Lessons I have learned as an artist

Sometimes in life you want things to happen straight away. You don’t realise that some things take a bit of time to happen. I was like that when I was younger. I desperately wanted to achieve my goals, but I wanted to achieve them sooner rather than later. I loved the idea of working hard and seeing results – in fact, I would try to cut corners whenever I could so I could see the results more quickly. I just wasn’t prepared to invest a lot of time into achieving my goals.

I had this approach until I went to university where I ended up getting a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts. Because you have to commit several years to completing a university degree, going to university made me realise that for some things you have to invest some time, whether you like it or not. The modules on my course really taught me how to dedicate time to my work. I would devote a lot of time to researching different subjects and I ended up learning a lot of useful information. I got used to being patient and using my time wisely instead of just trying to get things done as quickly as possible. University made me realise that sometimes patience does pay off.

Going to university was one of the best things I’ve ever done, not only for the experience but also for the lessons it taught me. Since university finished I’ve always had a better attitude when it comes to achieving my goals. I don’t cut corners any more. I’m prepared to invest time into something and hope that my patience and hard work pay off.

The lessons I learned at university have led me to setting up my own art business. I know I have to be patient and that businesses can take a while to grow, but I’m excited to watch it grow. To help my business grow I’ve been networking with other businesses and I’m equally excited to see what that leads to.

What’s the fun in having a goal and achieving it the next day? Having a goal and achieving it is great, but so is everything in between. Getting there is half the fun!