The Secret Of Success

I thought the Secret of Success was your beautiful smile Angel ! .... ; )

Know what you want.
See that you get it.

(People fumble around with that first part)

Dan Turner
Dan Turner Fine Art
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online
To Enjoy Dan Turner's Pinterest Boards, Click Here

Hahahahaha..........=) It doesn't hurt. Thank you...

Speaking of, why aren't you smiling in your avatar? I think your smile is much better than that serious face.

I agree, but to be honest, I think many people also need motivation before they "start doing". The real question then would be "How do I get motivated to start doing?". There of course would be many answers to that but most likely a "combination of things", and different for each of us.

I think people fumble on both Dan, I know I do. Even if I know what I want...the discipline to work at achieving it does not come naturally to me.

Motivation...I think that's what this is about Brian. Letting the fact, the cold-hard truth sink in....that wishing will not get it one...only doing will. That motivates me, it makes me want to do what I know I need to do.

I am currently doing a lot of doing, now I am wishing I could sell more of what I am doing!!!

Hahahaha....

I know I won't stop wishing...but I know, in "doing"...I wish for less.

I'm a huge dreamer, much more than a doer. But I've made lots of things happen my lifetime, not by pursuing goals, but by pointing myself in the direction of my dreams. Just plant yourself upon that path, and let it happen.

I am also a huge dreamer, some days I am full of good intentions and believe I could make a living from art alone if I just marketed myself more. The next day I think it isn't ever going to work, so it should stay a hobby that makes a bit of money. Then I start dreaming of being like J.D Hillberry and being able to charge lots of money for just one piece. This is the story of my art... dreaming, reality, dreaming, reality.

for those of you that lack the urge to get doing - here is a hint from a young man from Africa: http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/03/15/boy-harnesses-wind-spotlight-envelops-boy/



"the road to Hell is Paved with Good intentions"

Angelina, what a perfect phrase! I'm giving serious thought to quitting my day job and possibly doing web design...where my degree is. I lack the confidence in myself and so the doing is very scary. My biggest question or drawback is always "Can I make a living doing that". That's the doing I guess. Thank you for this!

Dreaming, reality, dreaming, reality! You are right, Denise! That's also my situation. But it is said that much will be given to those who take the risk and do it. We are all courageous, from time to time, but what about those moments when we stop believing? It's hard to be a dreamer in such a harsh material world

Fran, get your web portfolio together by creating webpages for artists on FAA. That would motivate yourself and the artists who participate.

your dream should be the motivation to doing it. There certainly is no failure if you don't try.

and I am on about my 5th fail in this life. But - we'll try again anyway. It's hard to climb the mountain with a manacle and lead weight that you keep attached to your ankles. It's why you drag your feet.

When you have a firm grip on your "want" the motivation is easy. Obstacles, failures and setbacks are overcome and things move forward.

When you're unclear or indecisive, motivation cuts in and out.

Dan Turner
Dan Turner Fine Art
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online
To Enjoy Dan Turner's Pinterest Boards, Click Here

I know exactly what I want, and need to do, but I do not do it as I have no motivation to advance myself artistically through confidence dearth.

Sometimes it is not the wishing or knowing or needing which is enough

and sometimes we just do not have the time

(artist speaking)

That is very true Dan, my motivation cuts in and out.
I think belief in yourself and your ability is one of the most important aspects. Plus the go for it attitude that it doesn't matter if you fail, at least you tried.

Time...the double edged sword.

I know, practically...we all have the same time.
I also know, that I make time for my priorities.

When I have so many things to do, all the time, it seems that priorities become whatever deadline is staring me in the face.

Thus, I am not using my time well. I know it, yet...I don't know how to change that.

Practically, I know that I should blog, advertise and send out announcements on a daily basis.
I don't.

I do a little bit of each one, now and then.

Yes...I think confidence is part of this game.

You are so right Angel.

That's what I try to do know...almost, because my images most of the times are about wishes and dreams ;)

hahaha...that zen saying knocked me up! So true! There's no "life after Enlightment", it's the same thing on and on again. As artists, we have ideas, we create universes, we dream. Sometimes we finally make "our perfect masterpiece", and feel like something is gonna change, must change. But, actually, we're the same old us, in search of perfection and happiness, struggling with daily life and troubles.

I was told today by another artist photographer that I am living the dream. She meant I am making a living from my photography alone. But I want more - to be able to travel with my camera, that would be wonderful.

So, I must make it happen, somehow.

Wise words Angel.

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19910917&slug=1305887

I just looked up this producer's name, only to find out he died. Anyway, Joe Pasternack was a bigtime producer and he was on a talk show I directed in Memphis, and I asked if my wife and I could meet him that night for drinks and pick his brain. We met at the Peabody Hotel and asked: do we have a chance in Hollywood?

He told us to forget it, in effect. Six months later my wife and I happened to be working in Hollywood on "Where the Boys Are" and Joe visits the set and we both said hi. "Well," he said, "it just proves that if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way to get it."

In the story above it says about Joe: Mr. Pasternak, born in Hungary, said that his boyhood dream was to "have my own bathroom."

I feel sure he got what he wanted as well.

Success is a result of work, at least in my experience.

Here's what I believe:

Set priorities
Don't sweat the little stuff
disregard people that drag you down
surround yourself with people that are motivated and postive
pick you battles wisely
be honest and easy to work with
give them more than expected
be good in what you do and make sure everybody knows.
work hard
Get what you want, don't give up

I have only one problem in life - it can be solved by two things - TIME and Money - time will win.

It's not that I don't like old people - old people make me feel old - and I'm way to near that goal.

You can never achieve any goal by yourself - except the final one.

Time is a non-issue. Everyone has the same amount.

You have, and have always had, all the time there is.

Dan Turner
Dan Turner Fine Art
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online
To Enjoy Dan Turner's Pinterest Boards, Click Here

I think the next best thing to "doing" is start taking more risks. At the end of life you never wanna say "I regret not doing that"

Nothing wrong with being a dreamer. You just have to be willing to put the work in.

LET'S ALL GET OFF THESE DAMN COMPUTERS AND GET TO WORK!!!!

You first...

Some may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Hear, Hear, Gunter! ... and Roger!

Dreamer here. I believe artists have to be dreamers. Someone has to dream up this stuff. Working hard to achieve my dreams. Now, I'm off to continue making it so.

Success is a process of doing. :-)

Tell it to Van Gogh...

The secrety of sucess is to be on the right place, at the right time, with the right material, among the right people and to have the perception to where is the right place, when is the right time, what is the right material, who are the right people and how they can get in there.

I had oportunities to travel and live in different countries which was my dream. I could say that I realised my dream because I worked hard on it but it is not true. I just had the right people, right time, right place, etc to gain my oportunities.

And I have met people with much more money than I ever had and much more time, and more skills and son on who are older than me, tried hard to live in different countries and never could, because they never found the right time to go, the right people to help and support, the right place to go, etc.

Of course the more you try the more chances you may find. But it is not a matter or only work hard. There is no place to everybody who works hard. Therefore, work hard is not enough.

I am a dreamer but I like to dream based on reality and not on illusions. :)

Everybody has the same time but not everybody has the same free time.
Everybody can find where is the oportunity but not everybody has the same access to the oportunity, and the oportunity is not on the same distance from everybody.

And for many people to be successiful means the oportunity is where they feel not successiful. Which is the same to say there is no success to archive.

It's hard to break away, Roger. Lol, Gene. Marcio, if I understand you correctly, you position yourself for opportunities and success. Isn't that half the battle? One must have a positive attitude to begin with.

Yes, everybody needs positive atitudes to start the rance but starting the race doesn't guarantee you can win nor finish it.

While there are those who wins by accident, without intention to become successiful as they became, just by drop in the right place, on the right time in front of the right person holding the right work, without doing any hard work but just by accident. They did't race but they got the prize.

Walt Disney used to say "Sooner or later you have to stop thinking and start doing." He also said "If you can dream it, you can do it" and "It's kind of fun to do the impossible". He lived those words. I strive to do that every day. I get down sometimes, but doing something creative will often pull me out of it.

Dreaming + doing = creating

If asked the secret of any of my success, it would be that I meditate daily, during which time I repeat positive affirmations.

Left brain, right brain. It's a science, and when you learn it, life begins to unfold the way you think it should.

Agree with many,

Marcio, right time right place is a myth. It's like gambling.
Right material is important, you have to have something for sale.

Set yourself up to win before you play. And people with lots of money ........... hmmm, here's the biggest mistake most make - they ask for help, for a chance, are very excited but show a dream. It does not work.

If somebody is well situated, you'll never get to do business with them, unless they think they can make money on you.

Walking up to somebody with money asking for help ........... no
Walking up to somebody with money, telling them you can make them a million more than they already make ....... yes.

You need to have a plan, a working plan, and sellable material. You need to be in control. Then, any time and any place will be right.
Getting help is good, but does not make you successful in most cases, helping others will.

If you don't run the show, it's not yours.

Gunter,

Right time and right place is not a myth. Artists during all time have migrated and looking for people to get the right time and the right place. Paris, NY, Las Vegas, Hollywood, Bollywood, London, etc...

Quentin Tarantino was just a guy working in a video shop. He wrote his film and waited for years for the right time to go to the right place. He was just waiting for it to show up and become who he is now.

There are millions of people in the world but most of recognised people become famous or successiful in the same few places. And those who are far from the poles and become recognised, are usually found by the right person (by chance) who take the artist or his work to the right place at the right time.

Does it means that other people doesn't work as hard? Nooooo!
It only means that other people are far away from the right place and the right time.

Often we find that the style who makes a artist famous and revolutionary was tried before by others artists. But theses others who came before was doing it at the wrong time and maybe in the wrong place to the wrong people. Only those who show up with it at the right time and right place are recognised as genius and revolutionary.

Myth is the believe that work hard is the answer for all problems. It is not.

And after all, work hard on what? on your art, on your market, on your concept?
Greats ideas and opportunities doesn't came from people working hard because they are working so hard that they don't have the time to think. Great ideas and opportunities were found by those who had time to look around, plan, get inspiration, to think.

respect your opinion Marcio, but all I can say to this is ........... good luck

The act of doing means there is actually momentum in that direction.
That has a lot better chance of succeeding, at anything, than only thinking about it.


The reasons for our motivations are bound to be as individual as our perspective on art itself.
What success is? Also as individual as the path to get there.

I have tried to consider what I think success means as an artist.
I haven't really decided.

I know I don't believe that success means being well known or obscenely rich.

I already feel like I am successful as an artist, but I would like my career to be more.

I don't really think the point of success is what I get from making art, I think it's going to be a point of satisfaction of the work I produce.
If I can make a steady income from that, it's icing on the cake.

To me that's cooking, but not eating.
If you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life.
But you need to get paid for what you are doing. Look in you mailbox, there are bills.

I want to do what I love, but I'm not willing to work a 9-5 job to make it happen, and take all that time away from my passion. So I rather put that into promoting and round up the picture.
I think it's called Focus.

Great example:
What is art for - to make people think, smile, cry, laugh .......... etc.
How do you put art in place if you are not successful and nobody ever sees/buys it?
Art has a huge purpose, it needs to be seen.

Justin Bieber, boy, this is gonna sound really weird now, 40 million followers and I don't know how many records sold. I don't like his music, BUT, he fills 40 million hearts with joy and they are even willing to separate from their money. That can't be wrong, although I don't understand it, he must be a great artist.

Sure, there are many kinds of success.
When talking about success without being specific people will usually think about finance, or being able to do what you want full time and pay your bills doin it.

Everytime I finish photoshoot and realise it is how I planed or better, I feel successiful as artist, or as photographer.

But I don't feel successiful as business man. And I don't think I will feel successuful if I succed as business man if I have to do what people have told me to do and what I have tried.

And I have realised more I focus on business and marketing aspect less I am focused on my creativity, ideas, etc. i know I will always have to work in a crap job to pay the bills and use my free time to photograph. But this is how I will be successiful in something I am glad at least.

There you go, we are getting somewhere ..............
Now, in order to be successful "You have to be able to be creative, do what you love and get paid". Thats success.

There you have it, that's the goal.

That's why I never went along with that "I'm misunderstood" excuse, so many artists have.

In our society money is first. No money - no power. No power - no choice.

If money is your aim - Gunter is right. But all success is not measured that way - almost as often - recognition is what drives people - not just stroking the ego - but to say they have created something that others enjoy or relate with. (must be my goal - cause it sure doesn't pay $$)

A really great Chef may not like the food he cooks - but he's the best in the business and others enjoy his work well enough - uh oh - to pay hm for it and "send their compliments to the Chef".

I don't do what I do for money but for art. I need money to make my art and survive, but the amount of money of if it sells or not doesn't influence at all on my work but the artistic aspect.

@Marcio

Perfectly ok, but certainly not the secret of success, in my eyes

I can't say money doesn't matter at all.

If I spend so much of my time and energy (and resources) into making art...and no one wants to buy it, ever...I think that would be pretty discouraging.

I would still keep making it, but I would stop working at selling it. The work to sell hard is much more difficult that the work of making art.

Gunter, it is the secret of my works success.

Being authentic -- like you did in creating the art/print you just sold -- congrats Angel. I know of your military history -- and your 'essence' comes through loud and clear -- and in that, connecting with your audience :)

The answer I think lay's between what Gunter has said and what Mario has said...and is very dependent on what Carmen just touched on.

I was listening to some of Rush's music today so I will use them as the example.
When they started out they were only school kids...who wanted to play their style of music their way.
Their music was unique...they didn't sound exactly like anyone else.
They didn't structure songs as a music school would have wanted them to write them.. if they had went to a music school.
They used their own creativity and went for their vision.
They were not immediately "successful" in terms of a large audience.
It took time to gain an audience and even more time to gain a large one.
They did not compromise their art to gain success.
They retained their uniqueness and maintained their artistic integrity. ( I.e. they stayed with what made them unique and did not change or begin to create new music that wasn't them just to appeal to what "buyers" may want )
As they gained a following over the years they did not rest on their laurels ( and still don't) and did not stop being creative and being true to their art.

Yes, they got management and record deals and did get promotion....but still, their audience grew larger but it wasn't vast.
They still did their thing and did not compromise the music just to appeal to the masses.
Through the years they constantly worked on their art and their skills required to make it....always trying to do better and perfect them.
Their long time die hard fans saw their art in the beginning..and it appealed to them and with each effort the fans only grew to love their music more.
As a longtime fan myself, I will say the uniqueness and intelligence in their art and their musicianship in how they create it, always appealed to me.
I also have respected them and admire them for not "selling out" their artistic vision just for fame and fortune. If they had lost what made them unique and stand apart along the way and had just started trying to appeal to the current "flavor" of the week, at some point.....they would not have lasted as long as they have....
.. and when mentioned folks would say" Rush who?" now. But even those never a fan or even those never a fan of rock music...most likely have heard of Rush now...around the world.

Moral of the story is: Do what makes you unique. Stay true to yourself and your art. Yes, you have to put it out there or it won't be seen. If you don't care if it's seen then put it in the closet and don't try to market it. If you want it to be seen you have to market it. Just don't sell your soul to the devil at the crossroads along the way. Be honest with yourself, honest in your art, honest with others, honest in your business dealings. If it's unique and you find an audience who likes it, they will want to have it and will tell their friends about their new "find".

Even with effort and uniqueness, not everyone will succeed....but remember there are different measurements of success for different people. If one never tries at all, though, then they have already failed.

And those that just use a bunch of smoke and mirrors and bullschutt...may gain some in the short term but often end up losing quite a lot in the long term. Losing in a variety of ways, not only in money. Because eventually, the curtain will be pulled back on most who are fake.

There are no guarantees in life so there is no real "secret of success".

I think if folks primarily focused on their character, in always striving to be a better person and in figuring out who they are and what they stand for...then their business dealings, their relationships with other people...and their art will all reflect that. Good art has a part of the artist in it and it shows. Bad art doesn't and that will show too.

What is success? That has to be defined individually.

Anyway...thats the way I see it.


P.S.> Another thing about Rush.....they enjoy what they do...they retain a sense of humor, even about themselves....and they have fun with it. If you no longer enjoy what you do no amount of "success" when defined monetarily or otherwise...will be satisfying. When that happens gears need to be shifted and a different direction taken.

By the way...I've never heard any member of Rush in any interview bash anyone else's art or be "competitive" against other artists. They've just went about creating their own art, their own way and let it speak for itself for the most part.

Awww....thank you Carmen. =D

I do think what a person is passionate about gets conveyed in our work.

Interesting thoughts Phyllis. No guarantees means there are no secrets of success?
I have to think....if not everyone IS successful, there may be some things that people are not aware of...that will bring them success.

If I don't know it, to a degree...that's a secret.

I also think character is important. But on the other side of the coin...I've met some world class jerks....who are excellent artists. One does not always equal the other.

I don't personally understand the "competition" of art. We are all going through our own explorations...which is something I think should be enjoyed and celebrated.

Envy does strange things I guess.

The real secret of success - never give up. Learn from the failures, study, practice, try and try again.

I guess you have to do, and then tell absolutely everyone that you are doing things so that they can buy them.

Hi I liked this one Roy: "The real secret of success - never give up. Learn from the failures, study, practice, try and try again."

Thought I would join this great discussion with some quotes on success I just found!

How about these ones?

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~ Herman Cain

"We seem to gain wisdom more readily through our failures than through our successes. We always think of failure as the antithesis of success, but it isn't. Success often lies just the other side of failure." ~ Leo F Buscaglia

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody!" ~ Bill Cosby

"I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it." ~ Jonathan Winters

"Motivation accelerates your journey to success while consistency will drop you at the destination. Both are vital things to accomplish on your Journey to success." ~ Ritu Ghatourey

"Success is always something completely different to people. I feel like I've succeeded, if I'm doing something that makes me happy and I'm not lying to anybody." ~ Kristen Stewart

Something in each of these for me! I think it depends on my state and my perception at the time :)

Ankya

Actually, I have been listening from old successful artists and marketers and they say: The only secret of success is to know who are/is your potential public, where to find them, what they want and how to communicate with them.

Talking with people I found out that the struggles many artists have is because they are targeting the wrong public or don't know where their public is. Or have found their public but is using the wrong way to communicate with them. A lot of art collector doesn't spend their time in the internet and don't have social media profiles, we have to find them somewhere else.

Like in my case, when I show my prints people seems to get much more interested than the public in the internet. So I guess that most of my public is not in the internet.

Marcio Faustino

People are fickle.
You can't win them using sympathy, entice them with gimmicks, or persuade them with gratitude.

People are skeptics.
They actually expect to see you fail, because in a way, that would make them feel better about themselves.

So guess what, be sincere and don't give up.

Test everything. Assume nothing.