🎨8 Principles for Artists: building resilience and creative success
read time 8.3 minutes
Welcome!
This chilly weather put me in a creative mood.
The crisp, snowy sky is an open invitation for a peaty scotch, art sessions by candlelight, and journaling my dreams.
How was your week, my creative friend?
Codie Sanchez recently inspired me. She teaches business principles —> and is hard-core about them, too.
She knows smart people and is a driven entrepreneur herself.
She mentioned how millionaires she’s spoken with all have similar principles.
Those 8 principles are my inspiration for today’s letter.
8 powerful principles for artists in a solo business
Decide- act quickly
The compound effect- habits create results
Loyalty- have ownership
Staying true- your reputation matters
Integrity- follow through on promises
Life learner- be intentional with who you're around
North Star- no distractions, no small talk
Faith- keep going when it gets hard
ACT QUICKLY
(I don’t mean unwisely.)
But, those moments of opportunity come and go.
For example, when someone reaches out to learn more about what you do, respond in a timely manner (say, within 24 hours). That’s better than waiting 4-5 days. By then their excitement and attention dwindles.
Besides taking action, Codie takes chances, too.
When we take a chance, we get 1 of 3 things.
We either grow, gain, or grind. (all can be good for us)
GROW: we build a wider knowledge base
GAIN: we stack skills, money, momentum, trust
GRIND: we find out what not to do
Good judgment + self-efficacy = being able to make a quick decision
HABITS
✔️the atmosphere we’re in matters
✔️our attitude matters
✔️our vision matters
Remember that this is your lifestyle.
It’s how you live, move, think, and enjoy the present moments.
And those moments arise because of the habits that shape us.
Therefore…
A peaceful mind = relaxing creative time
Setting measurable goals = ability to track progress
Consistent networking = compounding opportunities
Harnessing the power of good habits (mind, body, and spirit) creates the life, lifestyle, and results we want.
These compound.
OWNERSHIP
Ownership takes work and care.
It’s growing assets. Being our boss. And not just with physical things.
Investing in our education is ownership.
Putting time into a healthy relationship is loyalty and ownership.
Making art from the heart is ownership.
Emotions of love, care, and goodwill play a part.
We are loyal to what we’ve invested.
(That’s the power of a brand)
REPUTATION
We all know it matters.
And a good reputation is such a lovely thing to witness. But, I want to share an experience of the opposite.
When I worked to set up art shows and exhibitions, nothing was more disappointing than an artist’s reputation crumbling; when we found out they were neither respectable nor ethical. In most cases, the power of merely being recognized got to their heads.
I witnessed semi-famous artists treat “hourly wage workers” with contempt. I heard them speak rudely to volunteers. And I felt the sadness of people —who were once fans— realizing their hero was not a hero.
These artists I encountered (and thankfully there were only a few like this) lost their good reputations because the tiniest bit of fame altered their character.
Reputation is not necessarily only about being good at making art. It’s also how people speak about us when we’re not around.
Even with excellent artwork, being a terrible person overshadows it.
FOLLOW-THROUGH
It’s an underrated skill, but to segue from the last topic, it’s part of a good reputation.
Here’s my suggestions about follow-though (a lot of this I learned the hard way):
promise small. deliver big.
communicate often.
set tiny goals to reach the big ones.
don’t overbook the calendar.
create clear deadlines, dates, and action items.
This is a trait that makes collaborations beautiful!
INTENTIONALITY WITH WHO WE’RE AROUND
(I wrote about this in a recent LinkedIn post)
Growth isn’t accidental.
The same goes for our art businesses.
We need mentors. Allies. People who inspire us to grow. And we’re responsible for putting ourselves in their circles.
So what do we do?
➡️ Respectfully follow them online.
➡️ Absorb their insights from podcasts, newsletters, or books.
➡️ Reach out consistently and authentically when there’s an opportunity.
Remember: Who you surround yourself with shapes your future.
NO SMALL TALK
This one feels a bit harsh.
It’s not. And here’s why.
Our brains are absolute pros at helping us feel good. Sometimes that comes in the form of busy work. If we feel busy, we think we’re accomplishing a lot.
For example, if we book more meetings to feel accomplished, we might fool ourselves in the short term. But we know better.
We might fill our calendar. But, we’re not moving the needle forward.
Knowing our ‘needle-movers’ is the first step.
These are actions with a high return on investment (ROI).
When we know our desired goal, then we create a plan to get there.
With that plan, we list what we want to do…list it all out, every conceivable action.
And then LOOK at the list AGAIN.
What do we ACTUALLY need to do? Pick 1-3 things.
Back to the main point here: don’t fill the days with small talk and neglect the things that move you closer to your goal.
The Eisenhower matrix can be useful here, too, to keep your eye on your North Star
🎨KEEP GOING
Setbacks are guaranteed.
That’s why we push to find our WHY.
Because when things are tough, we have reason to keep going.
Some of my setbacks during 2024 included:
rethinking my entire business model
taking time to learn new business admin skill sets
a major surgery, costing me time, energy, & resources
having to say goodbye to a friend
unexpected bills
gaining and learning new technology
Our lives keep rolling along no matter the best-laid plans.
Friends come and go.
Health comes and goes.
But, we can overcome it all if we know what we’re doing and —most of all— WHY we’re doing it.
RECAP 8 principles
Decide- act quickly
The compound effect- habits create results
Loyalty- have ownership
Staying true- your reputation matters
Integrity- follow through on promises
Life learner- be intentional with who you're around
North Star- no distractions, no small talk
Faith- keep going when it gets hard
Through every setback and triumph, your journey shapes your art, your business, and your legacy. The 8 principles are more than just words—they’re guideposts for a creative and fulfilling life. Keep them close, trust your process, and remember your why.
Your art matters. So does your story. Keep going.
HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK!
~Jesse
Very encouraging!!