Having clarity is an essential element to creating our dream practice. It becomes the why that spurs us to success. It does not have to be overly detailed – my original dream was 8 clients a week and a workshop every few months, but I was totally committed to making that happen. Yes, I needed it to pay the rent but I also wanted it so I could share the work I was so passionate about. And I didn’t want to waste all the fabulous training I had taken part in. It felt such a shame not to do something with all that I had learnt. Those ‘why’s’ spurred me forward many times when I might have rather given up.
Our why’s not only spur us on, they also open doors that we could never dream of. Mine certainly have taken me on a fabulous and unexpected journey. There is no good or bad vision for our work. And it doesn’t matter if all we have is a vague idea or if we are blessed with an inspired and crystallised vision. We just need to have something with enough solidity, enough ‘why’, to help us keep on keeping on when it all starts feeling too much for our practice to succeed.
I received an email recently from Artist Louise Fletcher’s excellent newsletter that I thought so applicable to our heart-centred work that I immediately shared it with with my business mentees. I thought you may enjoy it as well. I am sharing it as a complete excerpt as I could not have put it better (just insert ‘practitioner’ or ‘consultant’ or ‘therapist for ‘artist’ and your work for the art references).
” …This incident (artists flustered by wondering if they should market or not) reminded me that, when we don’t know our why, we get blown about by every wind that comes. And on the flip side, not knowing our why means that we can let ourselves off the hook and do nothing.
So what do I mean by your “why”? In this case, I simply mean why you are making art (or dreaming of it). Why do you want to do this? What does it give you? What do you want to get out of it?
If you could design your ideal artist life, what would it look like? This of course brings up all sorts of questions: do you want/need to make a living from your art? If so, how much do you need to earn? Do you want it to remain a gentle hobby? If so, how much time would you like to carve out for it? And what will you make? Tiny delicate miniatures? Large bold abstracts? Something in between?
You find your purpose as an artist by following what feels good to you, not by looking at what others do or want. If you choose to work as a hobby artist because your life is filled with other passions, that is your artist purpose. If you choose to work a non-art job so that so you are free to paint whatever you want, that is your why. And if that doesn’t feel like much of a reason to create, consider how little we know of the ‘why’ of things. You have no idea what might ripple out from your decision to ‘do you.‘ … “
Louise Fletcher recently made the switch to becoming a successful full time artist after digging into her why and following what emerged. What practice success might your why bring to you?
******** This was written with the intention of helping you to live your best life.I would love to hear your thoughts on this, And if you think someone else would enjoy it please feel free to share it around.*********
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Our why’s not only spur us on, they also open doors that we could never dream of. Mine certainly have taken me on a fabulous and unexpected journey. There is no good or bad vision for our work. And it keep on keeping on when it all starts feeling too much for our practice to succeed.