How Do I Know If I’m on the Right Path as an Artist?

Every independent musician faces this question at some point in their journey.

Whether you’re a solo bedroom producer, a gigging band, or a DJ building your sound, the uncertainty can be overwhelming.

Without traditional industry gatekeepers to validate your progress, how do you know if you’re actually moving forward?

The truth is, there’s no single answer to “how do I know if I’m on the right path as an artist?” But there are tangible signs that can help you assess whether you’re heading in a direction that serves both your artistry and your goals.

The most fundamental indicator of progress is the quality of your work itself.

Listen to what you created six months ago, then a year ago, then two years ago.

If you can hear genuine improvement in your songwriting, production skills, performance ability, or sonic identity, you’re growing.

This growth doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of consistent practice, experimentation, and dedication to your craft.

Sometimes we’re too close to our own work to judge it objectively. If you’re consistently getting positive feedback from other musicians whose opinions you respect, or if collaborators are seeking you out more frequently, these are external validations of your improving skills.

As an independent artist, connecting directly with listeners is everything. You don’t need massive numbers to know you’re on the right path. What matters is whether you’re gradually building a community of people who genuinely care about your music.

Are people showing up to your shows, even if it’s just a handful at first? Are your streaming numbers slowly but steadily growing? Do you have fans who engage with your social media posts, share your tracks, or tell their friends about you? Are people buying your music, merchandise, or tickets without you having to constantly beg for support?

Quality matters more than quantity here. Ten people who actively support your work are worth more than a thousand passive listeners. READ THAT AGAIN.

If you’re finding those real fans, even if growth feels slow, you’re heading in the right direction.

How do you know if you’re on the right path as an artist?

Check in with your sustainability.

Can you maintain your current creative pace without burning out?

Have you found ways to fund your music that don’t leave you completely drained?

Whether that’s through Bandcamp sales, Patreon supporters, sync licensing opportunities, teaching music, or a day job that leaves you with enough energy to create, the path you’re on should be one you can actually walk.

Many independent artists struggle with the myth that you need to suffer for your art or work yourself to exhaustion.

The reality is that sustainable creativity requires balance. If you’ve found a rhythm that allows you to keep making music without destroying your mental health or finances, that’s a sign you’re building something real.

Being a DIY artist means wearing multiple hats.

You don’t need to be an expert at everything, but you should be gradually developing skills beyond just making music.

• Are you learning how to promote yourself effectively?
• Do you understand the basics of music distribution, copyright, and how to collect royalties?
• Have you figured out how to run your social media in a way that feels authentic rather than exhausting?

The independent path requires you to become comfortable with the business aspects of music.

If you’re making progress in understanding these areas (even if it feels slow) you’re equipping yourself with the tools you need for long-term success.

This might be the most important sign of all.

Despite the challenges, the slow growth, the financial uncertainty, and the constant hustle, do you still get excited about making music?

When you sit down with your instrument, open your DAW, or step on stage, does it still feel meaningful?

The right path doesn’t mean everything is easy or that you never doubt yourself.

But it does mean that underneath the struggle, there’s still a fundamental love for what you do.

If you’re still finding joy in the creative process itself—not just the fantasy of success—you’re probably exactly where you need to be.

Here’s something crucial to understand when asking “how do I know if I’m on the right path as an artist?”

Progress rarely looks like a straight line upward.

You’ll have months where everything clicks and momentum builds, followed by periods where it feels like you’re moving backward.

Shows will go badly. Releases will underperform. You’ll question everything.

These plateaus and setbacks don’t mean you’re on the wrong path. They’re part of every artist’s journey. What matters is the overall trajectory over years, not months.

Are you further along than you were a year ago? Two years ago? If yes, you’re moving forward.

Independent musicians who thrive often develop complementary skills that enhance their main artistic practice.

• Maybe you’re a producer who’s learning to DJ, which opens up performance opportunities
• Perhaps you’re a guitarist who’s started recording other artists, which builds your network and brings in income
• Or you’re a songwriter who’s beginning to score music for podcasts and videos

These adjacent skills aren’t distractions from your path: they’re part of building a sustainable creative life.

If you’re naturally expanding your capabilities in ways that support your music career, you’re adapting and growing.

The independent music community thrives on collaboration and mutual support.

1. Are you connecting with other artists, producers, engineers, photographers, videographers, and music fans?
2. Are you finding opportunities to collaborate, play shows together, or support each other’s work?

A growing network doesn’t just mean more Instagram followers. It means real relationships with people in the music community.

These connections often lead to opportunities, creative partnerships, and the kind of support system that makes the independent path possible.

Perhaps the most mature sign that you’re on the right path is that you’re no longer measuring yourself against traditional markers of music industry success.

You’ve stopped obsessing over viral moments, playlist placements, or arbitrary follower counts. Instead, you’ve developed your own definition of what success means for you.

• Maybe it’s being able to play 50 shows a year.
• Maybe it’s having a core group of 100 supporters on Patreon.
• Maybe it’s releasing an album you’re genuinely proud of once a year.
• Maybe it’s just being able to make music consistently without giving it up.

These personal definitions of success are often more meaningful and achievable than chasing someone else’s version of “making it.”

How do you know if you’re on the right path as an artist?

Ultimately, it comes down to a combination of measurable progress and internal conviction.

If your skills are improving, you’re finding your audience (however small), you’ve created sustainability, and you still love making music, you’re exactly where you need to be.

The independent path is harder in many ways than traditional routes, but it’s also more honest.

• Every fan you gain has chosen to support you directly.
• Every skill you develop is one you’ll carry throughout your career.
• Every small victory is entirely yours.

Stop waiting for external validation to tell you you’re legitimate. Trust your growth, trust your process, and keep creating.

The right path isn’t about arriving at a destination—it’s about building a creative life that you can sustain and enjoy for the long haul.

Subscribe to my weekly guidance