Growing Out of the Struggling Artist Persona

"It’s the artist’s duty to dispel the ‘tortured artist’ myth. You can create great art if you remain healthy. We have to remind each other to be healthy." - Jim James (Musician, My Morning Jacket)

Here’s a guarantee: if you’re looking for it, you’ll find it. Not in a woo-woo, magically manifested kind of way, but in a practical and logical demonstration of our core beliefs and what we hold to be valuable and true either about ourselves or the people/circumstances around us.

This is why we can, and definitely should, let go of the struggling artist mentality. It’s not sexy anymore, and it certainly isn’t the “it factor” that makes your art good.

The idea of the struggling artist suggests that suffering and hardship are necessary ingredients for creating meaningful art. This notion overlooks the vast spectrum of human experience and fails to recognize that inspiration can come from joy, contentment, and fulfillment just as readily as it can from pain and struggle. By glorifying suffering, we risk fetishizing mental health issues and perpetuating a harmful stereotype that artists must be tortured souls to produce authentic work.

It also reinforces the belief that financial instability and artistic success go hand in hand. In reality, financial stability can provide artists with the resources and freedom necessary to fully explore their creative pursuits without the constant burden of financial stress (please read my essay on how to make a boat-load of money as an artist).

When artists are expected to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of their craft, it becomes easier to exploit their work without proper compensation. 

This perpetuates a cycle of exploitation that disproportionately affects marginalized artists who may already face barriers to accessing resources and opportunities.

When you prioritize self-care and well-being, you cultivate a deeper connection with your inner self, emotions, and surroundings. This newfound sense of clarity and emotional balance can profoundly influence the type of art you create and the way you express yourself. But you can't get there by gripping onto your suffering narratives, so it's time to let go.