the other side.
A quote
“The best art divides the audience.”
— Rick Rubin
A note
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’ve been seeing a lot more of Rick Rubin on social media these days, my guess is because he’s got a new book out.
Full disclosure: I haven’t read it yet.
But that’s not the point.
I think about this quote often. For me, it addresses the fear of creating things and putting them out into the world for others to see, hear, and judge.
This quote brings to mind questions like:
“What if they don’t like it?”
“What if people think less of me because of this?”
“What if I end up looking stupid or get embarrassed?”
I wish I could say self-doubt like this doesn’t affect me, but the truth is it does.
And my guess is it does for you too.
Second-guessing oneself seems to be a natural byproduct of creating and releasing anything—it just comes with the territory.
But this quote reminds me to be bold despite my reservations, to take chances with my art, my content, my music—everything.
The greatest returns are most often found in the darkest corners, the places that require the most risk and bravery to pursue.
I find comfort in that for a few reasons:
First, most people aren’t brave enough to take the necessary risks to create what they truly want. Simply by showing up and doing the thing, we are already ahead of 99% of the competition.
Second, this quote reminds me that, no matter what I do, someone is going to hate it. The sooner I can accept that, the easier it becomes to just do what I want anyway.
And third, given the current state of the internet and the algorithmic cultivation of content, if I make something truly, objectively terrible, odds are no one will see it anyway.
There’s freedom in that.
That means taking artistic risks now has unlimited upside potential and almost zero downside.
In my mind, that’s a risk worth taking.
A question
What is something you’re working on (or maybe have always wanted to work on) that you’ve failed to pursue out of fear?
What can you do to overcome that fear and do that thing anyway?
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Whenever you're ready, there are four ways I can help you:
Subscribe to the Newsletter: Join our growing network of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs by receiving The One Thing directly to your inbox every week.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
The Spotify Traffic Accelerator: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Become a DuPree X Artist: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.