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Chapter
2: Five Tools for Success
Below are five tools to help you move forward with your
projects and careers on a consistent basis. They will help you to weather
the stormy seasons and skillfully navigate into calmer waters.
Attitude: The first
step in acquiring a positive attitude is to quiet your inner critic.
You know - the one who jumps out of bed, goes downstairs and has a cup
of coffee while reading the morning paper, before you even get up. That's
right. Your inner critic loves to take charge and be the leader. And
you know where it leads! The way to dispel this nasty little fellow
is to drop all judgment.
Judgment carries a host of self-sabotaging critters
with it. The blame-game arises from it. Outwardly: "If only my parents
had nurtured my creativity, I'd be successful by now." Inwardly: "I
should have acquired my MFA - that would have made the difference."
Another guilt-producing character trait stemming from
judgment is comparing yourself to others. This is SIDS (Suddenly I'm
Dysfunctional Syndrome ) for adult artists. The minute you begin to
compare yourself, your talent and your work with others you have given
your inner critic center stage. Not a good place for he or she to be.
In order to latch on to a positive attitude, you must
weed out your negative emotions and beliefs. Whether you're dealing
with a creative block at the canvas or a negative belief that is subconsciously
blocking your good, when you let go of judgment of yourself and others
it opens the front door to greater fluidity as your inner critic is
sent flying out the back door. Now lock it!
Imagination: Would
there be art without the ability to imagine? Open up your mind to be
free to imagine more in all areas of your life. See the blank canvas
as your life. Now imagine what you will fill it with. What will you
create? Your mind is very powerful and can be used to create at a conscious
level.
There is a story of a young man who spent the night 4
in an old farmhouse. He awakened in the middle of the night gasping
for air. In the dark he made his way to a window he could not open.
In desperation he sailed his fist through it, shattering the glass and
then took gulps of fresh air. He went back to bed and slept soundly.
Early the next morning he saw that all the windows were
intact. As he surveyed the room, a solitary bookcase with glass doors
came into view. He saw the pane of one door was shattered. His belief
in the moment became his reality.
Achieving goals involves the act of imagination. When
setting goals most of us use the pragmatic left side of the brain. Once
the goal is determined, the process to reach the goal involves the creative
right side of the brain. Use your passion to bring your goals to life.
Feel the excitement of opening night at the gallery. Envision yourself
shaking hands with prospective buyers. Look across the room and see
the word "sold" on several of your paintings. Let your imagine be the
bridge to your reality.
Focus: When I
teach marketing workshops, I ask my students to write a statement of
intention for their business. Not a mission statement, which is often
altruistic, but a clear and focused statement stating the purpose and
conscious intention for their business.
Becoming clear regarding the intention for your business
will help you to stay focused and resolute and keep you on track in
all your business under- takings. It is easy in business to become scattered
and overloaded. Your statement of intent will pull you back to the original
purpose for your business. It will act as your anchor to keep you grounded
and prevent you from becoming sidetracked and unnecessarily swayed by
emotions, fear and crises.
Every successful CEO, athletic and general businessperson,
knows the value of developing the skill of focusing. Meditation, which
is an excellent tool to use to become focused, is gaining momentum in
the public eye because of the beneficial results from doing it. No longer
is it cast to the side as an esoteric practice, but it is honored as
a proven method of reducing stress, clearing away mental clutter, improving
time management, and opening up the mind to greater creativity.
Don't be intimidated by the word meditation. It simply
a means to slow down, become quiet and listen. Are you wondering what
your next step is regarding your career? Shh…..quiet….listen. Now trust
it!
Mentors: However,
when you're having trouble trusting your inner guidance and you're shaking
in your boots wondering which way to turn, find a mentor - an experienced
and trusted advisor. Someone who has walked a little farther down the
road than you have. Books, articles, seminars are helpful, but nothing
takes the place of another person with whom you can bounce around questions
and concerns.
Or when you know your next step, yet you are terrified
to pick up the phone and cold call an agent, a gallery or public venue
- talk with a mentor. Artists need support systems. Find a person whom
you respect and trust. Find a person who will hold your hand at times
and give you a good swift kick when needed. That's called discernment,
which is being able to access a situation and intuitively handle it.
A good mentor will help you to become accountable and
give you the courage needed to take difficult steps. And when you need
to "turn yourself in" for not showing up, not making the call or not
spending time needed on your craft, he or she will be there.
How do you find a mentor? Research, seek out and ask.
Teachers, counselors, coaches and other artists are out there. If it
feels to difficult to seek out a mentor remember the saying, "When the
student is ready, the teacher appears."
Boldness: It's
associated with assertiveness, confidence and forthrightness. But don't
let it fool you. You can be shy and bold simultaneously. A young student
of mine used to sit strategically behind another student, which blocked
her from my view. She was quiet and unassuming, yet her artwork was
inventive and powerful. Although there were certainly far bolder personalities
in the class- room, she was the only one with the courage to place her
work in a public show.
Boldness is taking the next step. It asks that you stretch
beyond your comfort zone and build muscle in your weakest areas. It
is an act of boldness to become visible and remain visible. You do not
need to change your personality, dress or mannerisms. No need to be
loud and flashy, unless that's your style. Remember, a skilled diver
rarely makes a splash.
There is boldness in the person who navigates from a
positive core belief, which remains unmoved by outer circumstances and
ultimately carries them to success in all they do. Let that person be
you.
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