It’s easy to get discouraged as an artist by measuring success against external factors such as sales, recognition, or a certain type of studio.
As artists, we have the power to envision and create what we want for our future. I encourage you to envision a more personal and holistic view of success that considers everything from the place you live, to the way you work, and the community you want to have. By placing our intentions front and center, success becomes more about the creative life that we build for ourselves.
What’s YOUR personal idea of success?
I’ve created a downloadable worksheet to explore some of the questions raised in the video above. Use it to help you brainstorm your vision of success. I highly encourage you to spend some daydreaming time, thinking and journaling on your ideal scenarios. You may enjoy doing this with a trusted friend and sharing you ideas with each other.
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Why do you make art? How did you get started? Is this a new passion or one longstanding? What got you “hooked”? What’s important to you about making art?
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Who do you want in your community? Who is the audience for your art? Do you prefer to work alone or surrounded by others?
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What kind of opportunities do you want to have? What kind of impact do you want your work to have? What does making art do for you physically? Mentally? Spiritually?
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Where do you want to live? Where do you want to make art? What kind of environment suits your needs?
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What time of day do you work best? Do you prefer concentrated periods of work with deadlines and breaks in between or do you prefer to work the same amount each week? How many hours each day, week or month do you ideally work?
