Selling Art, Not Selling Out

Author: Kevin Chung (Page 16 of 21)

“Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else.” – Judy Garland Quote Art

“Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else.” – Judy Garland

Print available on Society6.

How often do you compare yourself to others?

If you are like most people, it happens far too often. We can’t help but notice how well they are all doing. These thoughts frequently flood our minds: “She has so many followers.” “Why does his work get so much attention?” “Why can’t I be like them?”

I am here to tell you this does you no good. Comparing yourself to others will not help you get further in life or with your art. It only creates envy and jealousy.

[bctt tweet=”You can’t replicate your way to success”]

When you constantly compare yourself to others, you will try imitating your way to success. “It worked for them, why wouldn’t it work for me?” I hate to break it to you but you can’t replicate your way to success, nor should you try to.

[bctt tweet=”Stop trying to be another version of someone else”]

Stop trying to be another version of someone else. Become a better version of yourself instead.

How do you do this?

By Choosing Yourself. What does it mean to choose yourself? It means following what James Altucher calls the “daily practice”, which is being physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

When most people think of being healthy, they only think of physical health. But physical health is not enough. Every part of you must work in conjuction to be truly healthy.

When you follow the daily practice, your best self will shine through. Things will start coming together in mysterious ways. Your body will feel great, you will have strong relationships, your mind will work better than ever, and you will be at peace with your life.

When you choose yourself and stop trying to be like everyone else, you become a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else.

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Photo by tanjila ahmed

 

Cracking Creativity Episode 10: David Villalva on Storytelling, the Formula for Best-Selling Novels, and Being Persistant

David Villalva is the creator of Story & Craft, a site dedicated to teaching storytelling formulas used in bestselling novels. In this episode, David talks about his storytelling blueprint, continuing to write after receiving devastating feedback, and why you should have a support system for your craft.

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“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars.” – Jack Kerouac Quote Art

“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars.” – Jack Kerouac

Print available on Society6.

At some point in our lives we all feel a sense of dread. The one that sneaks up on you like a thief in the night. The one that makes you realize that life is short. It’s a feeling of being trapped.

You are trapped by your job, social status, or relationships. It is dubbed the mid-life or even quarter-life crisis.

[bctt tweet=”Go out and explore the world.”]

I for one think this is a flawed way to view life. We are only on Earth for a short amount of time, why spend your time worrying? Instead, go out and explore the world.

The world is too big of a place to to feel trapped. There are so many things to do. So many places to discover.

I’ve made it my mission in life to travel as much as possible. I’ve visited places far and wide, from cities in my home state of Florida to cities as far as Tokyo, Japan. In each one I’ve discovered something that shows me the wonders of life.

When you travel, you get to experience cultures far different from the one that you’re used to. You meet people who have different values and customs, but you also realize how much we all have in common.

The world has so much to offer us. Why constrain yourself to the world you know? Take that stroll under the stars.

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Photo by Zach Dischner

Cracking Creativity Episode 9: Crista Cloutier on The Working Artist, How to Build Relationships with Your Audience, and the Mindset Changes Necessary for Artists to Succeed

Crista Cloutier was a former art director at Segura Studio as well as the owner of her own art gallery. During her time there, she learned sales and how to build deep, lasting relationships with artists. She has now turned that knowledge into her own online art workshops as The Working Artist. In this episode, Crista shares an unbelievable amount of knowledge including how to build relationships with your audience, how she successfully funded her Indiegogo campaign, and the mindset changes necessary to succeed as an artist.

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Why Artists Should Listen to the Fizzle Show Podcast

The Fizzle Show is one of the best podcasts around. Even with all the other podcasts I have lined up, it is a must listen every week.

As an artist, I find it especially helpful. In my experience, artists cringe when thinking of their art as a business, but that’s exactly what artists need to become: businesses. That’s why I recommend The Fizzle Show to any artist who wants to make a living from their art. The show doesn’t cater to artists in particular, but the lessons artists can learn from the show are invaluable.

Here are ten reasons artists should listen to the the Fizzle Show:

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“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney Quote Art

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

Print available on Society6.

Everyone has regrets in life. There is always something we could have done. Something we should have taken action on.

One great thing about the internet is you find so much inspiration online. Pinterest and Tumblr provide endless fashion inspiration for the masses. The only problem is, many times, the images you find have no attribution. I thought I had the solution for this problem.

I started my last site Who Designed It years ago. My idea was, people could send in images of the outfits they saw online that had no attribution. Then the community on the site could help them find where to buy it or something similar to it.

I told many people about my grand visions for the site. I thought it was going to revolutionize the way people shopped online.

The only problem was, I didn’t take action on it. Instead of building the product I envisioned in my mind, I turned it into a blog. I was going to build up a readership, then introduce them to my new idea when the time was right. Then, a few years later, I saw that someone created the vision I had imagined years before. I was too late.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t let fear get in the way of doing something great.”]

I’m not telling you this so you can feel sorry for me. I’m telling you this because I learned a big lesson from this experience. If you have a vision you believe in, don’t just talk about it. Do it. Don’t let fear get in the way of doing something great.

I don’t know if my idea would have failed or succeeded, but at least I would have taken the chance. Don’t let fear get in the way of getting started. Quit talking and begin doing.

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Have a quote that inspires you? Leave it in the comments and you might see it as an art piece!

Why You Should Listen to The School of Greatness from Lewis Howes

Who inspires you?

That’s not a rhetorical question. I want you to think about it. If you can’t think of anyone who inspires you to accomplish great things, you need to start looking. You need people in your life who can help you get over the hump, people who light a fire under you.

For me, one of those inspiring people is Lewis Howes. If you are new to the online world of entrepreneurship you may not know his name, but he inspires thousands of people every day. Lewis has built a multi-million dollar business from scratch, he speaks around the world, and he has advised billion dollar brands.

It hasn’t always been this way. When he was younger Lewis played professional football, until injuries cut his career short. He found himself broken, living on his sister’s couch.

It was in that pivotal moment of life that Lewis decided to make a change. Instead of continuing to wallow in self-pity, he decided to embark on his next stage in life.

He learned about business, marketing, and adding value to influential people. He sought mentorship from those he admired. He began his own events teaching people about the power of LinkedIn. He mastered the art of webinars so he could reach a broader audience. He started his own podcast, The School of Greatness, and his own mastermind, the School of Greatness Academy.

Instead of giving up and settling for less, Lewis took control of his life. He pivoted when life was not going his way.

For those of you interested in Lewis Howe’s story, I can’t recommend his The School of Greatness Podcast enough. It is one of the few shows where I enjoy every episode I listen to. Below are some of the reasons to listen to the School of Greatness:

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“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn Quote Art

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

Print available on Society6.

Life is a lot like surfing.

The ocean provides an endless number of waves. No matter what you do, there is no way to stop them from coming. They are a fixture of the Earth as much as the ground we walk on and the air we breathe.

Much like the waves of the ocean, life constantly throws obstacles at you. No matter how many you overcome, another will take its place. There’s no point in trying to stop them. Instead we should embrace them.

Surfing allows you to ride the waves as they come. Each one is a new challenge waiting to be conquered. Each one provides a new thrill. Instead of letting the waves push you around, you learn to surf.

The same is true with obstacles in your life. Instead of complaining about them and letting them defeat you, learn to overcome them. How can you view the obstacle as a wave to be conquered? How can you turn that new obstacle into a thrill?

[bctt tweet=”Obstacles provide the perfect opportunity to learn and grow. “]

Obstacles provide the perfect opportunity to learn and grow. So use that to your advantage.

Don’t let the waves crash down on you. Take your surfboard out onto the waters and ride those waves.

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Photo by Flickr user stf-o

Cracking Creativity Episode 7: Christina Salerno on Living Quirky, Finding Yourself, Connecting with Others, and Being Creative

Christina Salerno is the founder of Living Quirky, a site where people can discover and celebrate what makes us extraordinary. In this episode, Christina talks about finding her purpose in life, how we can connect with others, and things we can do to be more creative.

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