Validation as a creative: what does it mean?

I read an interesting article on The Atlantic this morning about how many of us use the "Scarcity tactic" of using social yardsticks to measure our success. Are we getting paid more than our peers? Are we receiving more awards, more acclaim, more positive reviews?

Obviously that tactic is toxic: it uses scarcity as a measuring stick for success, with the mindset that only a few can be successful - and yet, we do it all the time.

Friend and fellow musician Justin Capps and I were talking about this recently, about how he's always truly and genuinely enthusiastic for other musicians' successes. Justin is a better person than me, because I frequently succumb to the Green Eyed Monster. I get jealous when I see my peers succeed, and I beat myself up about it. Why aren't I receiving recognition?



Last week, I got a very enthusiastic email from Listening to Ladies (Follow them on Facebook and Twitter, they are awesome). They really liked my piece Fractal (above) that I wrote over a year ago, and said that I was going to be featured.

Just got an email from @ListenToLadies that my piece "Fractal" will be featured tomorrow and it was so nice I'm actually crying at my desk.

— Angelina Panozzo (@AngelinaPanozzo) April 22, 2016

I started talking to Justin about how overwhelmed I was, when it struck me:

No one has ever complimented my compositions before (who wasn't a friend or family member). No one. Zip. Zilch. Not even my teachers in university (in fact, one told me my music was boring and "fatiguing to listen to"). So for a total stranger to find merit in my work was unbelievable.

So while I agree with the sentiment that we should aim for an "abundance-oriented approach" that focuses on realizing that there is room for everyone's creativity, it helps to have a little bit of reassurance that we aren't just spending hours, weeks, months (years) on something that no one except your college bff's dad (hi Randy) and your parents (and probably spouse) listen to.

With that in mind, can we all try to be a little more vocal about how awesome we think each other are? This isn't just about me, it's about all of us. Support your friends.

(And on that note, click here to visit Justin's site because he's an amazing lyricist and is writing some seriously awesome tracks lately.)