Dealing with burnout as an artist: “Should I quit performing?”
What should I do when it feels like it’s time to throw in the towel?
It’s difficult to be an artist: the criticism, the rejection, the hustle, the auditioning, the constant pressure to perform at your best… the list goes on and on.
Everyone has a threshold for stress, and with the many stressors of a performance industry, it makes sense that musicians have higher levels of burnout, anxiety, and depression than the general population.
But what do we do when we feel like we have nothing left to give? When we’ve reached our threshold and are at a crossroads, with one part of us feeling like it’s time to quit and the other part of us that still wants to continue forward?
Ask yourself these questions:
Why do I want to leave?
Is it because you genuinely have something else you’d like to do? Another passion you would like to follow? Or is it because you’re burnt out, struggling with nerves, and feel like you have no other choice? If it’s the latter, reach out to me! There are research-backed tools to help you rewire your brain and reset your mindset so you don’t quit due to burnout.
When I picture my ideal life 10 years from now, is performing still a part of it?
This can help to create a clearer plan and image of your future in your mind. If the answer is yes, I wouldn’t quit just yet.
What strengths of mine would I be neglecting by leaving this career? How would that make me feel?
Taking time to think through the decision will make sure you’re thinking through it with your logical brain rather than your emotional brain.
What would leaving the industry give me? What would it take away?
This is a way of looking at the pros and cons while focusing on the internal motivators rather than the external motivators.
The takeaway:
When it comes to any decision, it’s important to make sure it’s coming from a place of power, not a place of emotional desperation.
Taking the time and space to think about some of the questions above can be a good starting place for examining where the feeling to “give up” is coming from and what your other options are.
Lastly, if you’re feeling torn between staying or leaving the industry, REACH OUT to me. I’ve helped many clients navigate this same decision and help them take back control so they don’t give up before they’re ready.