Summary of "Having an Artist Existential Crisis? THIS is the WORST thing you can do..."

The video explores the emotional and psychological challenges artists face in the social media era, particularly the exhaustion and existential crisis caused by chasing engagement numbers and algorithmic approval. It highlights the common cycle of frustration, false hope, and burnout that many creators experience when trying to "crack the code" of social media success.

Key Concepts and Creative Processes Discussed:

Artist existential crisis in the age of social media:
- Feeling drained by fluctuating or declining engagement metrics.
- The mental struggle of convincing oneself that numbers don’t matter, while still relying on social media for livelihood.
- The fear of leaving social media due to social exclusion and loss of professional opportunities.
- Loss of intrinsic motivation and joy in creating art.
The illusion of action through information gathering:
- Searching for social media strategies, art business advice, and "secret" formulas often leads to confusion and wasted time.
- Researching and consuming advice feels like progress but is often procrastination or self-sabotage.
- Free advice is usually generic, overwhelming, and not tailored to individual needs.
- Desperation makes artists vulnerable to misleading or overly confident advice-givers.
Dealing with advice and social media strategies:
- Avoid generic, broad advice; focus on very specific, practical problems (e.g., setting up an online shop, shipping logistics, convention displays).
- Seek advice only from artists who have proven success in your exact field and goals (e.g., self-published comic artists if that is your path).
- Be cautious of advice from people whose business model depends on selling advice itself.
- Recognize that your attention and time are valuable commodities; avoid falling into the addictive loop of endless advice consumption.
Finding personal clarity and artistic direction:
- Before seeking business or social media advice, clarify what kind of art you truly want to make.
- Experiment with different mediums and styles to discover your genuine artistic passion.
- Building a career requires loving what you do deeply to withstand inevitable difficulties.
- Once you know your artistic direction, model your strategy after successful artists with similar paths.
Social media’s impact and coping strategies:
- Social media platforms increasingly require paid promotion for exposure, adding to frustration.
- The mental fatigue from chasing numbers affects all creators, regardless of follower count.
- Recognizing the cyclical nature of this struggle is the first step toward mental freedom.
- Faith in one’s art and story is a more sustainable source of motivation than chasing popularity or numbers.
- Meaningful engagement from a dedicated audience is more valuable than mass but shallow attention.
Practical advice for artists:
- Use portfolio websites (e.g., Squarespace) to showcase work professionally, independent of social media algorithms.
- Avoid burnout by rejecting unsustainable social media strategies that don’t fit your lifestyle.
- Prioritize your unique artistic voice over trends or shortcuts to popularity.

Bullet Points:

Recognize the emotional toll of social media on artists and the futility of chasing numbers.
Beware the trap of endless information gathering disguised as action.
Seek highly specific, practical advice tailored to your artistic niche and goals.
Verify the credibility and success of those giving advice, especially if they monetize it.
Clarify your artistic vision before attempting to monetize or grow your audience.
Experiment and build skills through genuine enjoyment and discovery.
Use portfolio websites to maintain professional presence outside social media.
Value meaningful audience engagement over superficial popularity.
Maintain faith in your art and personal story as your guiding light.

Featured Creator:

The video is created and narrated by an artist known as CosmiSpectrumArt (implied by the Squarespace promo link).
Sponsor: Squarespace (website hosting and portfolio platform).