Your success can be measured as an average of those closest to you.

As you strive for more success you may find that some in your circle will prop you up and encourage your endeavors and some will try to bring you down.  They will do this sometimes consciously, sometimes not.

Let’s face it, most people do not possess the focus and courage required to be an entrepreneurial artist and your desires and new behavior can make them uncomfortable.

Based on my personal experience, my ambitions and successes intimidated some in my circle, made others jealous, yet inspired the rest.   Because of this I was faced with two difficult choices.  I could accept their negativity or release them.

I realized that while embarking on an ambitious life-changing goal I could not afford to be influenced by negativity.  So I fired some and I minded what I shared with others.

This is a difficult realization.  But I was more committed to my success and well being than I was committed to accepting the negativity of others.

And eventually those in my circle whom I fired were replaced by much more positive, successful, and like minded people.

As my artist clients determine their focus and experience success they are in a delicate state.  They want, and they deserve, encouragement and support.

But they find that some in their circle, friends and family, not only don’t offer this but they bring them down.

Life is short.  Accept or let go of those in your circle who do not support you and trade up.

Successful and positive people hang around with successful and positive people.

Recently I was coaching an artist who remarked that some of the insights that she was gaining during our sessions reminded her of some of the shifts that have occurred for her with her 12-step program.

I said, “Cool. Maybe I should write a 12 step program for Artists Who THRIVE?”  She said, “You should!” I replied, “I can and I will!”  So here it is:

1. Don’t believe everything you think.  When a negative thought enters your brain investigate it logically and ask: “Is this really true?  What real evidence do I have?  Is this just fear talking again?”
2. Have faith.  Focus on the possibilities not the problems.  When problems come up, focus on the solutions.
3. Challenge conventional thinking. Take risks.
4. Maintain a clear positive vision of what you want,  feel it, then act.  And remember that optimistic people get more done, they are more successful, and better to be around.
5. Commit.  If you’re interested, you’ll do what’s convenient.  If you’re committed, you’ll do whatever it takes.  Freedom is born of discipline.
6. Have a plan or your life with fall into other people’s plans. Break your vision down into very specific SMART goals.
7. You can’t manage time, only your priorities.  Before you go to bed, write down six things that you are going to do the following day towards meeting your SMART goal, in order of their priority.  Wake up and do your very best to complete each thing, in order, until it’s done.
8. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with others who also believe in you.
9. Think each day about what you will give, not what you will get.  It’s not about you.  Your compensation is a reflection of the value you offer.
10. Accept that you are responsible for your successes and failures. Celebrate your successes.
11. Embrace your inevitable failures.  They are your greatest teachers.
12. Be yourself. Develop your unique voice and lead.  Successful artists are leaders.
13. Warren Buffett was asked, “What is the best investment you can make?” His reply, “Invest in yourself.”  So invest in yourself, you’re worth it. (bonus step)

In this moment you are just where you are supposed to be.  Now act, even with fear and uncertainty.  Start small. Make a commitment to yourself and keep it.  Build on that.

I have a coaching client whose expertise is watercolor.  In fact she’s earned several awards and she loves it.  But her sales declined in recent years and she thought that she should change her medium to oils.  This is a medium that she has little experience with and that she struggles with.

It’s a bit like a piano player, who’s not getting any gigs, thinking that it would be better to switch to guitar because some rock and roll guitar players make big money.  Or a fashion designer thinking that they should covert their summer line of dresses from linen to silk, because they think that they could charge more for silk dresses.

Scarcity can spur some skewed thinking.  The value art does not come from the medium it comes from the unique value to a specific market.

What’s the “unique value” of this artist’s expression?  She is a 70-year-old woman who has survived many challenges in life, including managing Lupus on a daily basis.  She has many stories to tell that could inspire and teach life lessons.  “I’m 70 years old!” she said regretfully.  “Great! Flip it.”  I replied.  “Your  age is an asset that could offer wisdom and perspective.  You have stories to tell and a depth of human experience to express through your art.”

A marketing strategy that could benefit her is forming strategic alliances with the community which serves the cause of Lupus.  Cause marketing is an effective way to penetrate the luxury market.  What if portions of the sales proceeds supported a Lupus organization? What if she shared information and inspiration online each day about how she is overcoming Lupus?  Do you think she’d build a platform?  Yes!  And this strategy could benefit her business and actually her own health.

I encouraged her to embrace her medium and her wisdom so that she can lead and inspire by sharing her unique stories and watercolors. Then her paintings are not just more watercolors in a saturated market, no pun intended, but objects of inspiration.

Successful artists don’t follow the herd.  They express their remarkable and unique selves and they lead.

I have experience coaching and consulting with artists, from across the globe on their business and their marketing.  And what I have been struck by is the number one determining factor of their success.

And that success factor, hands down, is their attitude.  Of course their artistic training, their talent, their marketing strategy, are vital factors but they are just the basic cooking ingredients. They are the chef that needs to cook the recipe.

And despite the fact that my artist clients have hired me specifically to coach and consult with them on growing their businesses, for some of them, we spend a LOT of time on examining and adjusting their attitude.

Despite inevitable setbacks, those artists who maintain a positive attitude are the ones that I have witnessed reach success with more ease and in less time.

If you’re reading the Artists Who THRIVE it is most likely because you want to grow your art business.  If that is so, then what is your attitude? You know, most of the time?  What do you believe about yourself? About your work?  About selling your work?

Don’t underestimate the importance of this question.  Be honest.  The truth will set you free.  And the truth is the first place to start when you want to make a change.

What are you doing to manage your attitude? Do you meditate?  Exercise? Do you have focus?  Do you have a well thought out plan to reach your market?  Do you know who your market is?

Steering your attitude is a discipline and it’s a choice.  What choice do you make each day?