Make Sure You’re Fighting the Battle in Front of You—Not the Battle Behind You

“Your past failures aren’t today’s reality—but they might still be controlling your decisions.”

As a music artist, every experience—every rejection, every bad gig, every piece of negative feedback—leaves a mark. And sometimes, without realizing it, you start carrying those past battles into situations that don’t actually call for them.

Maybe you hesitate to send your music to a label because you remember how an A&R ghosted you years ago. Maybe you assume no one will show up to your gig because you had an empty room once. Maybe you shy away from promoting your work because an old friend said your music wasn’t marketable.

When you fight old battles, you distort your focus and make decisions based on a past that no longer exists. And in an industry that requires constant growth, adaptability, and self-belief, that can quietly sabotage your career.

How Past Battles Distort Your Focus and Mindset

  1. You React to the Past, Not the Present

If an artist gets a bad review early in their career, they might start interpreting every piece of feedback through that lens. A constructive critique from a producer could feel like another rejection. A neutral response from a fan could feel like disinterest. This makes it hard to assess real opportunities clearly—because you’re responding to a past version of events rather than what’s actually happening.

  1. You Make Fear-Based Decisions

When you let old failures dictate your choices, you avoid risks—not because they’re bad moves, but because of the emotional weight attached to them. If your first attempt at crowdfunding didn’t go well, you might assume your fans won’t support you, even if you’ve since grown a more engaged audience. If an industry exec dismissed your sound years ago, you might hesitate to reach out to others, even though the landscape has changed.

  1. You Stay in Defensive Mode

Some artists spend more time proving people wrong than building something new. If you’re constantly trying to prove to old doubters that you belong, your focus shifts from creating music that excites you to reacting to opinions that may not even be relevant anymore. Instead of shaping your career based on what you want, you’re stuck in a cycle of proving a point to people who have probably moved on.

  1. You Miss What’s Actually Happening

If you expect failure, you start seeing it everywhere—even when it’s not there. A slightly lower-than-expected stream count could feel like a disaster when, in reality, it’s just a normal fluctuation. A hesitant comment from a collaborator could feel like a lack of belief when, in reality, they’re just thinking through their response. This distorted perspective can cause you to lose motivation, quit prematurely, or overlook the progress you are making.

  1. You Carry Emotional Baggage Into New Situations

Every artist will experience setbacks, but not every artist allows those setbacks to shape their identity. If you believe you’re “the artist who always struggles,” you’ll approach every opportunity with that weight. If you see yourself as “the artist who keeps growing,” you’ll focus on what’s next rather than what’s behind. The stories you tell yourself about your journey shape your decisions, confidence, and ability to move forward.

How to Shift Your Focus and Move Forward

  1. Notice When You’re Reacting to the Past

If you’re feeling resistance, doubt, or emotional overwhelm, ask yourself: Am I responding to this situation, or am I reacting to something from my past? Identifying the source of your feelings helps you separate reality from old wounds. The simple act of noticing can break the cycle.

  1. Challenge the Narrative

If you’ve internalized a past failure, question it. If you’ve told yourself, “I’m not good at performing live” because of one bad show years ago, challenge that thought. Look for counter-evidence—performances that went well, people who love your music, times you bounced back. Challenge the old narrative with facts. Don’t let one moment define your entire journey.

  1. Ask: What’s True Right Now?

Instead of saying, “No one supports me,” look at who does. Instead of, “I never get opportunities,” ask yourself if you’re truly seeking them with fresh eyes or if past rejection has made you stop looking. Instead of assuming history will repeat itself, look at what’s actually happening today. Has your audience grown? Have you improved your craft? Are there new opportunities that weren’t available before? When you focus on now, you can make decisions based on reality rather than assumption.

  1. Shift from Proving to Building

Instead of trying to prove old critics wrong, ask yourself: What do I actually want to create? What kind of career do I want to build? When your focus is on making great music, connecting with fans, and growing, you put your energy into things that actually matter—rather than into battles that don’t. Every time you catch yourself defending yourself, proving something to someone who isn’t even watching, or letting fear from the past shape today’s decisions—pause. Ask yourself: Where does my energy actually need to go right now? That’s what deserves your focus.

  1. Trust Your Growth

You are not the same artist you were when those past experiences happened. You’ve learned, improved, and evolved. The challenges you face today require the version of you now—not the version of you from years ago.

The past can be a teacher, but it shouldn’t be a dictator. The only battle that matters is the one that’s shaping your future.

Tyler, The Creator’s journey with the Grammys.

For years, Tyler was seen as an outsider in the industry—his early music was dismissed as too controversial, and he was often overlooked for major awards. When his album IGOR won Best Rap Album at the Grammys in 2020, instead of celebrating fully, he voiced his frustration that his genre-bending music was still being boxed into “rap” rather than recognized more broadly.

In that moment, he was reacting not just to IGOR’s win, but to years of feeling like an industry underdog. However, instead of staying stuck in proving himself to critics, he shifted his focus to creating on his own terms. His next album, Call Me If You Get Lost, was a confident statement of artistic growth—one that earned him another Grammy win.

His journey shows that when artists focus on what they’re building rather than the battles of the past, they put themselves in a position to thrive.

What’s Holding You Back?

Now it’s your turn. “What’s one past experience that still shapes your decisions? Share it in the comments or write it down for yourself—then decide how you’re moving forward.” The battle ahead is the only one worth fighting.