neanderpaul wrote:^ for real! One thing against my professional success is that I care more about my opinion of my music more than anybody else's.
Don't know if that is 100% accurate.
It may feel that way, but it is less disproportionate than you may think. I have no doubt that you write and play primarily for your own enjoyment. Many artists, if not most, are like that. But you DO care about what other's think, or more accurately, you WANT other's to like your stuff too. Otherwise you wouldn't post it, or share it with friends, or ask for anyone's opinions.
Wanting to please yourself artistically, is not a crutch. Chances are, as is the case with you, it means finding more and more, musically, within yourself and it becoming unique and original as you express it.
The only reason that money could not follow your artistic successes, is that money is on the business side of music. And musicians in general are not good with the business end of things. We care about the art. We like creating. Contracts and door knocking are hassles. It's always good if we have someone that is competent in those areas, and who believes in us, to handle that side of things for us, leaving us to the creative side. Unfortunately, not everyone has someone like that, who is also trustworthy enough to keep our best interest first.
Most musicians want to be appreciated. It may not make or break whether we believe in ourselves, but generally, we all want that recognition and appreciation.
Music is an expression of what we feel inside, and any self-expression is generally more fulfilling when it is received well. A guy who goes out of his way to impress a love interest with a poem or some special gesture, is heartbroken when she makes light of the effort instead. He put himself out there on the line, and expressed his feelings, and they were rejected and not received well. Musicians are expressing something just as important, and just as personal, and we too are highly disappointed when our own offerings are not well received.