A wise mentor told me that 80% of success is showing up. What does that mean? That’s my lesson for today and I also will give you something that can help you surpass that voice in your head.
I usually plan my week ahead and I have blocked out 5 hours a day to work on a painting or to practice myself. However, yes there is always a however. So… However, this doesn’t mean I always start painting or sketching in the morning. Meetings come in between, or I procrastinate, or I like to be outside walking in the sun. Yes, that happens to me too.
But here is the thing.
When you look at people who are really successful at what they do, you see that they show up, even if they do not want to. I follow my artist pal Kelli Folsom and she keeps growing, keeps working on her art and her art business. She doesn’t know, but I see her as my art business mentor. (And btw her book on Still Life is awesome).
Whilst studying music, it was kind of a way of bragging by students who were seen as great, telling that they hardly studied. I can tell you that that is not true, because it still is, as always was, it is the practice that makes the master. Showing up means, practising daily whether you like it or not.
Recently I watched a short video about the most renowned portrait painter in the UK Andrew Festing (OMG he really is something else). He said he always told youngsters who said they wanted to become a painter to never ever do it. When they do anyway, they apparently show enough passion and the willingness to learn and grow. I don’t know if that’s the best way to inspire, although it sometimes works, especially with those who have a growth mindset. You can’t stop them if you wanted. Those with a fixed mindset will drop off, hence that 90% dropped off.
He said that being an artist is hard work, it is, as he said, a 9 to 5 job. Many think that being an artist is having fun, with your arms in the air being free, sleeping in, doing a bit of work, sitting in the pub and talking about what you are going to do, to end up going home drunk and never have done anything. That, my dear readers, is not the life of an artist, especially not when you take yourself seriously and also want to have an art business.
Nevertheless, we all have moments we procrastinate and it makes starting even more difficult sometimes. That nagging voice in your head tells you it is best not to, tells you you can’t or whatever. But let me tell you one thing, just look at those who are really successful in what they do, who follow their hearts and do the work, and also get the rewards for their hard work. Those who keep listening to the voices in their head, circle around and do not come anywhere.
Another thing I talked about in the previous episode was the relativity of talent. Also, art is not just a God-given artistic ability. Just like any other topic, it is the effort you have to put in. I hear you, what to do when that voice kicks in? From my dear mentor Dr Libby Kamkeran I learned to surpass this with the following. Stand in front of the mirror, put one hand on your heart and the other on your solar plexus, look into your eyes and say: Thank you for bringing me here, I love you and forgive you.
This helps a lot because you are not the voice in your head at all. Meaning that procrastinating is kind of that fear of starting and somewhere in your head you are afraid it either will not work, or you can’t etc. One thing though, the past is gone, the future hasn’t happened yet and you are in the now. Perfectionism does not exist and you really need to love the journey. Practising something you think you can’t do is teaching you that at one point you find out you actually can.
If the voice in your head tells you that you can’t learn how to paint or draw a self-portrait, it is lying. In addition to what I learned from Dr Libby, I added the following: Looking into my eye(s) I have this conversation:
The voice in my head says – Nah, you can’t
I say: Yes I can
The voice in my head says – stop changing me
I say: I won’t I am in charge
The voice in my head says – won’t work
I say: It already does work
The voice in my head says – I don’t want that change
I say: I will do it anyway
The voice in my head says – I don’t love you
I say: I love You, with my whole heart and I will keep growing. Thank You For Sharing, the voice in my head!
I have just one thing to add. You are never ready and I am a forever student of my own art practice. That is how I continue to grow, and so can you.
My question to you is: What is Your voice telling You? Let me know in the comments.