I’m an artist, and I don’t have to listen to you

Technology, ego, and the future of creativity are inextricably linked.

Ego takes up no small amount of space in the music industry. It drives the artists and the business, sometimes to great heights of success and other times into the ground.

The word “ego” itself has become convoluted; everyone seems to have their own acceptable definition of it. To some people it means hubris, and to others it means self-identity. It might represent the realistic limitations on your deepest desires or the manic belief that you can do literally anything.

I’ve been involved with many types of musicians. I’ve watched as flaccid egos paralyze their owners with uncertainty, and I’ve seen people with inflated egos burn all of their bridges one by one. Neither types were what I could call successful. If they had any success, it did not last.

As much as any of the devices you use to create, your ego is a tool. And sculpting with a noodly tool presents some challenges.

The Paralysis of Choice

Limitations are a vital part of the creative process, especially as technology expands our available options. Those options are shiny and attractive, but they will do nothing to prop up a weak ego.

Think of limitations as an artistic palette; having as many colors as possible will not make for an interesting work, and it will make the process a struggle.

Technology/gear has become the over-the-counter aphrodisiac of the creative libido. It promises less struggle, more satisfaction, and endless possibilities. What it actually provides is a quick burst of excitement followed by I-have-no-idea-what-to-do-now depression.

Gear creates the illusion of motivation and trajectory, but it does not drive creativity.

Technology creates the illusion of personal capability, but the mere feeling of augmented abilities does not lead to confidence.

Instead of relying on gear for motivation, use your ego.

Artists design their own ego

Have you ever known an artist with a pseudonym?

That’s a dumb question, right? It seems to be a prerequisite for mediums like music and street art. Before writing off someone for their bizarre alias, consider this: a pseudonym is a mask. It’s the very first step in creating a persona — an ego — separate from but connected to yourself.

Many musicians work under several project names, each having its own aesthetic. That makes it possible for one artist to, say, release both bluegrass records and metalcore records without confusing their audiences.

If you’re a multi-faceted person, you might have trouble reducing everything about yourself into a single, digestible package. A pseudonym/handle could be a way for you to neatly encapsulate part of your viewpoint.

If pseudonyms feel inauthentic to you, be prepared to distill and enact your own life in a way that resonates with others. Or, let each work live outside yourself as a reflection of some past version of yourself (but you must be either articulate or entertaining enough to coherently and succinctly express that so that it stands up over time).

It’s not about the image you project outward; it’s about the strength and certainty of the part of your personality that you draw from. If you draw creative motivation from a specific part of yourself, you distill your palette, making every subsequent decision easier and more natural.

Create yourself by limiting your influences

Technology gives everyone a voice, un/fortunately. Anyone can review an artist’s work with an air of authority, and it seems like everyone has an opinion.

As an artist, you have a few options: you can get obstinate and ignore everyone who can’t relate to your work, you can listen to as many people as possible in order to please them, or you can hand-pick the people you listen to.

Designing your own ego means deciding who will be your allies in shaping it. Decide who you listen to protect yourself from irrelevant criticism and to get the most out of relevant criticism, and forgive everyone else for not getting it. That doesn’t mean negative feedback won’t hurt, but if a person understands what you’re trying to do, past the pain there is a wealth of valuable insight.

Ego is not pride, and damaged pride should not mean a destroyed ego.

Embrace fluidity

In a recent episode of Invisibilia called “The Personality Myth”, they explore the idea of personality as a static, persistent, and defining characteristic. As revealed in the podcast, most of the research points to personality being radically contextual.

If you have trouble believing in the image you craft for yourself as an artist, remember that your personality is just as fluid as the personas you create.

Some people may have trouble adjusting when you’re trying something “out of character”, but forgive them and invite them to play along. It’s an obstacle, but when it comes to art people don’t want ordinary. You have the ability and responsibility to lift people out of their everyday life and into something remarkable.

Always be pretending

You should be the first person to drink your own kool-aid. Certainty doesn’t come from facts or skills (though they don’t hurt). Being certain is a choice that involves the risk of being wrong, unpopular, or ignored. If your certainty is not achieving your desired result, find a new way to be certain and know that no one will blame you for changing direction. Depending on the boldness of the change, most people probably won’t even notice; so if you want your audience to recognize and participate with you in it, it must be drastic.

The act of pretending is just playing with certainty and buying into the story. If you haven’t committed to the story you tell your audience, you are not giving them the permission they need to play with you.

Think bigger than yourself

If you’re not taking risks, you probably aren’t being true to your deepest desires. Putting your honest work out in the world means taking a risk.

Audiences aren’t excited by small ideas or small risks. If they were, you could bet “Who Wants to be a Hundredaire” would be a hugely popular TV program. Audiences want remarkable characters in extraordinary situations with extreme stakes.

If you have trouble taking risks, you might use an alter-ego to give you permission to explore the deeper parts of yourself without self-judgement.

Find a balance between ambitious and achievable (by you). Determine what’s achievable by cultivating a healthy ego, whether that lives outside of “normal you” or not.