Articles on Success

Click on a Title to Read That Article:

What is Success?

10 Effective Ways to Promote Yourself on a Budget

The Art of Follow-Up

Fail Your Way to Success

Creating Marketable Work

----------------------------------------------------------------

These articles may not be reproduced without including the following credit: copyright Gregory Huff. Please visit www.CreativeHelps.com for website links, helpful resources, and more articles designed to energize your creativity.

"What is Success?"

by Gregory Huff

Webster’s Dictionary defines success as: "outcome, result, degree or measure of succeeding, a favorable termination of a venture, the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence, one that succeeds." Does any of this define where you are in your goals for this year? "Goals?… Oh, yeah! I worked on them in January; then in February something else grabbed my fancy so I had a go at it. The rest of the months since, there has been too much other important stuff going on. Goals can wait."

Can they? Is it that easy to put your aspirations, satisfaction and fulfillment on hold? Sure; it’s a pattern that’s been repeated often enough. And with the same results too: depression, disorganization, bitterness, lack of energy, frustration, etc.

But Webster’s definition points to a bigger issue: success is something earned by people willing to sacrifice to attain it. When we buy a pie at the supermarket, we enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor without thinking of the trial & error, expense, and commitment it took to make it. If we aren’t careful, we can begin to think success is owed to us rather than earned by us. It’s like someone who has spent $5K a year in hopes of hitting it big at the lottery, when $5K wisely invested could have brought them the much sought-after wealth over time. We want a quick creativity fix to bring about the success we long for. I wonder how many will discover that their quest for success was really time spent chasing after the whirlwind, because of a dysfunctional view of success.

So how do you define success where your creativity is concerned? Maybe your biggest success at the moment would be to just start painting, drawing, or writing again. Perhaps it would help to investigate what stalled you in the first place: rejection, fear, disinterest, lack of time, skill, or finances, etc. What was it? As you confront that issue give yourself permission to start creating again and carve out some time to do it.

Maybe success for you is a life well lived. You are a boundless free spirit, not satisfied unless you are pursuing your next great adventure. Life is a buffet for you and you can’t find enough time or a big enough plate to take it all in. So future success might be looking back at life and realizing that you accomplished all that you set out to do. But here and now you are a great starter but a poor finisher. What would it take for you to settle on one goal and pursue it until you are finished? Define what it is that distracts you from completing your goals. Decide to finish what you have started in spite of the distraction.

Maybe success for you is that your creativity is meaningful to you. Sometimes it is easy to create by rote rather than by heart. What are the subjects that your heart is yearning to express? Why aren’t you expressing them? Are you afraid that what’s meaningful to you will not also be profitable? A lot of best-selling songwriters will tell you that some of their greatest work was really something they felt was relevant only to them. Your creativity can become a richer experience when you give voice to that which is meaningful to you.

Maybe success for you is perseverance in the face of procrastination. Your excuses, justifications, and reasons for not being creative have created a virtual wasteland of unfinished projects. You have become more creative at making excuses to yourself rather than doing the actual work. Don’t let these justifications keep your creativity in a holding pattern. Release yourself! Procrastination is overcome one choice at a time. Make the choice to put your energy into being creative rather than procrastinating.

One overall definition of success is achieving a sense of purpose. Most people want their life to matter to someone – or something – before it’s over. Success is a way of affirming to yourself that you really do matter: your thoughts are important, your ideas are good ones, and you weren’t born just to take up space on the planet. Do you believe that your life matters? Why or why not? How does what you believe impact your creativity? Write down your thoughts on this, and take the time to really explore your answers. Discovering your answers to questions like these will help you define what success really is to you.

up

_________________________________________________________________________

"10 Effective Ways to Promote Yourself on a Budget"

by Gregory Huff

Start spreading the news! ~ Chat people up about your creativity. Have an art party featuring your art, or a poetry reading with your work, in your home or local gallery/coffeehouse. Give ‘em something to talk about!

Post-it! ~ Post fliers at train stations, doctor’s offices, auto repair shops, diners, wherever people have to wait. Write your info on several post-it notes and stick them inside each magazine at the dentist’s office. Don’t forget to put your flier at your local visitor’s center!

Find the Missing Link ~ If you have a website, scour the web for places you can link your site to for free. Most sites require that you post a link to their website on yours. Doing a search at Google will uncover a host of sites you can link to.

You Wear it Well! ~ Can’t afford a booth at the art festival? Don’t get upset, get a t-shirt! Your local office supply store may carry iron-on paper you can run through your printer. Scan in some of your artwork, print it on the iron-on paper, transfer the paper to a t-shirt, and wear it to the art festival. Why not get your whole family to wear the same shirt? And while you’re at it, make your vehicle wear it too! Office supply stores in your area may carry water-resistant bumper sticker paper to create your own stickers with. Check it out!

You’ve got Class! ~ Attend a workshop given by your local SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) or college small business center. They are often low in cost, offer free services, and are a great way to network.

Stick it to ‘em! ~ Your local office supply store may carry magnetic paper for your computer printer. Put your art or writing on magnets and give them to family and friends. Put a magnet on your office refrigerator. Include them in all your holiday and occasion cards.

The Heat is on (Almost)! ~ This summer, make a cardboard heat shield with your art or writing on it for your car. Heat shields are used on the dashboard of your vehicles front windshield to keep the summer sun from heating the inside like an oven. It’s free advertising wherever your vehicle is parked. Just make sure your vehicle identification number is still visible when the heat shield is in place. Why not make one for the back window as well?

Lend a Helping Hand ~ Donate your services or artwork to a local silent auction. The organization benefits from the sale of your work, and you may gain a new client. Get creative about it: offer to paint someone’s portrait, or write someone’s life story, or create a piece of art just for the show and advertise the auction (using the techniques mentioned above). Be sure to leave your business cards near your work so people can grab them.

As Seen on TV ~ Put an ad on your town’s website or public access tv station. Maybe you can advertise your art party or poetry reading. Ads are often free and perhaps there may be a program on the public access station that could interview you.

Following the Leader ~ Follow up the leads you already have (and keep following them up). They are already interested in you and your work; why not give them a free magnet or bumper sticker to show your appreciation for their interest? Call them personally to invite them to events. You never know when interest will turn into sales.

up

_________________________________________________________________________

"The Art of Follow Up"

by Gregory Huff

When it comes to follow up, how effective are you? Are you often heard saying, "Oops! I was going to call him back but… I just forgot. Time escaped from me and I kept putting it off. Besides, he’s my friend. He’ll understand I was just too busy to follow up." Friend or not, another potential client may have bit the dust.

I know the feeling. Many years ago I wrote to a greeting card company, to see if they would be interested in seeing samples of my art. Imagine my shock when they actually wrote back, wanting to see some! I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have any samples, and I hadn’t really been doing any art that I considered worthy of showing. So I brushed it off. I never followed up, and it could have been the opportunity that changed my life forever!! OK, maybe not forever, but at least for a few months. I also used to have the terribly annoying habit of unplugging my telephone for weeks at a time, much to the chagrin of family and friends. Then I would plug it back in and answer the phone as if nothing ever happened. Thank God I don’t do that anymore.

But what is it that motivates you to keep repeating a bad habit instead of incorporating a good one into your routine? Of course, there are as many reasons as there are excuses. But let’s focus on this one reason: besides a lack of motivation, you may not have enough information to support your desire to change. So what can you do to assure that your best intentions are put into practice?

Change the way you look at follow up – If someone has thought enough of you to find out more about you, consider it an honor, not a burden. Reward yourself for following up a day or a week’s worth of calls. Think of a reasonable and inexpensive reward that will bring you pleasure.

Plan – Sometimes we have a great method for reaching out to people, but we don’t plan for follow up. Set aside specific time during your day when you will return calls, respond to e-mails, etc. Write down that time and keep it where you can see it. Give yourself a 7-day rule – you will follow up all initial leads within 7 days. Write on the back of any business cards you collect from prospective clients the following: date, event where you received the card, and something that connects you to that person (why you should follow them up). Returning a call within seven days is a good amount of time to allow your first impression to sink in. Any longer than that and a person may lose interest, change their mind or even forget about you.

If you can’t call, write - Send a follow up e-mail or regular mail letter. Why not include a free gift, such as a magnet or calendar with your business card or information on it?

Build a friendship – Think of that potential client as a friend. Don’t hard sell, become a friend first. How about inviting them for a cup of coffee just to chat? Invite them to your special events, but don’t be pushy about it or have unrealistic expectations. Let your conversation happen naturally, and show them you have their best interest in mind more than your bottom line. Tell them something about your creativity that you didn’t discuss when you first met them. Use their name when you talk to them, smile, and keep those breath mints handy!

Following up with someone interested in your creativity shows them you listened to them and you’re interested in building a relationship that will benefit you both. It will help dispel the myth that "all creative people are flaky." But if you don’t intend to follow up promptly, let them know. Courtesy goes a long way. Don’t just take someone’s information for the sake of being socially polite, if you really had no intention of following up in the first place.

Ok, it’s true: we can’t always be 100%. Sometimes we delete important messages by mistake, or misplace phone numbers we meant to save. It can happen to the most organized person in the world, so why not accept it and move on? Just stay focused on your goal of establishing a follow up routine.

But what happens if, after all your excellent follow up efforts, you don’t hear back from them? Keep a record of who responds and what kinds of contacts produce results. Follow up isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. Make your next impression as good as your first. You’ll be glad you did.

up

_________________________________________________________________________

"Fail Your Way To Success"

by Gregory Huff

Stop living by your favorite inner quote ~ Change your inner conversation. Stop saying to yourself, "It isn’t going to happen to me" or "I can’t do it, I’m just fooling myself" or "I’m never gonna make it." Replace those quotes with, "It will happen to me, and I’m going to be patient until it does" and "I can do it, and I will do whatever is necessary to do it" and "I’m gonna make it after all."

Face fear with facts, not fiction ~ Decide which of your goals are more important than the fear that is stopping you from accomplishing them. Every time fear comes up to tell you "you can’t," write it down. Then find evidence against the fear for why you CAN. Keep this list visible at all times.

Affirm yourself and your dream ~ Nobody told you lately that you matter, your dream is valid, and you have what it takes to make it happen (or you’re going to get what it takes)? You take the initiative! Remind yourself, and often. Start with the affirmation break at the end of this article.

Know when to start over again ~ If it ain’t working, maybe it’s because you need to quit! Be humble, vulnerable, and objective enough to re-evaluate your goal and see if you need to tweak it or trade it in. Is your goal realistic, attainable, and measurable? Does your goal still have meaning, or are you just doing it out of self-imposed obligation to finish it?

Sharpen your focus ~ Too many cooks spoil the broth. Having too many goals gets you nowhere. Define one goal and stick to it. Don’t try to write the great American novel, compose the next hit, and paint the next Mona Lisa all at one time. You’ll be stressed, unsuccessful, and discouraged for sure. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Give the most time to the project that is most meaningful to you, pacing your way through it with effective time management. Let the other goals wait in the wings until you’re done.

Reject the rejection ~ How you handle rejection determines how close you get to reaching your goal. Don’t let that pile of rejection slips turn into an excuse to condemn yourself and get stalled from doing your creative work. Don’t let the rejection get down into your soul. Let it go! They probably weren’t ready to handle the success you would have brought them anyway. Let it go, forgive them for not wanting you, and release them from your list of people to scandalize with your tongue. Move on to bigger and better things. You don’t have enough time, energy, or brain cells to dwell on their rejection.

Help: admit it and get it ~ Pride says, "I can do it all by myself without any help, thank you very much!" Common sense says, "Let me see how much of this task I can delegate." Why stay swamped and accomplish nothing when you can do research to get the help that you need? Perhaps a virtual assistant would be a good fit for you, or a few seniors or students may be willing to assist you with something for a small fee.

Don’t give up ~ Nothing beats a failure like a try. The more you try, the more you increase your odds that you’ll make it. This is because there were hundreds of others who stopped short of their goals right where you are and never made it. Don’t wait for someone to come along and discover you, hand you success on a silver platter, and make all your creative dreams come true. Keep sending out that manuscript, that voiceover tape, that slide of your work, and don’t stop until you get what you’re after. Victory will be that much sweeter when you see the battle you went through to get it.

Are you really ready? ~ OK, you earned your success. Now what? Oh, you didn’t plan for what happened next. It’s far better to make a plan ahead of time. That’s why most people who win the lottery are broke before the year is out: they didn’t have a wise financial plan. Decide how you will handle follow up, how you will invest the profits back into your creativity, who will publicize your next endeavor, etc. And keep those plans realistic and attainable!

Enjoy the journey ~ Learn from your mistakes and use them to encourage others. Find humor in the situation. Keep a journal of all the good things that happen to you every day along the way. Maintain an attitude of excellence and a spirit of joy, and you will attract successful people around you. Never stop learning all you can.

up

_________________________________________________________________________

"Creating Marketable Work"

by Gregory Huff

You know the look: your sweetie walks in just as you finish your new masterpiece. She/he says, “That’s nice, honey.” But he’s/she’s thinking, “How is that going to sell and pay our bills?” You roll your eyes and think, “What do they know about art anyway?” And so the debate continues: shall I paint for the masses at the expense of doing meaningful work?

Well, I think that is a very interesting question. It almost presumes that any work currently selling well on the market was made based on a savvy marketing scheme rather than a heartfelt need for creative expression. But of course, that can’t be true. History is full of artists who did their thing and everyone flocked to them, not vice versa. Try explaining that to your significant other the next time they ask why your work still hasn’t sold after all this time.

Where are they? Where are those elusive masses that would clamor for your work and pay untold sums of money for pieces you haven’t even created yet? Are they the stuff of legends? How does one get their work seen, appreciated, collected, and sold without sacrificing meaning in the process?

As I muse about the subject at hand, I can only find more questions: How much should one’s creativity be dictated by what one thinks people want to buy? At what point do customers join the chorus of subconscious censors that try to direct and manage our creative output? Do the majority of people want beauty or truth in the art they buy? Can one simply create art for art’s sake, and hope that others will be interested and buy it?

For some, art isn’t about the profits anyway. It’s about the act of creating and expressing one’s self. For them, to stop creating would be to stop living. Passion exudes from them, and hindering them from making art would destroy them. They would rather create art than eat. If people buy it, fine. If not, they still accomplished their goal of creating it in the first place.

Then there’s the occasional artist who creates a few pieces per year and spends the rest of the time in agony over those pieces. Those pieces are never finished or priced, therefore they are never sold. They become memorials to that person’s creative abilities, appreciated after they are gone.

Still others are actively creating, working the galleries, museums, and fairs, selling their art and loving it. They are not widely known, yet they enjoy a following and financial success. They create freely and their work is full of a zest for life that cannot be copied, only envied. Their work is beautiful, and their work doesn’t have to be edgy to be satisfying. The sweetness that pours from their work is genuine, not saccharin. One gets inspired just by looking at it, a glimpse of greatness.

And the categories go on and on. But what makes one artist’s work more marketable than another’s? Cannot there be great beauty in ugliness? When the atomic bomb first came out, there were those who described it as a thing of beauty. One would have to question their motives for such a comment of course. But the kernel of insight in that statement remains: though we would be loathe to admit it, there can be beauty in ugliness. Yet it is only “beautiful” beauty that tends to sell in the market.

To quell the conundrum at hand, I believe every artist must answer these three questions about their creative work, if they are ever determined to sell it:

1. What is my goal as an artist? If my reason for living is to make art, so be it, ‘nuff said. If I want my art to pay my bills, I had better master my craft and do a little research about what niche I can create in the market for my work.

2. Who is my target market? What sells in the USA may/may not sell overseas. Most artists would be glad if anyone bought their art at all, never mind a targeted consumer.

3. What legacy do I want people to remember me by? If the only thing someone had to judge you by was the body of art you created, what would they conclude about me, my character, my beliefs, my values? Would that be an accurate portrait of who I am?

I have found the answers to questions 2 and 3 may fluctuate over time. The answer to question one may fluctuate also, but one thing ought to remain constant: that I am an artist with a goal.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

up