How to Stop the Fame from Getting to You
Here are some ways to avoid the trappings of fame, should you reach it one day.

Getting to the top is one problem, but it’s only the beginning. The fame you so dearly want can also be a problem if handled wrongly, and many artists fall to the sharp claws of fame. When the money starts coming in by the thousand and you have people chanting your name, it’s easy to get sucked in and carried away.

Pride goes before a fall.

It’s an all-too-familiar saying, but completely true. Those moments of success are the most treacherous, where pride can slip in unnoticed and start causing damage. Fame and cancer share one major trait. If unattended, they can spread and cause irreversible damage.

Way too many young artists have blown up to never be heard from again. Any number of things may have caused this decline, but pride is usually the main culprit. I don’t want that for you, my friend. So let me help you keep the fame from getting to you.

Signs to look out for

You don't value feedback

One of the most important skills I advise for young artists is the ability to embrace feedback from people, especially those close to them. It’s not about trying to please everyone, it’s about trying to improve. If you enjoy any success, it will be because you took the feedback seriously. So when feedback suddenly becomes irrelevant or annoying to you, it’s time to look inward.

Pride will tell you that you’re always right and you don’t need anyone else. That’s a terrible lie that could cost you your career. The first thing it will do is to have you cut yourself from everyone else because you’re “better” than them. When that happens, be careful.

You can't stand your roots

Many young indie artists come from humble beginnings, and there’s a good chance you’re no different. When you finally break out of the “hood”, there’s a good chance you want nothing to do with it anymore. That’s a bad sign. If you don’t identify with your roots, you might want to check yourself.

There are two reactions to breaking out of the “hood”. The first is you go back and try to help others break out too. This happens when you consider yourself fortunate and blessed, and decide to pass on the blessing.

The second is you move on and never look behind. This happens when you think you’re better than the people you grew up around. That could be a problem.

People are keeping their distance

When you find yourself alone most times, and you realize it’s because the people closest to you no longer feel free enough to come around, that spells trouble. If they’re around you but never confront or disagree with you, that’s even worse.

It means the people closest to you no longer feel free enough to tell you what they think. When the people who hold you accountable give up, it means the pride has done plenty of damage. In that moment, just know you’re on the edge. If you don’t pause and fix it immediately, things could get out of hand.

How to keep your head

Know yourself

The first and most important thing is to know yourself. You must be honest with yourself about who you are. If you have a high tendency of getting swept away by the hype, being honest about it will allow you to get the necessary help. If you’re already slipping into pride, honesty is the only thing that can save you.

Be honest with yourself. Know who you are, what your mission is, and what your limits are, and operate accordingly.

Be open to criticism

Nothing humbles a person like a stinging critique. The most successful people in the world learn from it and use the pain as fuel to push harder. Of course, this is easier said than done, but no one ever claimed success is easy. Be open to criticism from at least a select group of people. You don’t have to take what everyone says, that can be confusing, but listen to people you trust.

Criticism will humble you and keep your head where it should be. You don’t want to think little of yourself, but it’s worse to think too much of yourself.

Find a higher purpose

When you think too much about yourself, it’s too easy for pride to slip in. It all starts when you think about how good and successful you are. If your focus is on something bigger than yourself, it helps you to stay humble. Take gospel artists for example.

Gospel artists claim their music is to glorify God. If that’s the case, we shouldn’t be seeing any prideful gospel artists. When the artist loses sight of God, they’re left with self, and that’s the opening pride waits for.

You don’t have to be a gospel artist but give yourself a higher purpose than just making it. That purpose will help keep you on track.

Interact with people you look up to

Have you ever seen a military movie? The commanding officer of a unit is the supreme authority when out with his men, he looks untouchable. Yet when the captain stands before a major, he’s nothing. If he was under any illusions of his true rank, his superior will remind him immediately. So it is with everything.

No matter how proud you are, the presence of a bigger artist will humble you. So hang around people you admire. This not only helps keep your pride in check, but it also reminds you that there’s more work to be done.

Have an accountability partner

Perhaps the most effective way to handle any problem is to work on it with someone else. When you have someone you’re accountable to, it changes things. By yourself, it’s easy to make excuses. An accountability partner will not just let you off the hook. Find someone you trust and respect, and make them your accountability partner.

It helps if you’re also holding them accountable for something. You don’t want another parent, you want a partner.

Final Thoughts

Pride goes before a fall.

Again, it’s cliche but true, and I don’t want it to become your reality. As much as you can, remember where you came from. Keep your head down. You’ll go much further that way.