There are two things every artist must bring to the table if they truly want to bring their dreams to life: one is obvious – genuinely great music. The other should be just as obvious, but is often overlooked amongst the non-stop barrage of artist “to-do” lists – a deep, resolute belief in yourself what you’re doing. But really, the former can only exist if the latter already exists. Great music is a byproduct of a great mindset.
If your head isn’t in the right place, all the marketing hacks and tricks in the world won’t help a lick. You can rack up Spotify streams, go viral on TikTok, and still end up spinning your wheels for months, even years, if your heart and mind aren’t aligned. Because at the end of the day, success isn’t just about getting heard; it’s about surviving the trenches, absorbing the inevitable and essential lessons, and emerging mentally and spiritually ready for what comes when people finally do listen.
I know this because my brother and I – aka Lexicon – lived it firsthand.
We’ve had our music synced in over 50 major movies and TV shows. Our music was consistently played on college radio stations across the nation, back when that actually meant something. We opened for Eminem a month before “My Name Is” hit MTV. We toured the U.S, Canada and western Europe extensively. We haven’t released a new song in 15 years, yet our back catalog still maintains over 20,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
We’ve also met with every major label and management company on the planet, with all sorts of hope and promise being dangled in front of us, only to find that none of the potential opportunities ever truly opened up the pathway to success we were looking for.
Why do I mention all of these things?
Because my own career with Lexicon is a perfect case study in both the power—and the limitations—of mindset.
When we started, our belief in ourselves was unshakable. We had no industry connections, no label backing, no money for big studio time. But we had conviction. We physically handed out our tapes. We built relationships with DJs and bookers. We willed our music into existence, using our surprisingly good rap skills and charming personalities to claim our place at the table. Our deep belief in ourselves provided a path for two middle class white kids who simply just loved hip-hop music and culture to become acclaimed, respected rap artists who still have an impact today, 25 years after their first release.
But here’s the flip side—our mindset also held us back.
Even when the opportunities got bigger, we carried limiting beliefs that kept us from breaking into the mainstream. Things like internalizing our failures too deeply, allowing setbacks to halt our momentum. Missing opportunities because we were holding on too tightly to certain thoughts or ideas, and not going with the flow. We also didn’t always operate from a place of pure creative alignment—sometimes we were thinking too much about others opinions and external expectations, instead of just doing what felt right. Even though we craved more, deep down I think we were just “happy to be there,” which ultimately limited our ability to grow into the type of artist that experiences success at the highest levels.
Clearly, our level of success directly reflected our level of alignment. We thrived when we were clear in our purpose. We stalled when we let doubt, frustration, or external noise take over.
And that’s why I’m sharing this now—because I see so many artists today making the same mistakes.
How can you apply all this to your career?
1. Detach from the Outcome
•If you define success by a specific number of streams or social media likes, you’re setting yourself up for misery.
•Instead, focus on impact over numbers. Are people DMing you about how your music made them feel? Are new fans showing up in your comments? That’s what matters.
2. Stop Comparing, Start Creating
•You will never win by trying to follow someone else’s blueprint. Algorithms change. Trends fade. But originality lasts.
•Think about why your favorite artists stuck with you—was it because they followed trends? Or because they had something unique that couldn’t be ignored?
3. Treat Promotion Like Art
•If social media feels like a chore, you’re doing it wrong.
•Instead of forcing yourself into a rigid “marketing strategy,” make your promo an extension of your creative self.
4. Strengthen Your Inner Core
•Some of the most talented artists I know self-sabotaged their careers because they were mentally unprepared for the journey.
•The industry is unpredictable. One day you’re on a high, the next you’re questioning everything. That’s why you need an internal foundation stronger than any external validation.
•Meditation, visualization, self-awareness—all of these are as important as making music.
Putting this all together:
If you want to survive—really thrive—in music, you need two things:
1. A strong mindset.
2. Great music that results from that strong mindset.
Everything else—PR, playlisting, social media strategy—is secondary. They’re extremely important, but they won’t save you if your foundation is shaky.
I’ve seen both sides. I’ve experienced the highs of musical success and the moments where I knew we had the talent but weren’t fully aligned. And because of that, I know exactly what it takes to build something that lasts.
So, if you’re ready to go beyond the basic tips and actually build something meaningful, let’s chat. Drop a comment, shoot me a DM, or check out centpourcent.us and send me an email. I can help you develop the right mindset, and ultimately the right music. And if you already have great music, let’s make sure it gets heard without losing your soul in the process.
Create with intent. Move with purpose.