The artist has to do what the artist does

In a sense, I try to not have hopes about what people think about me, about my work. I learned this performing on open stages and at coffeehouses.

In the early days I worried "Do they love me? Do they hate me? Am I good enough?" etc.

In time I figured out this didn't matter, it wasted my emotional energy, and it distracted me from doing my best work.

The artist has to do what the artist does.