// The Word This Week

We need to talk about something the industry doesn't want you to think about: longevity.

The music business loves fresh meat. New faces. The hot young thing. What it doesn't care about is whether you're still making music (or still alive) a decade from now.

That's why today we're talking about sustainability – not the environmental kind (though please recycle your beer cans), but the kind that keeps you creating without burning out, breaking down, or becoming that bitter person at the bar talking about what "could have been."

Because let's be honest: what's the point of "making it" if you're too exhausted, jaded, or broken to enjoy it?

THE BURNOUT EPIDEMIC NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT

The music industry has a dirty secret: it chews through artists at an alarming rate. For every superstar with a decades-long career, there are hundreds who flame out after a few years.

The signs of burnout in musicians are everywhere:

• The touring artist who can't remember which city they're in

• The producer who hasn't enjoyed making music in years

• The songwriter who's creatively empty but can't afford to take a break

• The band that implodes right when they're gaining traction

This isn't just bad luck or lack of resilience – it's the predictable outcome of an industry that treats artists like disposable resources rather than humans who need rest, reflection, and actual lives outside of music.

THE THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABLE CREATIVITY

After watching countless artists crash and burn (and nearly doing it myself), I've identified three critical areas that determine whether you'll have a sustainable career or just a fleeting moment:

Pillar 1: Physical Sustainability

Your body is your primary instrument, regardless of what genre you're in.

The Hard Truths:

• Touring is physically brutal

• Late nights + poor nutrition + alcohol/substances = recipe for disaster

• Vocal strain, repetitive stress injuries, and hearing damage are career-enders

• Sleep deprivation tanks creativity and decision-making

The Sustainability Practices:

• Prioritize sleep like it's your job (because it is)

• Find movement that works for your lifestyle (it doesn't have to be CrossFit)

• Learn proper technique for your instrument to prevent injuries

• Establish non-negotiable health boundaries (yes, even on tour)

One practice that saved me: The "Three Good Decisions" rule. Every day, make at least three choices that your future body will thank you for – whether that's drinking water, stretching, taking a walk, or going to bed instead of that after-party.

Pillar 2: Mental/Emotional Sustainability

Your psyche needs protection from the industry's chaos.

The Hard Truths:

• Constant comparison is creativity poison

• The validation cycle (seeking external approval) is addictive and destructive

• Criticism hits harder than praise lifts

• Success often brings more pressure, not less

The Sustainability Practices:

• Create a "validation-free zone" for some of your creative work

• Establish clear boundaries between your artist-self and your person-self

• Build a support system of people who knew you before music

• Regularly disconnect from social media and industry noise

One practice that saved me: The "Celebration File." Keep a physical or digital folder of every positive note, review, message, or milestone. On dark days when imposter syndrome hits hard, open it up as a reminder of your impact.

Pillar 3: Creative Sustainability

Your creative well needs regular refilling.

The Hard Truths:

• Creator's block is often just creative depletion

• Algorithm pressure pushes quantity over quality

• The "constant content" demand is unsustainable

• Creative isolation leads to stagnation

The Sustainability Practices:

• Schedule regular inputs (consuming art outside your genre)

• Create "no output" periods where you're just absorbing and experimenting

• Collaborate to spark new approaches and energy

• Protect your "beginner's mind" by trying new instruments or techniques

One practice that saved me: The "Creative Sabbatical." Every quarter, take at least 2-3 days where you create with absolutely no intention of releasing or sharing what you make. It's just for you – to play, experiment, and remember why you started making music in the first place.

THE SUSTAINABILITY KILLERS TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Certain habits and mindsets are guaranteed creativity-killers. Watch out for:

The "Hustle Harder" Trap

The toxic side of hustle culture tells you that if you're not constantly working, someone else will outwork you and take your spot. This mentality leads straight to burnout.

Reality check: Rest is part of the work. Recovery is essential for creativity. The artists with the longest careers aren't the ones who never sleep – they're the ones who learned sustainable rhythms.

The Comparison Spiral

Social media has made it easier than ever to feel like everyone is doing better than you. More streams, better gigs, cooler collaborations.

Reality check: You're seeing their highlights, not their struggles. Most "overnight successes" have been grinding for a decade. Your only competition is who you were yesterday.

The Identity Merger

When your entire identity becomes "musician" or "artist," any career setback becomes an existential crisis.

Reality check: You are not your art. You are not your career. You are a complex human who makes art, among other things. Maintaining this separation is crucial for mental health.

The Validation Addiction

Needing external validation for your work (streams, likes, reviews) creates a dependency that will drain your creative spirit.

Reality check: External metrics are fickle and largely beyond your control. The only sustainable motivation comes from internal fulfillment and purpose.

THE SUSTAINABILITY AUDIT EVERY ARTIST NEEDS

Take five minutes right now to ask yourself these questions:

1. Physical Check: Can I maintain my current pace for 5+ years without health consequences?

2. Financial Check: Is my current approach financially sustainable, or am I constantly in survival mode?

3. Relationship Check: Am I maintaining meaningful connections outside of music?

4. Joy Check: When was the last time I made music purely for the love of it?

5. Purpose Check: Would I still make music if nobody ever heard it?

If you answered "no" or hesitated on any of these, it's time to reassess your approach. Sustainability isn't about slowing down – it's about making sure you can keep going for the long haul.

BUILDING YOUR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE

Sustainable creativity isn't accidental – it's intentional. Here's how to start building yours:

1. Map Your Energy

Track when you're naturally most creative, focused, and energized. Schedule your most important creative work during these peak periods.

2. Create Boundaries

Establish clear dividing lines between work time, creative time, and rest time. When you're resting, actually rest – don't scroll industry news or check your streaming stats.

3. Find Your Cycle

Some artists work best in intense bursts followed by recovery. Others need consistent, moderate output. There's no one-size-fits-all approach.

4. Build Your Tribe

Surround yourself with people who support your sustainability – not those who push you toward burnout or make you feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

5. Schedule Joy

Literally put it in your calendar: time for creative play with no pressure, time to enjoy other people's art, time to remember why you love music.

THE LAST WORD (FOR NOW)

The industry wants you to believe that burning yourself out is the price of admission – that suffering for your art is noble and necessary.

It's not.

The most impactful artists are often those who found a way to keep creating year after year, decade after decade. They built sustainable practices that allowed them to evolve, grow, and continue contributing to the world.

You can sacrifice for your art without sacrificing yourself.

If this resonated with you, my book "Build Your Foundation" goes deeper on building sustainable creative practices while navigating the chaos of the music industry. Grab it at v13.store/products/build-your-foundation.

And if you know another artist who's heading toward burnout, forward this newsletter to them. We've all got to look out for each other in this wild industry.

Until next time, create sustainably.

—Lance

P.S. Next week: Let's talk about community building – because no successful artist truly made it "on their own," no matter what the mythology says. The music industry might be competitive, but your best resource is often the person standing next to you in the trenches.

If you want to join our community and learn from us in real-time, check out our V1LLAG3 Discord server. Ask questions about music, the industry, promotion, and anything else your heart desires. Just don’t ask us to write your essay (Lance might actually do it)