TURN YOUR TALENTS INTO CASH:
3 PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN THE ARTS
Strategies for Success in the Arts
Article by Pamela C Wills
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #29
To be successful in the arts, you have to treat your talents like your treasure.
YOUR TALENT IS YOUR WEALTH. YOUR CREATIVITY HAS VALUE.
Uncomfortable reading that? Time for an attitude adjustment, my friend. Your attitude about your value as an Artist and what you create has everything to do with how much BANK you make.
The Starving Artist Myth...
Too many artists believe the tired myth that art is more legit when created by poor people. FYI: This crazy idea was popularized mid-19th century by French poet Henri Murger, who made some extra cash with his novel, Scènes de la vie bohème about a bunch of poor artists in Paris. The book was wildly popular; suddenly, starving artists were trendy.
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 150+ years.
To make matters worse, too many artists still believe that poverty and suffering contribute to superior art.
That’s just BULLFEATHERS!
Artists, we MUST let the starving artist myth DIE. Financial bankruptcy does NOT make us artistically superior. Access to deep emotions combined with strong talents make 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.
Ditch that myth with three strategies I’ve proven to create success in the arts:
1 :: Learn to believe in your Artist self.
- This first step is crucial. You MUST believe in your talent to make a living from it! To get your big break and succeed, your very first step towards busting the starving artist syndrome is to OWN your talents! Every business owner must believe in what they’re selling and you’re no exception.
- Start calling yourself an Artist – whether songwriter, designer, sculptor, choreographer, actor or other creative pro – say I AM! Own your Artist self and you’ll be on your way.
- Fear, doubt and worry are like the Bermuda Triangle of life. They affect your bottom line profoundly. To escape the trap, realize that fear is just a word and let it go. Eject doubt from your mind. Be ruthless with worry; show it the hand.
- Forget about Plan B. Go for the gold! Without compelling belief in yourself and your work, you’ll spin your wheels forever. Fear, doubt and worry kill dreams – let them go and watch yourself soar.
2 :: Quit badmouthing yourself and your money.
- Ditch your negative money story. Negativity affects your ability to make money in profound ways. Give yourself permission to make money. Releasing negative money blocks creates essential shifts in how you make bank – and how much.
- To delete the starving artist from your psyche, lock the door on negativity. Positivity and high self-esteem are KEY to unlocking your desires.
- Stop the negative chatter in your mind. Negative self-talk is incredibly damaging to your self-esteem and therefore, your bank account. When you continually tell yourself you're no good, eventually you believe it! That is exactly how the myth perpetuates itself.
- Ever heard the story of how Jim Carrey carried a check in his wallet for $1 million that he wrote to himself while he hustled for years to get his big acting break? Legend says 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 action to get yourself and your work noticed. Otherwise, you’ll never get your big break. Every accomplishment builds your confidence, your reputation and sales!
- Get organized about running your business. If you keep treating it like a hobby, everyone else will, too.
- Promoting yourself and your work is essential to success. Always be 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 quite like you do. Remember, your talent is your treasure!
- Get help. It’s almost impossible to make it in any business without help. Work with someone more experienced than you are to achieve your goals and turn your talents into cash!
Tremendous joy results from earning your living from doing something you’d happily do for free. Not many become celebrity movie stars or bestselling authors. However, if you follow your passions and talents, you give yourself the very best chance to grow into the most successful Artist you can be. Standing up for your inner Artist also lets you spend more days doing what you love and earning more money doing it.
It’s a Sign is a compilation of self-improvement articles written by entrepreneurs seeking to bring holistic solutions to everyday problems. Read more articles from this feature.
Revolution Ringleader Pamela C Wills is a choreographer/writer with a passion for business who teaches multitalented creatives how to turn talents into cash. Her Get Your Big Break! program dives into three strategies to level up your creative success. Want to make money in the arts? Don’t just dabble in your art, download your FREE report, "Turn Your Talents into Cash: 10 Simple Steps" at www.PamelaCWills.com and start calling YOUR shots today!