Life may be easier if you are not striving to make a living from your art.

But if you have true artistic talent and it is your calling then you just have to go for it.

And if you want to be rewarded for your art financially then you will have to learn, and you must maintain, an entrepreneurial mindset.

Success is a head game.

Steep highs and lows are part of any worthy journey. Despite inevitable obsticals you must keep the faith and keep moving forward.

An artist approached me after my last seminar, Profitable Marketing Savvy for Creatives.

Although she was thankful for the new strategies she had learned, I could tell that she was reaching out for encouragement.  My instincts told me that what she needs is to do is to meditate daily.

Why?  So that she can better tune into and trust the voice that creates, not the one that destroys.

There is constant chatter of scarcity and limit around the economics of being a full time artist.

Tune in to that negativity and you will be sucked into an ugly vortex of impossible.

Stand guard at the gate of your mind.

1.    Visualize the success you want, see it, feel it, smell it

2.    Define clear goals to get yourself there

3.    Be flexible and role with the inevitable punches, there are valuable lessons inside each blow

4.    Celebrate and enjoy each success, large or small

You can only tune into the creative voice with a clear mind, internal chatter fogs the signal.

Daily meditation embeds the skill of discipline required for success in business and in art.

If you don’t currently meditate, just start by sitting for only two minutes a day.

Establishing a daily practice of meditation at first seemed daunting to me.  “I’m so busy!”  Please.  That’s the voice of destruction.

Here’s what I told myself.

I have an electronic toothbrush.  It brushes for two minutes.  I figured since I care enough for my teeth to brush them for two minutes a day, twice a day, then I can at least devote two minutes once or twice a day to care for my mind.

“They’re a sell out!” Have you heard this?  First of all what does “selling out” really mean?  Secondly, who usually levels this criticism?

My experience is that it’s most often unsuccessful artists who are green eyed with envy and whose work is not selling.

Selling art is a business.  In fact, it’s big business. So by definition, sales are part of it.

If you are uncomfortable with sales, you’re not alone.  But you’ll need to get over it. And you can by simply educating yourself and getting some experienced guidance.

Otherwise you have two options:

1. Don’t sell your work.
2. Get in a long line to find a number of decent reps.  You’ll need more than one to thrive.
My definition of “selling out” is knowingly compromising your creative integrity.  But everyone’s values are different.

What’s your definition of creative integrity?

I’ll share an example of my own.  I can’t count how many times its been suggested that I take up the enterprise of painting famed golf courses.

This is a target market with passionate and wealthy enthusiasts so I can appreciate the suggestion.

The problem is that I couldn’t care less about golf.  It bores me to tears.  I don’t play golf, I don’t identify with the culture, and these folks are just not my tribe.

Although I’m quite sure I could find inspiration in some of Arnold Palmer’s groomed greens, I’m just not going there.  Potential profit or not.

We all possess free will.  If you don’t want to do something, you don’t have to. If others sell work you wouldn’t, God bless ‘em.

My advice.  Mind your own business.  That’s what really matters.

Many creatives who are right brain dominant experience ease at shaping ideas but experience much angst at execution.  Their follow-through can be a bit lacking.

But it is not that creatives are not capable of delivering the goods, it’s just that they have to be more deliberate in their focus.

The way to gain clear focus is not that tough.

1.   Define a single SMART goal

2.   Layout an action plan

3.   Maintain and revise an action plan

What’s an action plan? It’s a road map to get you from where you are today to where you want to go, within whatever time frame you define.

How do we do this?

a. The first step is to consider all of the “milestones” that you’ll have to meet along the way.  Think big picture of baking a cake.

1.   Decide what kind of cake you want.

2.   Gather the ingredients.

4.   Prepare the ingredients.

b. Then define the “action steps” that you will have to take in order to meet each “milestone,” for example.

4. Prepare the ingredients. (milestone)
1.   Get the right size cake pan.

2.   Measure the ingredients.

3.   Mix and stir the ingredients.

c. With each action step ask yourself, “Can I get help with this?” That is called a resource.

d. After you have built the framework for your action plan you can start to estimate how long it is going to take to complete each action step.

e. Add up that time and you have an estimate for how long it will take to complete each milestone.

Our tendency is to underestimate how long each step is going to take.

When we do this we don’t reach our goals when we want to, we get discouraged, and then we abandon our goal.

Avoid disappointment.  Make your best time estimate for each step, then double it.

With clear written focus, reaching your SMART goal will be easier and faster.

We all know that being a successful artist requires a very deep confidence and conviction.  And this can be hard to muster.

Because this conviction is hard to come by, artists long to be acknowledged by an established authority, they seek permission to be an artist.

Artists may seek permission from authorities like galleries, critics, record labels, or mentors.

But here’s the thing.  Deep down you know.  You know if you are really an artist and if you have something to say.

You cannot actually be whatever you want.  You can only be who you really are.

So this begs the question.

1. Are you an artist?
2. The next question is, have you given yourself permission to be an artist? Only you can give yourself permission to express who you are, no one else.

If you are really an artist how do you give yourself permission to be who you are? You give yourself permission to be an artist by deciding to commit to it.

How do you commit to being an artist? Your commitment is a direct reflection of the ways you devote your limited time and energy.

When I was working full time and painting on the side I had to clear away time and energy wasters.  That meant that I had to give up time watching too much TV or Internet.  And I had to stop hanging out with complainers or naysayers.

Why?  Because your success and happiness is an average of the people who you spend the majority of your time.

You do not need anyone’s permission but your own to be an artist.

If you do not have true talent or discipline, call it a day and call your art a hobby.  There is no shame in that.

If you know deep down that being an artist is your life’s path, then give yourself permission to be an artist.

Then decide if you want to be paid for being an artist.

Why? Because if you want to get paid for being an artist then you will have to give yourself permission to be an entrepreneur.

And I can tell you from experience, generally, the establishment will not give you permission to be an entrepreneur.  They don’t want you to take a piece of their action. And who can blame them.

Recently I’ve been receiving a number of very personal emails from Artists Who THRIVE readers who are struggling with depression, anxiety, and or a disability.

I am not a life coach, nor am I a therapist, so I’m in no position to offer council on these matters.

It’s clear that some of these frustrated artists believe that selling their art will give them some significant relief from their personal pain.

I have great compassion for theses artists because I too suffered from anxiety and depression years ago.

Although I’m not a life coach, I do speak from credible experience when I say that launching a business, an extraordinarily competitive art business, is not the place these folks should start.

Why? Because running a competitive business, particularly when you have no, or little, relevant experience, is at times extraordinarily trying.  Ask any entrepreneur.

So if you find yourself in an emotional, physiological, or physically compromised condition, then launching a competitive art business is not your priority.

I’m open enough to share that I have invested thousands of dollars and energy in therapy, workshops, and coaching to ready my mind and my resolve before I launched my enterprise.

Some of my personal work was useless and some of it was fantastic.  But the cumulative investment in myself put me in a place where I could succeed in business, despite the odds.

Running a business is not a sprint; it is a very long sweaty marathon.

You need to train, build muscle, and up your discipline before you can run this kind of race.  And you’ll need a clear head, emotional fortitude, and last but not least, support.

This is a race that is filled with rejection, cash flow challenges, and serious competition, just to name a few hurdles.

If you have read press that makes my journey look easy, let me disabuse you of that notion.  It was, and at times it still is, very challenging.

So as I often remark, “Don’t put the cart before the horse.”

And listen to Warren Buffet, “The best investment you can make is in yourself.”

Last Saturday I was attending my monthly meeting of the National Speaker’s Association.

One of my colleagues delivered an awkward and nervous presentation.

It seems that she attempted to memorize her speech and it was peppered with catch phrases that she used to help her pretend some confidence.

We gave her supportive and gentle feedback because we want her to succeed.

What I offered her is that she should draw upon her expertise, let go of executing a perfect delivery by memorizing, and simply “trust herself.”

As I reflect on this moment, I realize that artists must also trust themselves.

Many of the artists that I coach and consult with from across the globe are really wrestling with confidence and it has them chasing their tails.

One phenomena born of this lack of trust is many artists are believing that they need to create two different types of work.

1. One body of work that is based on some vague and assumed notion of its marketability.
2. the other body of work is the one that they create for themselves, the real art.

This is backwards.

I’m known for my contemporary landscape paintings but I have done a number of contemporary still life paintings.  I can’t tell you how many artists will remark, “So, your still life paintings, they are your real art?”  “Ah, no.  All of the paintings I create are my “real art.”

Here’s the right order:

1. First an artist must perfect his or her craft
2. Find his or her unique voice expressed in a singular body of work
3. Then find his or her tribe/market

Artists are thought leaders.  That’s why we are always the first to be killed or commissioned during a revolution.

Being a creative demands confidence in delivering a message, making a statement, igniting a thought, and that requires two things of artists.

1. Artists must be vulnerable.
2. Artists must trust themselves.

The wise words of Bob Dylan tell us “If you need somebody you can trust, trust yourself.”

I strive to hang with artists and entrepreneurs who are playing a bigger and better game than me.

One of the very best decisions I made was to form an advisory board to help me build my company.

My decision was inspired by a very successful artist during an informational interview I had with him over lunch.

This artist runs a multimillion dollar operation. He has beautiful and inspired public and private mixed media and glass installations throughout the world.  And now he sits on my company’s advisory board.

I’m a big believer in conducting “informational interviews” where you simply ask someone to lunch, coffee, or chat over the phone to learn about their success.

I have done this with several successful artists and entrepreneurs over the years. And each person has generously shared their mistakes, lessons, the source of their inspiration, and their path to success.

Now it’s your turn.  Think of several successful artists and or entrepreneurs that you admire.

You may know them, you may not.  Who cares!  If you don’t know them, then write them a letter and ask politely for a brief interview about their successes.

It’s worth it.  You may find yourself some mentors too.

Avoid email.  Email works best for exchanging information if you already have contact with someone.  Because typically we are inundated with email on a daily basis, it’s just too easy to dismiss.
Get at least three people to grant you an informational interview.

If you are not sure what to ask during the information interviews then I recommend the following questions.

1.    How and when did you decide to become a professional artist?
2.    What are the three most important qualities that you believe a successful artist must possess?
3.    Did you have a mentor or an important influence in your life?
4.    What was the biggest mistake you made and how did you learn from it?
5.    If you had to start at the beginning and do it over again what would you do differently?
6.    What were the three smartest moves you made?
7.    What is the single most important piece of advice that you think I should take?
8.    Is there anyone else you think that I should speak to?

Make sure that you keep your karma straight and your reputation glowing:
•  Show up on time
•  End on time
•  Listen carefully and take notes
•  Send a hand written thank you note promptly

Asking is free. If they say no then you are no worse off. We have to respect that successful people are busy.

So if they decline your request, don’t take it personally. Just ask the next person and keep going until you have interviewed three or more.

Heads up.  Because I recommend information interviews I get requests for them all the time. Unless you are a member of the official media, I do charge for this.

So I invite you to book a Monday phone consultation at ArtistsWhoTHRIVE.com or you are welcome to post specific questions here and I’ll answer them at no charge.

As I sat with my friend and author Jonathan Fields over lunch last December in Manhattan we discussed the topic of taking full responsibility for your own success and turning your fear into fuel, the subject of his latest book, Uncertainty, a must read.

As we were discussing our coaching and consulting with creatives we both said, almost in unison, “Most people just don’t want to do what it’s going take to succeed.”

Think that you’re going to be discovered?  Think again. It’s just not going to happen. No one is coming to save you, to discover you, or to make you successful.

You’re going to get breaks now and again but there is no formula that doesn’t involve hard work as the main ingredient.

I know you know this, but too many artists maintain an unconscious yearning to be discovered. And who wouldn’t want this to happen? But you might win the lottery jackpot too.

I believe that as long as you harbor this conscious or unconscious desire you will not direct your full attention towards what is really within your control.

The place you can start to take control is to understand that to be a thriving artist you are also a savvy entrepreneur.  Unless you a commercial artist or you are teaching there is not a JOB for you to have.

Being an artist, in the broad sense of the word, is also being an entrepreneur.  And not only is this not taught in art school, it is actually regarded as an appalling notion.

This disdain for business is an emotional response born out of a dark undermining denial of the economic reality art students will each have to face.

Media exposure is indeed helpful and it can help catapult you towards success but only if you have the systems in place to leverage your platform and the products to provide you with revenue streams.

When I met with famed chef Michael Chiarello company’s VP, he quoted Michael’s formula for success, content + community = revenue.  Brilliant!

I know of a few New York Times best selling authors who were regulars on national television and because they saw themselves only as artists/authors and not entrepreneurs they are struggling financially and their enthusiasm and creativity is compromised.

Of course you must first craft your talent and find your voice as an artist but then it’s all business.

Are you struggling with the business side of art?

I recently posed a question on the Artist Who THRIVE Facebook page, “What is the biggest specific challenge you have in making a living as an artist?”

One post responded, not exactly specific but well worth addressing, “embracing and implementing the business/hustle aspect.”

Since business is indeed a struggle for so many creatives, I asked myself, “Why don’t I struggle with the business side of art?”

There’s a few reasons I don’t struggle the same way:

• Embracing the business side of art it is simply necessary.

I embrace the business side of art because it is simply necessary making a living as a painter for past five years while paying for the cost of living in San Francisco.

• There is so much freedom in running my own business!

Although I’m capable of employment, a JOB is the last thing I want.

Why don’t I want a JOB?  Because there is so much freedom in running my own business!  I love shaping my own brand, learning how to sell, charting my own path.

• Selling art is fun and it’s a challenge.

I really think this is fun and it’s clearly a challenge.

It’s no accident that I’m in San Francisco, a place buzzing with hip entrepreneurial innovation.

Make no mistake, my learning curve has been steep.  I did not attend business school. And although I worked in the private sector, I do not have business experience that supports an entrepreneurial path.

I guess I embrace the business side of my enterprise as much as I do painting because I find them both a very creative life long challenges and I just want it so damn bad.

Ask yourself.

• How bad do you want it?  Are you willing to educate yourself about business and marketing, step by step?

• Do you surround yourself with others who are positive, striving, and successful in business?

• If not, might these be the reasons you are struggling with the business side of art?