Oct. 28, 2025

Why Artists Stay in Unstable Systems (Even When It Hurts)

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Show Notes

You play the gig. You get the praise.
Then silence.
You send the pitch. No reply.
Then—out of nowhere—a playlist bite.

Enough to keep you hooked. Not enough to feel whole.

This episode is about a subtle but powerful loop most artists find themselves in without even realizing it:

**Intermittent reinforcement**—a reward system rooted in the nervous system, mirrored in the music industry, and normalized in relationships, rehearsal rooms, and even digital platforms.

In this solo episode, I explore:

– What intermittent reinforcement actually is (beyond pop psych)
– How it shows up in artist careers through gigs, praise, playlists, and power dynamics
– Why our nervous systems get addicted to “maybe”
– How scenes like *Whiplash* aren’t just cinema—they’re memory
– And what a healthier, rhythm-based alternative could look like

This one’s personal. For every artist who’s confused their grind for devotion.

For every creator who's stayed too long because something *almost* happened once.

📖 Read the full blog post (with academic references):

👉 https://holisticmusicianacademy.com/blog/artists-and-intermittent-reinforcement

🎓 Explore coaching + courses for independent artists:

👉 holisticmusicianacademy.com

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🧭 Work with me:
→ C.I.A.R. self-paced course:

https://holisticmusicianacademy.com/page/ciar

→ HMA group coaching & 1:1 mentorships

https://holisticmusicianacademy.com/page/coaching

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→ holisticmusicianacademy.com/newsletter