Let’s be honest, there are some things about being an independent musician that kinda suck.

So on a recent episode of the DIY Musician Podcast we talked through a lot of the most common personal and professional struggles that go hand-in-hand with creative pursuits.

We griped, felt a little catharsis, and then tried to figure out how to move beyond these unique hurdles that musicians face.

Some of the difficult aspects of running your own music career include:

Money and social currency are still king
Jealousy & bitterness lead to burnout
Audience attention is scarce
Even “success” doesn’t cure us of doubt or dissatisfaction
Being the “face” of your music can fuel your insecurity or vanity
It’s too easy to say yes to the wrong things
Time is always running out
Agism and other forms of discrimination
Living in the gap between your vision and reality
Perfectionism
Making all the decisions yourself
Juggling too many roles at once
Haters, criticism, and condescension

Wait! That’s a lot more than FIVE things?!

True, but many of the struggles above come from the same root causes. Thankfully, there are ways to sidestep, conquer, and even grow from these challenges.

Want to hear our advice on dealing with all this stuff? Want to know if there are silver linings? Check out the podcast discussion above. You’ll probably relate to at least some of it, and I think you’ll actually find it encouraging.

And let us know: What do YOU struggle with the most in your musical pursuits?

Leave a comment below.

The post The 5 Hardest Things About Being an Independent Musician appeared first on DIY Musician.