The Question That Separates Artists Who Last From Those Who Flame Out

You're six weeks into your content calendar. Or your newsletter. Or your YouTube channel. Or whatever creative project you swore this time would be different.

The initial excitement has worn off like cheap cologne. You're staring at a blank page thinking some version of: "I have nothing to say," or "Nobody's engaging anyway," or "This is taking way too much time," or—my personal favorite—"I'll just skip this week and get back to it next week." (Narrator: They did not get back to it next week.)

Here's the fork in the road: Do you push through... or quietly let it die like the three projects before this one?

Here's what I've learned from watching musicians who sustain their creative projects long-term: Most projects don't fail due to a lack of talent, skill, or even discipline.

They fail because creators never ask themselves one critical question before starting.

[If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free email here.]

The Real Reason Your Projects Keep Dying (And It's Not What You Think)

Let me save you some time on the usual suspects:

It's not a lack of motivation. (Motivation is about as reliable as my Wi-Fi signal during a Zoom call.)

It's not a lack of time. (We all have the same 168 hours. Yes, even Beyoncé. Probably.)

It's not even a lack of knowledge. (You can learn literally anything online.)

Here's the actual issue: We commit to projects based on their POTENTIAL—the dream outcome, the fantasy version where everything works perfectly and people throw roses at our feet.

But we never consider the PAIN required to sustain them.

Quick examples:

• Bree Noble: 10+ years, 500+ episodes, still podcasting weekly. Still here.
• Lynz Crichton: 90-day songwriting challenge, where she wrote one song per week for 12 weeks. While managing a family and a full-time job teaching languages. Then did it again. And again.

What they have in common isn't superhuman discipline, magical time-management skills, or a trust fund that pays the bills while they create.

They knew what pain they could sustain.

The question that changes everything isn't "What do I want to achieve?"

It's "What pain am I willing to endure—consistently, week after week, for years—to make this happen?"

(Like I said – brutally honest.)

What Bree's 10-Year Journey Reveals About Staying Power

I recently interviewed Bree Noble for my podcast. She's been podcasting since 2014. That's longer than some marriages last.

Here's what jumped out at me:

Pattern #1: She adjusted from unsustainable to sustainable

Started at 5x per week. (Overachiever alert.) Eventually, she realized that frequency was unnecessary. Found her actual maintainable rhythm.

Lesson: Your initial cadence will probably be wrong. That's fine. The key is adjusting instead of abandoning.

Pattern #2: She front-loaded like her life depended on it

Created multiple episodes BEFORE launch. Always works 1-3 months ahead. She also does all post-production work immediately after recording, while it's fresh in her mind.

Why? Because life happens. Kids get sick. The internet goes down. Your brain decides to take a vacation without telling you.

The buffer absorbs the chaos.

Lesson: Build a cushion BEFORE going public. Your future stressed self will send thank-you notes.

Pattern #3: She built systems around reality, not fantasy

Kitchen table recordings. Freezing garage office. Scheduling around kids' activities. Bree chose sustainability over the perfect setup.

She didn't wait for the ideal circumstances. (Spoiler: They never come.)

Lesson: Build systems around your actual life, not the life you wish you had.

Quick bonus: When AI tools became available, she immediately adopted them to eliminate her VA expense and cut post-production time. Because consistency creates the opportunity to optimize. You can't optimize what you haven't sustained.

The Supporting Evidence (It's Not Just Podcasters)

Lynz Crichton was a secondary school teacher of French, German, Italian, and Spanish. (Overachiever Part 2.)

She decided to try being a full-time musician, with two kids and only 2 days per week available for music work.

Her approach? A 90-day songwriting challenge. One song per week. For 12 weeks straight.

But here's the genius part: She involved her audience—the "Crichton Clan"—in feedback and voting. She got engagement and accountability without the pressure of public releases.

Result: 50+ completed songs. A bank of material to draw from. No weekly "What do I create THIS week?" panic.

She now runs the Music Marketing Method program. Grew her Twitter following from around 5,000 in 2017 to 32,000 by 2021.

Her philosophy? "One thing at a time."

Not all the platforms. Not all the strategies. Not all the opportunities.

One thing.

Compare that to the typical musician approach:

• Wait until the song is "perfect" (it never is)
• Post sporadically "when inspired" (inspiration is a flaky friend)
• Wonder why no momentum builds (because momentum requires consistency)
• Abandon after 6-8 weeks (right before the potential breakthrough)

Here's The Thing You Need to Hear

Knowing you need sustainability doesn't automatically give you a system for achieving it.

That's the hard part.

That's also the part I can help you with.

But first—I need to understand YOUR specific consistency challenges.

I've created a 2-minute survey. Take it, and I'll send you the Creative Pain Audit worksheet—free, regardless of whether you're a paid subscriber or not.

This worksheet helps you identify which parts of your creative process energize you and which parts slowly drain your will to live.

And survey respondents will get priority registration for my upcoming live workshop: "Build Your Sustainable Creative System."

We'll work through the frameworks together. Chat will be open throughout, then I'll take live questions. You'll leave with a personalized plan rather than another abandoned project.

[Click here to take the survey]

Want the Complete Implementation Guide?

Liner Notes Insider subscribers get:

• The specific frameworks for designing your realistic cadence (not your fantasy one)
• The complete Creative Pain Audit process with examples
• How to front-load your buffer without burning out
• AI workflow shortcuts that reclaim 5-10 hours per week
• The "One Thing" decision framework
• All the worksheets and templates
• The complete roadmap for building systems that last years, not weeks

[Upgrade to Insider here]

Until next time—choose your pain wisely.

As a Liner Notes Insider, you'll also get:

• Deep-dive analysis and actionable strategies from extensive industry research
• Expert interview breakdowns with step-by-step implementation guides
• Access to my curated resource library and tools
• Monthly Q&A sessions for personalized guidance
• Priority access to special events and workshops
• First looks at new resources and research findings

Peace, love and more cowbell,
Robonzo

Questions, thoughts, complaints? Hit reply to reach me directly! I'd love to hear from you. 📬

Support the Unstarving Musician

If you LOVE this newsletter, please visit UnstarvingMusician.com/CrowdSponsor to learn about the many ways of showing your love and support.

We have a new tip jar there, so you know... Click, tip, done.

Your support = Love 💟

Affiliate Partner Resources

You can also support us by using one of our affiliate partner links below–we'll receive a small commission. Thanks for your support! 👊🏼

Kit – Email Marketing for Musicians

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email marketing and audience building software that helps musicians like you turn your passion into a full-time career by connecting you to your fans faster. Start a free trial.

Dreamhost Web Hosting

From your first website to your biggest breakthrough, choose hosting that grows with your business. Get started!

Explore more cool products and services on our Resources page.

Share this email and/or read it on the web

Schedule a call with me 📞

Stay in touch!
​Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Threads | X (Twitter)

UnstarvingMusician.com