Selling Art, Not Selling Out

Tag: action

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi Quote Art

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Print available on Storenvy.

Everyone wants to live in a better world but have you done your part to make it better?

I am by no means better than anyone else. I am fallible to mistakes. I lose my temper. I don’t give as much as I can. Despite all of this, I am still trying to make the world a better place in my own way.

No, I’m not aspiring for world peace or trying to end world hunger, but I am trying to make my own dent in the world. Here are a few ways that I am trying to make a change in the world:

Inspiring Others

[bctt tweet=”The best way to inspire is by example”]

I have always found inspiration an interesting topic. We can’t force someone to be inspired. We can try to inspire people all we want, but I believe the best way to inspire is by example.

Even if you are in the beginning stages of your adventure, you are still farther along than others. If you can show people what is possible, you can become an inspiration to them.

Telling Positive Stories

Every day, we encounter people telling us how horrible the world is. The news mostly shows us the negative side of humanity. In my pursuit to help artists, I try to share the positive aspects of humanity.

I want to show people what is possible if you are dedicated to your craft. I want to show people that success is possible. I want to promote people who are making a difference in this world.

Sharing Knowledge

Knowledge is one of the most important things you can attain towards becoming a better artist, a better creative, and a better person. I am constantly on the quest to find new knowledge.

When you have knowledge, you can make better decisions. You can follow the footsteps of people who came before you , and you can also go off the beaten path.

[bctt tweet=”The more knowledgeable we all are, the better off we will be”]

That is why I want to share my knowledge with all of you. The more knowledgeable we all are, the better off we will be. It can be hard to make it on our own without seeking to become a more informed person.

Knowledge, however, isn’t all that is necessary to succeed in life. You must also take action.

Pushing People Into Action

What separates people who move up in life versus those who don’t? It’s not how smart you are, how attractive you are, or how loud you are. It’s taking the knowledge you have and putting it into action.

You can be smart, and still make nothing of your life. Attractiveness gives you a slight edge, but it can only take you so far. You can be the most vocal person around, but no one has to listen.

[bctt tweet=”It is only when you put your ideas into action that you can succeed”]

It is only when you put your ideas into action that you can succeed. That is why I try to push people into doing something.

If you are feeling stuck in your art practice or in your life, don’t sit around worrying about it. Do something about it.

[bctt tweet=”Taking action provides incredible results”]

Taking action provides incredible results. If I didn’t take action, I would use all my free time watching Netflix. Instead, I choose to take action and make progress on my goals. You should too.

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“Someday is not a day of the week.” – Denise Brennan-Nelson Quote Art

“Someday is not a day of the week.”- Denise Brennan-Nelson

Print available on Storenvy.

We all have excuses built into ourselves. I am as guilty of it as anyone. That excuse is thinking we can hold off on doing something. I’ll do it later, I’ll do it tomorrow, and the dreaded I’ll do it someday.

What would happen if we all decided someday was good enough? How many great inventions or pieces of art would we be missing out on?

Did Thomas Edison wait for someday to create an efficient light bulb, the phonograph, or electricity?

Did Steve Jobs wait for someday to revolutionize the world with the iPhone or the iPad?

Did George Lucas wait for someday to create one the most influential movies of all time in Star Wars?

[bctt tweet=”We love to give ourselves the excuse of someday, but someday may never come”]

We love to give ourselves the excuse of someday, but someday may never come. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Our lives can be gone in an instant.

I’m not saying this to be morbid. I’m saying this so you’ll get off your ass and do that thing you’ve been waiting to do.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t let your beautiful idea rot away locked up inside you”]

Would you happy with yourself if you left this world without giving it the gift of your work? As artists, we have something beautiful to offer the world. Don’t let your beautiful idea rot away locked up inside you.

[bctt tweet=”Get started today. Not tomorrow, not next week, not someday. Today.”]

Don’t wait for someday. What is the smallest action you can take towards letting that idea free? Release the shackles of uncertainty and doubt. Get started today. Not tomorrow, not next week, not someday. Today.

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Picture by Unsplash

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats Quote Art

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats

Print available on Storenvy.

For a long time, I believed in the myth of sudden and instantaneous inspiration. I believed that an apple would hit me while sitting under a tree. I believed that lightning would strike my key while flying a kite in a storm. I believed that a tiny lightbulb would appear above my head when I had an insight.

The biggest myth about creativity is that you will have these moments of clarity. That you don’t have to do any work for inspiration to strike. That you just have to wait for the muse to descend upon you.

[bctt tweet=”If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.”]

What I’ve learned through a lot of reading, some interviews, and a lot of effort is inspiration doesn’t work like that. If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.

Creativity is a muscle, just like any other muscle. You must put it to use or it will atrophy. If you want to be creative, you must follow the stages of creativity.

According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, creativity comes in four basic stages.

Preparation

In order to come up with new solutions, you have to first learn a lot about the subject you are tackling. This is the information gathering stage.

Incubation

Then, you must walk away. This is the stage many people neglect. They pour over the problem until they can’t think anymore. But, you must let your mind wander if you want it to come up with a creative solution.

Illumination

This is the spark of inspiration many of us have been looking for. It is that moment when all those ideas you were exploring come together and finally make sense.

Verification

Most people will stop once they have that eureka moment, but creativity doesn’t end there. Your idea must be put into action. Anyone can have a good idea, but true creativity is harnessing your ideas and putting them to use.

[bctt tweet=”Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action”]

Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action. They want the benefits of success without the work required to achieve it. Luckily for you, you now know better.

[bctt tweet=”If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work”]

If you want good ideas to come to you, you must seek them. If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work.

Taking action is the only way to make your dreams come true. Don’t wait around for someone or something to give you an opportunity. Make your own opportunities.

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Photo by TiBine

Photo by Unsplash

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” – Paulo Coelho Quote Art

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” – Paulo Coelho

Print available on Storenvy.

As creatives, we are often thought of as dreamers. We dream of our art being “discovered”. We dream of people clamoring over our work. We dream of a life where we can just create.

The thing is, we are dreamers, but often times, we are not doers.

A little over a year ago, I was a dreamer too. I dreamed that I could help artists get exposure for their work. I dreamed that I could help artists in the subject they are most uncomfortable: marketing. I dreamed that I could have my own podcast and share my thoughts with the world.

I am no longer just a dreamer. I am a doer too. Instead of letting my dreams die, I took action on them. That is the only reason you are reading this. Without action, I would be like many creatives, dreaming my life away.

[bctt tweet=”Dreams will get you nowhere without action”]

There is nothing wrong with being a dreamer. In fact, I would argue it is absolutely essential for artists to be dreamers. The problem is, you can’t just be a dreamer. Dreams will get you nowhere without action.

The only thing that separates those who succeed from those who don’t is taking action and not giving up. When I embarked on this adventure, I didn’t have everything planned out.

Often times we want a perfect blueprint of what we should be doing and when we should be doing it. We want someone to tell us exactly what to do without figuring it out for ourselves.

[bctt tweet=”The path to success is not linear. Nothing is ever perfect”]

I’ll tell you this, the path to success is not linear. Nothing is ever perfect. If you have been waiting for the perfect formula to bring you success, you will be waiting a very long time.

And that’s a good thing. If life were a formula you could just follow, it would quickly become dull. Life is about the journey, not the destination.

I’ve talked to many creatives and one commonality they all have is their unconventional paths. No one told them what to do. They discovered it on their own.

When we are children, we think the adults have it figured out. We think there is this magical switch that turns on and we’ll know exactly what to do. If you haven’t figured it out yet, that switch doesn’t exist.

[bctt tweet=”If you have a dream, there is only one thing left to do: take action”]

If you have a dream, there is only one thing left to do: take action. Instead of hoping your dreams will come true, make them come true.

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Photo by Flickr user pslee999

Cracking Creativity Episode 21: Mark McClung on Taking Action, Finding Your Passion, and Leveraging Side Projects

Mark McClung is the creator of My Daily Mark, a blog dedicated to helping people, especially high school students, take action in their lives. In this episode Mark talks about the lessons he has learned, why you need to find your passion, and leveraging projects to your advantage.

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Cracking Creativity Episode 14: Tyler Bel on Building Relationships, Being of Service, and Taking Action

Tyler Bel is the founder and vision director of There is No Sky. Through There is No Sky Tyler helps empower people and shows companies how they can enrich the world. In this episode Tyler breaks down what you need to do to build good relationships, how you should be of service to others, and why you need to take action.

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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!