To be successful in the arts, you must treat your talents as your treasure.
YOUR TALENT IS YOUR WEALTH. YOUR CREATIVITY HAS VALUE.
Do you feel uncomfortable reading that? It’s time for an attitude adjustment, my friend. Your attitude about your value as an Artist and what you create has a lot to do with how much BANK you make.
The myth of the starving artist…
Too many artists believe the hackneyed myth that art is most legitimate when it’s created by the poor. FYI: This crazy idea was popularized in the mid-19th century by the French poet Henri Murger, who made some extra cash with his novel Scènes de la vie bohème about a group of poor artists in Paris. The book was very popular; suddenly, starving artists were all the rage.
But that was almost two centuries ago!!! Before running water, sliced bread and the Internet! Perversely, we’ve been dragging that tired old myth behind us like a gigantic ball and chain for over 150 years.
To make matters worse, too many artists still believe that poverty and suffering contribute to high art.
That’s just BULL FEATHERS!
Artists, we MUST let the myth of the starving artist DIE. Financial bankruptcy does NOT make us artistically superior. Access to deep emotions combined with strong talents make for great art. Poverty and suffering distract us from creating. Financial solvency provides a solid foundation from which to do more of what we love and the peace to do it spectacularly.
Dispel that myth with three strategies I’ve tried to create success in the arts:
1: Learn to believe in your Artist self.
This first step is critical. You MUST believe in your talent to make a living from it! To get your big break and succeed, your first step in ending Hungry Artist Syndrome is to OWN your talents! All business owners must believe in what they are selling and you are no exception.
Start calling yourself an artist, whether you are a composer, designer, sculptor, choreographer, actor, or other creative professional, say I AM! Own your own artist and you’ll be on your way.
Fear, doubt, and worry are like the Bermuda Triangle of life. They profoundly affect your bottom line. To escape the trap, realize that fear is just a word and let it go. Banish doubt from your mind. Be ruthless with worry; show him your hand
Forget Plan B. Go for the gold! Without a compelling belief in yourself and your work, you will spin your wheels forever. Fear, doubt and worry kill dreams, let them go and watch yourself fly.
2: Stop talking bad about yourself and your money.
Get rid of your negative story about money. Negativity affects your ability to earn money in profound ways. Give yourself permission to earn money. The release of negative money blocks creates essential changes in how the bank does, and how much.
To remove the starving artist from your psyche, close the door on negativity. Positivity and high self-esteem are KEY to unlocking your desires.
Stop the negative talk in your mind. Negative self-talk is incredibly damaging to your self-esteem, and therefore your bank account. When you continually tell yourself that you’re no good, you eventually believe it! This is exactly how the myth is perpetuated.
Ever heard the story of how Jim Carrey carried a check in his wallet for $1 million that he wrote to himself while struggling for years to get his big acting break? Legend has it that he looked at it regularly and believed in the reality of it. Guess what? It worked.
3: Take action and create your plan for success.
Take daily steps to get yourself and your work noticed. Otherwise, you’ll never get your big break. Every achievement builds your confidence, your reputation and your sales!
Get organized to run your business. If you keep treating it like a hobby, everyone else will too.
Promoting yourself and your work is essential to success. Always do marketing!
Protect your vision, also known as your BRAND. Even if you think other artists have already done what you do, keep going! No one else can do your thing like you do. Remember, your talent is your treasure!
Get help. It is almost impossible to succeed in any business without help. Work with someone with more experience than you to achieve your goals and turn your talents into cash!
Tremendous joy comes from making a living doing something you would happily do for free. Not many become celebrity movie stars or best-selling authors. However, if you follow your passions and talents, you will have the best chance of becoming the most successful artist you can be. Championing your inner Artist also allows you to spend more days doing what you love and earn more money doing it.