So, here’s one of the hardest things to accept as an artist: my most popular work is not my most profitable work, and my most treasured work is not my most popular work.
It’s hard to balance being an artist and making a living as an artist. Imposter syndrome aside, even with confidence, sometimes the ideal clients just aren’t to be found. So, where’s all this pressure coming from? It’s the need to be valued and thrive in our work. To do this, we feel we must obtain three things—
1. Fulfillment: expressing ourselves wholeheartedly in our craft
2. Worth: being valued in our niche community
3. Security: making a profitable living through our craft to further our work.
Like many of you, I first dipped my toe in photography because I was looking for a safe place to express myself. I found a lot of fulfillment there and so began the dreams of making this hobby into a career. Since then, I’ve been on a rollercoaster journey of discovering my style, overcoming hardships, and learning the business of it all.
So, what now? How did I find balance?
To be real. I don’t have a recipe for success, but I do have some easy to follow tips if you’re willing to take the time and not scoff at a simple solution.
First. Figure out where the balance is off.
*Draw a circle and divide it into three sections labeled “fulfillment”, “worth”, and “security”. Reflect and make a dot in each section according to how you feel in that category. Connect the dots. You might notice that your shape looks like a little lopsided—that’s okay. That’s where your growth is.
If you’ve been booking clients like crazy, make it a priority to do a personal project. What’s been on your mind lately? What inspires you in this season of life? Grab a pen and start brainstorming!
Maybe you are satisfied with your work in general, but you feel unappreciated. Take time to write out 5 things you excel at and 3 things you want to work on. Then, hop online and find new artists within your niche and give them a nice compliment. Admiration is contagious—especially when it’s expressed with an intentional heart.
Maybe you are satisfied with your work in general, but you feel unappreciated. Take time to write out 5 things you excel at and 3 things you want to work on. Then, hop online and find new artists within your niche and give them a nice compliment. Admiration is contagious—especially when it’s expressed with an intentional heart.
Or maybe, you’re just not where you want to be from a business standpoint. Do not get overwhelmed. It’s a day-by-day process of finding your entrepreneurial flow. Seek outside resources like youtube or self-made entrepreneurs like Jenna Kutcher (Goal Digger). Listen to a podcast while you tackle that email list or update your website.
I say this a lot, but life ebb-and-flows and the best thing we can do for ourselves as human beings and artists is constantly check-in with ourselves~
Cheers.
***I originally came across this method from Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way which uses it as a way to find balance in life in general.
