The problem with famous -

Famous isn’t a career.

Creative artists ( musicians, actors, painters, writers, etc..) don’t have careers because they are famous. They have careers because they have hard core fans.

Too many creatives conflate the two.

Let’s use musicians as an example. A number of known performers have released albums that have either under performed or ‘flopped’ this year. The performers are flailing in public and bemoaning their lot and some are coming up with controversies about why their work isn’t resonating with the public.

They are ‘famous’ and they don’t understand why their albums aren’t selling.

And that may be the disconnect. Unfortunately, I think too many artists confuse being famous with having a career.

Famous is about being known. It’s awareness, that’s all. It doesn’t translate into loyalty. It doesn’t mean that people care. Just because people know your name doesn’t mean they’ll support your art.

That’s a hard truth to swallow, but understanding this is necessary to help you reflect on what to build, what to measure if you want a career.

Career artists may also be famous but what truly sustains them are fans. Loyal, devoted fans.

A career is built on a fan base. People who must hear from you, who want to know what you’re up to. They’ll pay with their attention, time and money.

Not the public. The public doesn’t care.

But fans? Fans are golden.

So sure, you can strive to be famous but if you want a long-term career focus on creating fans.