Who Decides Your Success?

It seems like everyone in the art world knows if you are successful or not in. Interestingly, there is no specific measure of success. Everyone measures success by comparing someone with someone else. Artists are trying to compare themselves with other artists to determine if they are successful or not. People who claim they can help you be successful are comparing one artist with another, or with some quantitative formula they invented for their own entertainment. There are so many books about how to succeed in the art world seems like we will never read a fraction of them. Measuring success in the art world sounds like people trying to figure out how much of a sinner they are by comparing with the sins of others.

Who Decides Your Success? There is no one-size-fits-all measure of success for an artist. You have to determine your success by setting your own goals. Setting goals is important, but be careful to stress yourself about those goals forgetting your love for the art itself. When setting goals be realistic. Set up short-term goals and make sure these goals are achievable. Most importantly, do not measure yourself with others. Be your own measure of success with your own qualification and quantification. Measuring success by how many pieces you sold, or how much money you made, is important. I get it! But our lives are so much more than numbers.

I didn’t want to get involve in the ‘business’ side of art because I didn’t want to stop loving what I do. While I’m definitely prefer to be sculpting all day everyday, I realized that the business side of art is very important, because it allows me to continue creating. I love to network and meet new people, and I also love to teach. As my wife says, “If you were making art alone, you wouldn’t have the chance to meet so many people, you wouldn’t be making all these connections, and you wouldn’t be teaching”. I can do all the other things without neglecting my studio time.

The business aspect of art doesn’t have to be separate from making art. It shouldn’t consume your love for art or the time you need to be creative. Moreover, no one else should determine your success but you. Decide for yourself what success is and work for it. Don’t compare yourself with others and what they are doing. Yes, it is good to listen, read, and learn from others. That’s how we grow. Seek help if you need to. Surrounding yourself with the right kind of people is going to make your life better, but don’t let others decide what success is. People would never be satisfied and if you let them decide for you, you would never be either.