Originally published at the Artspan Blog.
At the risk of getting philosophical two days in a row, I’m going to claim that the New Year demands a little philosophy and quote from Dostoyevsky:
“The second half of a man’s life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half.”
What is the difference between two artists of equal potential who have very unequal levels of success?
Simply put: their daily habits. Their habits make up their days, and their days make up their lives.
We want to think bigger at the New Year, to wow ourselves with grand visions, and I am all for the energy that grand visions excite.
But most New Year’s resolutions die out by the end of the month, swept up in the overwhelming force of our long-ingrained habits.
So, if you are having trouble incorporating your art career dreams into your routine, why not start simple? Think of one small thing you can do every day just for a couple minutes to start moving your art career forward. Make it something that you enjoy, that won’t take long, that you can do EVERY DAY, and will become a habit.
Here are some ideas:
- Post online: a new photo, a new art description, a short blog post, a shared link at Facebook, a shared video on youtube.
- Find a new place to share a link to your website: explore your niche online and leave a comment at an art blog, art websites, art directories, your email signature, social networking sites, social bookmarking sites, or a link swap with a colleague.
- Buy an art marketing book and read a couple pages. Keep it by your nightstand. I recommend Art Marketing 101, Selling Art Without Galleries, and Internet for Artists 101 (they mention Artspan, which of course we like.)
- Clean up a little. Clear out one unnecessary, unused, unloved thing from your studio or workspace every day. Start to organize your work environment and keep it free of clutter. This can be almost alchemic for your state of mind and confidence.
- Talk to someone about your art: a friend, acquaintance, the barista at your favorite cafe, your boyfriend, your wife, your art instructor, your students, your dog.
- Read the Artspan Blog: A shameless plug? Ah, but self-promotion is exactly the sort of thing you should do more of this year. Plus, we write a new post every day of the work week. And just to spread the love, here are some other great sites that bring you new content on a regular basis: Art News Blog
Art Biz Blog
Art ID Marketing Blog
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