The image of success without reality can be one of the biggest deceptions faced in Christian music or world-facing art. I’m not talking about the ambitious desire to succeed, I’m talking about feeling successful based on the image of success; the appearance of achievement.
The fashion, full-time/studio, lavish life and even the association card are played many times. A breath of ‘fake it till you make it’ rings true from social profiles around the internet. I am not saying they are not authentic or ‘real’! I am saying that are you drawn into the same illusions as 75% of music artists around the world.
“If I look like I am winning then, consequentially that means I am winning!”
The bible says in Romans 12:3 “…not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly…” An extremely unpopular truth in music, art and life, but sober thinking breathes life into all that you do. Looks can be deceiving; as heard so many times.
However, rarely do we think we can be deceived by our own looks. We start to believe we are someone we are not, leading to anxiety, stress and feeding a double life. ‘How tiresome!’
The policy of honesty
Be honest and realistic with where you are. Plot where you want to get to and start, but start honestly. I am not saying post pictures with poor lighting or release your craft with no effort, high skill or professionalism. No, I am saying to be careful to not portray yourself in a light that is artificial.
There is something attractive and welcoming about an honest and sincere person. Share on XThere is a similar vein this parallels to; spending money. Spending above your means to impress others means, you will not be able to keep up with the demand. Eventually, you will put yourself into debt and financial problems.
Be careful about the way you portray yourself, be honest and strategically transparent. There is something attractive and welcoming about an honest and sincere person. Be like that with your brand, art and music. When people realise you are stringing them along, you will lose their trust and credibility, at the very least.
Most, not all of them will react his way, perhaps you will retain your stardust status in the eyes of some, but more and more people will start doubting you.
Noisey Empty Vessels
Are we about how many likes our photo gets?
Does that drive sales?
Does it bring listeners to what you really have to say, where their lives can be touched by the message you have?
Strange how we are mentally fragile to our desires for likes and social media acceptance. Remember a time when impact was the success. The impact on the world through the outworking love of Jesus or the advancement of unity and family with each other.
How about the impact of seeing lives transformed by the challenging direction of our “Christian” art?
You can look like you are successful without a shred of impact. Let’s switch our gaze to something more than the snap, image or appearance.
Empty vessels make the most noise!
How can you do this:
- Be honest with your shortcomings and work hard to improve them.
- Bring in a few solid people around you who will constructively criticise your work to improve it
- Show the honesty in your life, instead of the selected ‘shiny’ parts only
- Be more human and less robotic with your interactions. (Remember there are actual people behind most of those accounts.)
You may lose some who want to see you living like their most admired celebrity, however, I believe in the long run when people think of someone who has integrity, love and honesty in art; you’ll spring to mind.
Be a person and artist of substance, furthermore, I challenge to let that substance be of Jesus.
