Protected: Foundation: Welcome

1) Where am I now?

My name is Sarah Palisi, I am 28 and I live in Hamburg, Germany.
I've come a long way till I found out being an graphic artist and illustrator is what I want. I'm not exactly sure why it took me so long, I seem to be a person who really has to fail on her choices to kinda get forward if that makes any sense, to form abstract notions into concrete wishes and ideas. Also seems I used to be a person who expected things to fall into place magically. After school I considered acting school, being a stylist/make up artist started and discontinued an apprenticeship as a hairdresser and finally got to study communciation design. It still took me the length of an internship in an advertsing agency and a talk with great bosses to admit to myself that I wanted to make a living from creating images as an artist and illustrator.

I am an artist. I am talented. I seem to have an original style (or styles).

I have a few illustration jobs and I slowly start to sell my own illustrated wares, but it's nowhere near to enough to make a decent living from them. And it's not like I don't advertise my work, I feel I might have to think of more effective ways to get my work to the right people.

Nevertheless I am proud of what I already accomplished, I happen to overlook the little victories I already gained along the way, cause the road seems to be quite long and rocky. Well, “proud” is relative, it's tricky for me to be really proud of myself.

I procrastinate out of perfectionism, I know I won't have the perfect piece with the first try and I let that keep me from starting. I call it “unproductive perfectionism”. I guess I sometimes also doubt I am good enough to pull a career as an artist off. It can lead to a vicious circle and know I could create so much more if I didn't have to deal with that. But I have to, sometimes it works out for the better sometimes it doesn't. I may be a tad too dependent on positive feedback and at times I get insecure easily.

I am not sure whether to establish one signature style or several.

I have struggled a lot moneywise in the last one and a half year,I cried, I felt desperate and isolated. Still I didn't give up, I don't feel like I can give up. I don't wanna give up. Fortunately I have awesome friends and a loving family, it's not easy for me to ask for help but I get better at it:)

I can't imagine doing a regular job, it's kinda out of the question. I want to be able to go for a walk whenever I feel like it, I want to just look at the sky or the sea when I need to be reminded, that it's all gonna be okay, that there is so much beauty out there.

2) Where do I want to be?

Hm, I don't know about a certain image, it might come down to independency/autonomy for me.

Creating in my own style makes me happy, be it challenging commissional work or thinking of and creating items I will sell myself or working on an exhibition. I wanna do all of that.

I would like to be able to travel, financialwise and timewise, I would love to actually travel because of my career, not sure how that would work just yet. I can imagine living somewhere else. I feel restless a lot of times.

Sorry, I think this mixes a bit with the first question;)

Sticking to this career definitely will have to enable a decent living for me in the future, I am willing to live my life extremely cut back to get where I wanna be, but I don't wanna live like that forever. It's exhausting.

I wanna spread my works over this world, I would love to see, that I can give something to people with them. the thought, that something I created provokes a notion in someone else, someone I could have never possibly met is overwhelming. Anything but indifference is fine by me:)

Actually I'd like to meet those people, maybe that goes hand in hand with the travel thing I yet have to work out.

3) How am I going to measure my progress, so that I know when I’m succeeding?

That's a tough one. As I mentioned I tend to overlook the little successes, but I guess successe are always littlem you don't jump from the start to your goal, so that's something I really need to work on.

I guess I have to analyse my actions in terms of whether they brig me nearer to where I wanna be, take some time each day to reflect on what I've done and what not.

I'd like to learn more about how to measure my progress, it would surely help me focussing and keeping the enthusiasm alive.

Hope I managed to maintain some coherency here and made myself fairly clear:)
Best
Sarah

PS: I sure use emoticons a lot…

Hey there,

1) WHERE AM I NOW?

My name's Taylor and I currently live in Los Angeles, CA. I work at a major film studio as an assistant to a development executive. We work with writers and directors developing scripts and then managing the productions. My work is mostly administrative with the occasional opportunity for creative input.

For the most part, my boss is pretty bad about providing any sort of mentorship or taking an interest in my growth as an employee (or even as a person). He's not mean or bad to me, but I'd say definitely neglectful. I feel I'm in a dead end, standard office job right now, and I'd like to stay in the entertainment business, but I am ready for a change.

I believe I have a talent for and a true love of FILM EDITING. It's something I was trained to do in college and it's something I am able to do for hours on end and not check a clock to see how much longer I have left. I've done some small jobs on the side, but it's never been something I've really pursued b/c of my fear of the tough path to becoming one.

2) WHERE DO I WANT TO BE?

I'm 25 and the biggest thing I've learned over the past couple years is that I still have a lot to learn. About myself, life, and pretty much everything else.

I've been trying to figure out what type of career (and ultimately what kind of life) I want to have. I think there are 3 main qualities I want out of my career.

CREATIVITY
I don't want to have a job that is solely an artistic field, but I want to have some creativity involved in what I do. I want to see the results of my work and see a piece of me in it.

FREEDOM/FLEXIBILITY
I'm ok with working really hard on something and having to spend a lot of time on it (granted I enjoy doing it), but I don't want to be shackled to a 9-7 schedule. I want to be able to go out and take a long walk if I need it or even be able to find a couple weeks out of the year to go travel or visit my family back in Texas.

SECURITY
This is the one that everyone wants. I don't want to be rich or famous. But doing what I love is not the key to happiness for me if I have to sacrifice the ability to give my family a good life. I want to take them on vacations and send my children to college and not have to worry if the electricity is going to stay on until the next paycheck.

I would love to become an editor that gets to take the visual pieces that someone has provided me, and figure out how best to put it together to create something that I'm proud of. I would love to use the time in between projects to recharge and make sure I don't burn out before I dive into the next one. And most importantly, I would hope that this love of it would lead me to a successful career that would help me to provide for those that I care about.

3) HOW WILL I MEASURE MY PROGRESS?

This is the part that scares me. It's a tough field to dive into. There's so much competition and there are so many tiers to climb to get there. I worry if I have the determination to get through the tough spots. A lot of it is about how good you are, but also about who you know. Will I be able to forge the relationships necessary to make a name for myself and get the referrals I need to keep working? What if I get stuck in the bottom rung of that ladder?

I get that these are fears anyone and everyone has, but it's something that I feel is crippling me from taking the initial plunge. That being said, right now I want to continue to work on my skills and knowledge of various software and tools. I want to become confident in my abilities, so that I am able to meet others and make good impressions as well.

I'm really looking forward over the next few months to organizing my thoughts and myself better in order to get closer to my goals.

Thank you Paul for giving us this opportunity.

1) Where am I now?!?!?! Gooooood question

I’ll try to stay short and to the point…My name is Erick Greene, and I currently reside in New Orleans, LA. Grew up in a small bayou town 60 miles south of NOLA. A great community that breeds hunters/fishers/football dreamers. As a kid that was interested in things outside of normal, I was never the outcast, but people were more interested in what I had going on upstairs… and I suppose that’s what always drove my dream – the fact that people were curious. My community is one of positive affirmations. Even if you suck, you are told how great you are. Not many realists there, which I suppose is why I can’t stand realists (A-holes) to this day… anyway,
I was always a very talented drawer/painter but in my teens, slowly converted to guitar playing as my form of artistic expression. Formed bands that were solid in creativity and positivity. An experimental brand of music that “The Bayou” was not familiar with, but was embraced nonethless, due to the fact that it was unfamiliar. However, like the little “invinsible” ones we were, we sat around making music, but judging others that were performing in cover bands… At least they were putting themselves out there. From there, I suffered the tragic loss at age 21 of my best friend and creative partner which impacted my life drive more intensely than it must have done for other like-minded peers of mine. Many smoked more pot and disconnected from reality. I saw some people that I admired and that inspired me smoke themselves into nothingness, and into irrelevence. I took that energy and ran with it. My best friend and I had sat around and not forced our creativity down peoples throats, and now it was too late. It was a huge burden for me to deal with. He died 3 months after Katrina. I returned to New Orleans 6 months after that. What a mess.
But from chaos come clarity – I met my next creative equal. This time a girl. Also a singer, who was actually a trained songwriter, and good at it! Between then and now, we have put a band together and have been continually writing songs, with an album to come out in the next 3 months! However, trying to keep everyone’s energy up as much as mine has been quite a stressful task. Becoming successful at making music is not easy, nor has it every been easy for anyone. but a lot of people expect things to just “happen.” and getting that through my bandmates’ heads is the biggest problem, as it once was mine…. but they are now leaning to me for guidance.
I am also going on 2 years as promotions coordinator for House of Blues New Orleans, working on marketing bands and promoting shows in every outlet possible. I have a great understanding of what it takes, and what some have gone through to get where they are.
Something else I have experienced along the way… is that… everyone – any single person – that comes into your life could possibly change it dramatically!

That was a great example of NONbrevity.

2) Where do I want to be…

Our goal as musicians has always been to help out those that need more help than us. Our name is Enharmonic Souls. If you look up the meaning of “Enharmonic”, you’ll understand.
We are always coming up with different things to do at each show, whether it be perform a song from a musical, or give everyone carnival masks as they walk through the door!
I picture myself performing on stage in lights, all that fancy stuff, ya know! Everyone’s childhood rockstar dream…. but then I hop on a plane the next day and help out underpriveleged kids in some small mountain town, put shoes on a kid in Cape Horn, or build houses in Jamaica for the poverish.If I could help others through making music, the one thing that I could work on for days on end, that would be the greatest gift from it that I could ever receive.

3) How Am I Going To Measure my Success?

There are so many things that count for success in my book.

• As soon as our album becomes pressed, there are already people in London that have heard us, and people in Chicago that want copies – That’s a form of success
• Hearing someone come into work whistling one of our song – That’s success
• Having only 200+ members of our group page on Facebook – That’s success… 300+ that’s more success
• Hearing someone tell me that their 8year old granddaughter always wants to listen to our demo CD on the way to school in the morning – That’s success
• Seeing one of our stickers on the piano of a very successful local band – That’s success.

My next gauge of success will be our short film/album teaser. It will include random clips of our journey so far, along with a backyard acoustic performance of one of our songs. It will announce the release date of the album along with other visually exciting things.
If people grab onto it and I see it becoming viral around online circles or cliques, then we will be on to our next wave.

Talk to you guys soon!
Paul, Angel, you guys are my current inspirations, just because of what you are doing for all of us!
Keep Thrivin’

1) Where am I now?

Greetings to the group – thankful to be here.

I'm Bradley Burlingame from Los Angeles, CA. Originally from Cleveland, OH, I've been in LA just over 12 years now. I've just celebrated my 20th year as a professional DJ. Done everything you can imagine over the years, from weddings to wakes, clubs to cafes, to major festivals like Bonnaroo, Voodoo Fest & opening for bands like Beck, INXS, The Meters, Spearhead,The Pixies, The Polyphonic Spree, The B-52's & lots of others.

I also consult for corporate events & marketing campaigns. Clients include Apple, Nissan, Dior, GQ, Rolling Stone and again, lots of others. My resume includes consulting for hospitality, high-end restaurants, special event & concert production, touring, marketing & sales. For a DJ, I'm pretty well rounded, and feel comfortable in almost any business situation.

The crazy part is – I'm bi-polar type two. None of the “happy” mania that makes you want to clean your house. You're just just depressed, hyper-critical, and in my case, you lose a great deal of my self-confidence. It's a shit place for a self-employed creative to be in, regardless of your client list.

Like many chemistry conditions, it doesn't get better as you get older, it gets worse. And up until recently, it's had me in it's clutches for almost 4 years. Imagine struggling to find joy in anything – including your art, friends & family. My work output reflected my self-confidence – it slowed to a crawl. And now I find myself behind. It's almost like starting from scratch again…

All that being said, it's time for a change, and more importantly, to ask for help.

2) Where do I want to be?

Now that I'm taking care of myself, for the first time in a long time, I'm ready to move forward – but cannot without help. I'm starting what can be a business with worldwide potential , with several more ideas in the works once the first gets launched. I've got the outline of a book, a speaking tour, treatments for two reality television shows – I've got stuff pouring out of me.

At the end of the day, I want to be an entrepreneur, a consultant & a performer – a tall order. But I can see that it's possible – it's right there. I just need someone to help me partition these ideas off, help me keep a step-by-step process, and hold me accountable. I don't need a motivation coach, really. I'm 40 – if that's not motivation enough for you, have a look at what LA real estate costs. That should get your ass in gear very quickly…

In short term, I desire several things. 1) I want to contribute. I want to enter the whole. I should be writing for websites, my mixes should be all over the web & my visibility could be 1000X better. 2) I want “next level” gigs. Dj'ing in Dubai, Hong Kong, the Cannes Film Festival… 3) I need to be better organized, and focus on one task at a time. Not easy when you've got as many ideas (let alone thousands & thousands of songs in your head) as I do!

** a quick note regarding my DJ process ** I'm one of the rare dj's that is non-genre specific. 95% of all dj's who “break out” internationally are genre-specific (mostly in either house/techno/trance or hip hop). I feel just as comfortable playing blues & rock sets, as soul & funk sets, chill out & downtempo lounge sets, world sets, deep house & techno, and big festie-style mashup & bootleg sets.

Sadly, this has not helped me with my sales & marketing focus – how do you market a guy who's all-over-the-place? But, it also sets me apart from most other dj's. I actually just play great music – no pigeon-holes, no stylistic restrictions, just great tunes.

3) How will I measure my progress?

That's the question, now isn't it? Given my recent past, and the way my mind HAS worked, it's a miracle that I've gotten anything done at all. I need a system to measure my progress – something tangible, right in front of me, that holds me accountable. Your expertise will be part of a whole success program that I'm working on for myself. I tell my wife that if I ever get a tattoo, it'll be the word “BALANCE” (in Helvetica font, of course). So maybe balance in business is what I'm looking to learn.

I'm looking forward to really digging my heels in, and working like I've never worked before. Thanks for what you're doing. We're thankful for it. My best to everyone on the list…

yes we did-and i really did listen to your advice- but then i psyched myself out again-and didnt know what to really say–and i still am not certain- so it took me a bit to come around–but the thing is—rambling does help sometimes- so i jumped in here cuz i really think i may have more going for me than i did before-so i do have somethin’ more specific to market now-
– i got over the fear of the unknown and found my confidence again-well kinda–i have found papers i had written which articulated my original goals –and they were really not too bad–which was a better start than i thought i had–and its just gone up from there-so now my fears are more focused as opposed to a general -not knowing what to do..thats something

– its still touch and go as far as confidence -but now that i’ve gotten the real go ahead for my project— i feel like i’d be a jerk to not go for it–
- especially since i did get a really good response about the letter i wrote to the head of the program i wanted to produce–she actually said she wished she had more producers LIKE ME–who were enthusiastic and had researched everything well—so i am feeling that i suck at least somewhat less now–and i must have something to give-
i have also had the chance to get alot of feedback from other people- and well i figured if i am gonna do this — i am gonna take it as far as i can—and i feel like i could really learn alot here that really could help me be more professional and do a good job since this could make a big difference in my future-because this is just the start–but if i show a ton of people what i can do-and i market myself well-then maybe i could be a go to person-and who knows-so even though i am overwhelmed at the moment –it is a good overwhelmed –or at least energy that can be positively channeled-
—okay—and i am putting up a link to my website– it is this thing i had to do for ‘internet studies’–so it is a themed piece— revolving around a book/movie review- but it came out kinda neat for a first try- – i’d like to do something broader -but since i do have one, i’ll throw it out there as a start as well

My name is Ramsey. I’m 41 and I live in Seattle, Washington.

1) Where am I now?

I work in the computer industry. I’ve had a successful run as a software developer. Currently I am a successful computer security consultant and a partner in the firm that I work at. I’m good at what I do, but I am also bored to tears by it. I’ve always had a creative side, but it has languished for many years. Now, more than ever, I want to fully re-engage it and make something of it.

I’m a huge Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast. (Nerd alert.) Lately I have been developing gaming material. I’ve done all the design work, writing, and cartography myself. I run it for a regular group of players, and they like it. I’ve come to the conclusion that this material is unique and good enough to sell. The market is small, but I could own a chunk of it–and that’s what I want to do right now.

I’ve started a company to publish my products. I’ve looked at other companies and am unsatisfied with how they do it. I’ve got my own ideas on how it should be done. I’ve connected with a lot of other people–both in the industry and consumers–and see that my ideas resonate with them. I feel that my current endeavor is a worthwhile risk to take. Right now I am on the road to making it happen.

I am currently developing my first adventure product. I’m midway through writing the manuscript, I’ve hired professional artists to do the illustrations, and I’m exploring printing options. I’m running play tests here in Seattle and have connected with a group in Vancouver for additional testing. I’ve got a marketing and publicity plan, but that’s not my specialty so I am sure it could be improved. I’m in the process of getting my website online. In short, I’m doing a ton of stuff daily–in addition to the day job, of course.

I’m full steam ahead, but I don’t always seem to know how to best proceed. I tend to ‘brute force’ my way through problems. So far I’ve overcome all issues, but I’m sure I could be solving problems in a smarter way.

2) Where do I want to be?

I’m moonlighting my dream job because my day job bankrolls everything. I’d love it if I could (a) drive my dream job to success and (b) be able to quit my day job, in effect making my dream job my day job. It seems impossible from my current vantage point, but I remind myself that I am bootstrapping and that these things take time and effort. It’s the unglamorous part that leads to success, so I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone. I really want this to work.

In addition to making my venture into a success, I’d like to learn how to overcome my obstacles in a smarter fashion. For example, sometimes I don’t feel like writing: I know that the work I have to do is ‘hard’ (i.e., will require serious expenditure of creative energies), so I procrastinate. Then I feel guilty about it, which I know is useless. Then I get over it and muscle my way through it. This process sucks and wants to be optimized. There’s got to be a better way. I seem to get things done more often than I used to, which is great, but I still feel that I am missing something.

Finally, as much as I love gaming, I’d eventually like to move on to writing pure fiction. I know that my current path can lead to this goal if I persevere.

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I’m succeeding?

An old boss told me that I would be successful as long as I put one foot in front of the other every day. I move forward on my pressing tasks every day. I set deadlines for myself and I do indeed make progress. I am also capable of breaking larger tasks into manageable chunks. Nevertheless, I sometimes have difficulties knowing how to correctly measure success. I suspect my ‘measurement technique’ is about as primitive as they come (lists and a gut feeling). As for my current project, I will consider it a partial success when I start selling it and a total success when I start turning a profit.

By the way, I’m having a lot of fun on this journey so far. I want to ensure that I keep having fun, no matter what. If it’s not fun then it’s like my day job, and that brings me to this final point: my day job used to be my hobby which was fun. Somewhere along the way it became the antithesis of fun. I’d like to ensure that my new creative journey can stay fun while I transform it into a successful business. This is something I really must figure out.

Paul,

I actually noticed that when I proofread and almost changed it Haha but I figured that must have been how I truly felt so I left it. I agree that is a common thought… I have heard that the general public would rather be set on fire than publicly speak. My “issue” has been how much art and music consume me. Music has become so close to my heart that it literally rules me because the fear of losing it (being booed) would honestly kill me. I can survive on the streets :) Fear has definitely been the keeper of my dreams. I am quit excited and intrigued to hear things I do not currently believe. Thanks for the welcome! I am glad to be here :)

Allison

P.s. I love reading everyone’s story!

Paul,
What I’ve managed to do since I started my business has been strategically unique. I know that clients don’t want someone that is “unavailable” and not at their convenience. The idea seems absurd and on first impression may tend to think I’m flaky. What I’ve done the past 8 years is develop a solid reputation, not only for the work I create but the ability to get things done. I get things done on time regardless and have been available on a whim. Once I’ve developed a relationship, the key is communication. I go out of my way to develop deep personal relationships with my direct point of contact. Then when I decide to go on a trip, I’m very open and honest about what I’m doing and when times may come that I won’t be available. I give them a solid heads up of any “black out” periods and tell them that I’ll check e-mail at such and such times each day and I communicate. When clients are in the loop and know where things are, they are more at ease, especially when I’m on the road it relieves their wild thoughts of blown deadlines. Because of my commitment to them and our history they are more flexible during travel times. I’m not always on the road, I do a big trip every 2-4 years and a few 1-3 week trips throughout each year. At least that’s the plan. Many of my good long term clients that I’ve had for years, think it’s really neat and it’s opened up an opportunity to build a stronger connection. Also, when planning a long trip, I don’t take on any new clients a few months before departure. All of my clients have made comments that they wouldn’t have known I was traveling if I hadn’t of told them, which is a huge compliment to me. It’s a huge accomplishment that I’ve been able to pull the whole thing off… except now I want to bring it to a whole new level. Mobile office, freelancing, and location independent has been on the rise and I want to be a front runner.

Traveling allows me to be a better designer because I’m exposed to so many different ways of thinking, cultures, design styles, languages, etc. I have a broader world knowledge and am able to make connections with things that might have not otherwise been made in the comfort of my home office. When in a foreign country, I have to think differently. Back home, I can simply look for words to figure out things. In a foreign country I have to look for other clues and utilize a completely different skill-set to figure out/find what I need. This helps my design because I’m able to go back to the science of design and think about subtle clues that people use when figuring things out/making purchasing decisions/navigating a website/etc.. It helps me with the ability to tell a client WHY I did something a certain way rather than… it just looks pretty or good there.

Thinking about it more… I think my ultimate goal is to create a place for passive income, so that I can work for the select clients I have deep relationships with. For the past 8-years I’ve done no marketing… I’ve relied on word of mouth and ads to get where I am today. I want to start doing some marketing and see where it takes me. Sorry if I’m all over the map here…

I do appreciate your thoughts and I didn’t think of the few later points you mentioned. I’ll definitely be noodling on those.

I’m excited to start the process and see where this journey leads me.

So ive come back to revisit this since last night, after i read your article on procrastination & creative block, and spent the day walking my dogs…It was an interesting period of reflection today… Ive never put this Hate-mail “issue” down on paper, and now that ive seen what ive written, and applied some of the thinking you talk about in the procrastination article, i feel a lil more at ease. Even a lil charged up.
(Without getting to far into the article, in this forum.)
I found the first part dealing with fear of ridicule, really hit the nail on the head for me. The big problem that ive been facing truthfully is a good old fashion case of bruised ego. Which i sort of allowed to grow into an “excuse source” over a period of time, for not putting in consistent work… Path of least resistance i suppose, it was almost easier to use the negative comments thrown at me as proof that “i can’t” instead of seeing it for what it really is… One dude’s opinion… and looking back on my artistic journey, this isn’t the first person to tell me ” i can’t” or “shouldn’t” be pursing my craft, and so far ive proven a few wrong….. and another few are still pending :)

On a side note… posting all of this info has really put me out of my comfort zone, i rarely allow anyone to far into my head…. especially total strangers… feels a lil like that dream where you go to school only to realize your forgot to wear pants and everyone can see your underwear.

1) Where am I now?

Hello. My name is Craig and I am a graphic designer from near Lexington, Kentucky in the U.S.

I’ve been working professionally in the industry for a little over 10 years. Last April, I was let go from my ad agency job due to a lack of work to do in the agency. Very small agency handling local & regional clients. Best thing that could have happened in a lot of ways. Extremely difficult in others. I’ve worked in a few different places and while the agency allowed me a great amount of autonomy and creativity, the place was pretty freaking toxic, being so small. Getting let go was a huge relief on that level. Bad because this is a small market and what savings my wife and I had is gone. Work has been hard to come by. I’ve always wanted to strike out on my own, so… I had just started working with a guy starting a magazine around that time and I’ve continued to do that, but it comes nowhere near matching what I was making before. Our house is on the market and we’ve cut out all of the extras we can for ourselves and kids. (We have 3.). We’re scraping by somehow, but it’s so scary to not know for sure how we’re going to keep going. While working on the magazine, I have also worked in a warehouse, waited tables and answered phones for a friend’s business. The saving grace is that my wife has a decent job, at least for now.

We’ve been working on the magazine for about a year now and it is finally starting to take off. The last issue we published went small on a national level and is being sold in bookstores all over the U.S. Sounds like a big accomplishment, and it is, but it’s really not that much in the grand scheme of things. They’ve got to sell. Right now, we’re about to print the next issue and have no idea how we’re going to pay for it all. Scary. I’ve sacrificed a lot to keep with it because I believe in it and I really want it to succeed. The easy answer would be to go sell insurance or something just for the money, but I fear that if I did that, design would be pretty much over for me for all intents and purposes. The great part about the magazine is that I have pretty much full creative control, which is a lot of responsibility, but I’ve impressed myself so far. Also, since there was really no solid marketing plan in place when I came on, I’ve been able to just pick it up and run with it. I created a website that is doing okay and I’m free to try just about anything as long as it doesn’t cost much money. The magazine covers professional sportbike freestyle (stunting) competitions in the U.S. Not something I was into before, but I am really enjoying it. It’s a small enough sport, that the people in the sport are very accessible and I’m forcing some great relationships.

Another thing I have going is a website called Illustratortips.com. I’ve had this website for a long time. Started it as a site to sell a couple of ebooks I wrote about using Adobe Illustrator. Sold quite a few too, but at the time the competition was next to nothing for Illustrator websites. The mistake I made was no building some sort of backend into the site for sustainability. Meaning most of what I was making went right back into the marketing. I finally grew exhausted and changed the strategy and opened everything up and charged a small subscription fee for a while. Then changed again and made it all free. Things are different now. There is a ton of competition out there and they are good. Adobe even got in the game for a while, using a domain name I once owned and let go. I thought that was hilarious. I guess they figured out they couldn’t make a ton of money at it though and rolled the site into their Layers magazine site. I don’t dedicate much time to the site and it’s not what it could be anymore. I feel like I need to make some hard decisions there about whether to renew my efforts or cut it loose. It’s still kinda “my baby” in a lot of ways.

On another front, in the last couple of months, I finally got off my butt and created a site for myself for freelancing to finally try to make a real effort to freelance instead of relying on word of mouth promotion. I’m digging it, but I need a lot of help I think.

2) Where do I want to be?

I want to be able to support my family with my creativity. I want to not be scared about where the next dollar is coming from. I want the magazine I’m with to be a smashing success. I want people knocking down the doors of my freelance business to the point that I can pick and choose who I want to work with. And I want the majority of my business to be conducted online. I want transparency in my life. I want to continue learning and moving from print design to web design. I want to have time to play the guitar and spend time on personal artwork again. I want to travel extensively. I want to move out of Kentucky and move south and west in the next few years. Back to my home state of Texas possibly.

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I’m succeeding?

I’m not bad at thinking of things I want. I am bad at thinking about how to get there. I need help with and think this might actually be the key to it all for me. I need help.

Hi Paul, I haven’t read your full blog response yet because I am laughing and must say that I knew you were going to come back about the independent thing. I will never be fully independent because I agree it isn’t REALLY possible. THere are always dependencies so I guess I want to be independent in determining direction of a company, etc. Most of that would be based upon the market.

And you hit a point about quantifing my goals. My husband is always pushing for that too. I have some figures for being able to quit my job but not for hiring someone else. And I hadn’t thought about a buffer savings (not sure why I haven’t) yet. I appreciate you pointing this out – it is always easier when it isn’t the spouse. lol

I am so glad I joined this. I can’t wait for the next session! And ps – account management at a software company – something I simply feel into but it has great perks such as working from home and pretty much doing it in my sleep. shhh

I forgot to write that the fourth film I worked on, as a producer, has done well at film festivals. This has been an amazing experience for me that includes getting to work with some exceptionally talented people, a trip to Italy, and screening the film for around 50 large and small groups.

Paul M: Thanks a lot for your input, really appreciate your thoughtful response.

There is so much to think about, so many implications it really is a challenge to sort out what is important, what does “work” and what is a waste of time and energy. I will quote you, and then respond.

“For you, the valuable communication is going to be the film itself.”

I totally agree — this is the singe most important focus for me, this is what really counts.

“I can’t think of anything positive that comes from following the news either.”

I understand why you say this but I can’t imagine ignoring the “news” either — how would I know about you and other resources unless I made the effort to read about what is going on, and who is making a difference? (I found out about you from Seth Godin’s blog) I do spend too much time reading stuff that does not meet my goals and I need to be more disciplined. I would frame this issues as: I need to focus on certain blogs, certain news areas (such as film/entertainment) and ignore most everything else.

“I’d like to hear more about the nature and content of your films.”

We tell visual stories of hope and redemption. Our best film so far is a story set in Tokyo about a man who quits his job out of shame, his bicycle is “stolen” one piece at a time, he write a note to the “thief” and the thief turn out to be a mysterious God who sends him on a journey to find all the missing pieces of his bicycle. Entirely in Japanese written by a gifted writer in Tokyo who is part of our group.

We have a Black Gospel X Taiko (Japanese drum) fusion music video (3 minutes):
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=548080056724&ref=mf

The film I directed is based on my Dad and me and how I reconciled with him around the age of 30 — but, the character in the film is female, it is set in Tokyo and is a sensitive story about a little girl who gets hurt and cuts off her dad. My goal was to show that fathers are human beings who make mistakes and also do good things, that most fathers are not black or white. To have a good relationship with them (and others) we have to let go of our demand that they be perfect for us, in other words forgive.

“What is the message you are actually spreading?”

That God exists, that He cares, that there is hope.

“Story telling is still the most popular form of communication, but I don’t think it has reached its full potential yet. Story telling can still be enhanced by the addition of practical instruction. On its own, a good film is inspiring, but inspiring in a weak form. Its enjoyed by the masses, but it doesn’t actually make many people take much action. Books, or even training programs on the other hand, are enjoyed by only a minority, but are far more suited to inspiring people to take action because they tend to contain more practical and less abstract content. I think the potential for films with a purpose, lies in combining both. You have a strong story in the film, then practical “do this…” stuff in the DVD extras or an accompanying book or something.”

I understand what you are saying and may agree in principle but there are some dramatic examples of narrative films impacting a nation — changing the course of history and none of them had study guides.

Here are two:

“Birth of a Nation:” credited with reviving the Ku Klux Klan

“Sister Act:” credited for being a catalyst for a Black Gospel music boom in Japan

Personally, I am going to show our films in small groups, and in classes I teach, to initiate discussion and to connect with people. I question whether a study guide for each film would be of much value — perhaps a general guide type of booklet with various questions and strategies for “using” films like ours to teach and mentor people would be a good way to go. This booklet could includes examples, discussion questions, lists of films (not just ours) that can impact people…

Regarding facebook and email:

I waste time on these two areas and need to work out a disciplined system to avoid that BUT it is very difficult for me to figure out how to do that.

This is a hard one — most of what I do as a film producer is done via facebook and/or email. Networking is extremely important to me. I build relationships, find new supporters, get things done in general, primarily through networking. My current position at a University was found through a facebook post. I have made many valuable contacts via facebook. I find out about things that I need to know about via email and facebook. I learn about people, and remember important things about them via facebook. Our fan page on facebook is the single most important way for us to connect with our — well, fans.

How do I make the most of email and facebook without wasting time?

Thanks again for setting up this valuable learning opportunity — writing this post is helpful to me in terms of processing and articulating what are sometimes just vague or muddled ideas in my head.

1) Where am I now?

I live near Ottawa, Canada I’m 49 and a Professional Engineer with lots of experience in embedded systems (a career area with decreasing demand locally). I enjoy “doing/making” things. I was laid-off a year ago and I am just finishing re-training for Web Development as it was an area of software that I missed out on. I chose it because it offers a chance for creativity and independence (I’m totally disheartened with large companies). I am a details person, a starter (less of a finisher), I have the average social skills of an engineer (slim to none), and I want to create. I am also a jack of all trades with a large variety of hobbies. I suspect that just narrowing down my areas of interaction would be a good start.

2) Where do I want to be?

This is a question for which I don’t have a complete answer. I want to be a web site creator, unfortunately my skills are probably best utilized in technical/back-end work, but that is not pleasing my muse. I would like to be able to make a living as an independent web designer/developer.

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I’m succeeding?

There are several steps that I can see to get to the starting line.
1) Get a website for myself operational.
2) Get my wife’s office web site operational.
3) Get a first paying contract.

At that point I would consider myself started.

Success after getting started is that I have sufficient income from work I enjoy doing.

Hello! I’m really looking forward to this challenge and to working with a supportive group of people. I hope I can provide a good dose of support in return.

Here’s where I am now:

My name is Monique. I’m 41. I live in Western Nebraska. I have a wonderful husband and precocious 5 year old son. (And as he is sitting on my feet – a sweet doggie we found as a stray 2 years ago. He would follow me everywhere if he could.) Since January, I have my own design business. My goal is to help creative and talented people build blogs, create websites … tell their stories. I enjoy technology. As long as I’ve been working with it, I’m in a constant fervor about it. “I mean have you SEEN what you can do with this software NOW?”

That being said, I know I don’t want to spend all my time in front of a computer. I am in the process of starting some blogs. Already I’ve realized how much this is helping me understand my clients. (Seems obvious now.) Anyway, one is underway: a site for our local area to connect local food and goods producers with each other and the community. I hope to get out and about to meet and blog about them.

Here’s where I want to be:

So, wow – This is a really personal and revealing request. [Squirm.] Your description of the question is spot on though. You’re right. It really is just snapshots and pictures in my mind. I think the key thread in these images is that I am active, yet at ease. Interacting with a lot of people, while being calm, confident, loving and understanding. The calm and confident part is the challenge. I get really passionate and excited about ideas, but I often wonder if I seem like an eccentric to my clients with all this energy buzzing around. I’d like to smooth it out. I think it would be healthier for me and my work.

And yes, I would like to have more money. Mortgage and car repairs. Hair color and new summer sandals. Legos. [O.k., and an iPad.] What I really fantasize about though is being able to invest in programs and people. I wish I could hand our art and theatre groups big, fat checks to help them keep doing what they are doing. I also wish I could hire that woman working at McDonald’s and that boy at the mall who, in spite of having McCrappy jobs and being abused by patrons, still smile and care.

How I’m going to measure my progress:

Haven’t spent a lot of time on this one. I’ve been racing on a treadmill. Feels like a privilege, but it just makes sense doesn’t it? Hmmm. Well, there is the obvious:
1. when I’m active, but at ease;
2. when I have money to invest;
3. when I can provide good work for good people.

Progress though – when you put it that way I’ve already taken some good steps and see smaller ones I can take in them meantime.
1. TAKING time to interject what I need (food, fitness, fun) to help me be more at ease (developed workaholic tendencies out of truly tough times.);
2. CONTRIBUTE what I can – even if it isn’t a big, fat check – and yes, even if it is my precious TIME;
3. I already do the very best I can to hire free-lancers and pay them well. I try to be the kind of person to work with, that I would want to work with.

I’ll keep working on the concept of smaller, measurable steps. Busy day ahead. Fighting my tendencies and posting this in the COMMENTS. Gasp! Seriously, you guys blow me away with your honesty and the coolness of your goals. I’m still trying to set aside a regular time to participate. Very grateful to all of you who have posted and shared.
:)

Have a good one!

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the response.

Yup. I can get pretty excited about people’s websites and a lot of times they kinda look at me with their mouths agape. However, I think if I dig a little deeper, the thing that stops me from feeling calm and confident has more to do with anxiety. It serves me well when I wake up at 3 in the morning with ways to push past the obstacles I was facing on a project. Not so well if it’s the 4th morning in a row, or if I get consumed with doubt about whether or not I’ll ever think of an idea for a design, or if I worry too much about being judged.

As for finances and running a business: I love art and design. However, 20 years ago I pursued a degree that I hoped would enable me to someday make enough money to support me and my mom. It took me 10 years to put myself through college. I have my Bachelor’s in “Integrated Studies: Management Information Systems and Communication Studies.” My husband and I have worked together the last ten years to build an ISP and a hosting business. Just this year we’ve finally “turned the corner.” As such, it gave me the chance to leave and start my own business. Is my income currently needed for our financial survival? No. Is it important? Yes. Thanks for the reality check.

In terms of what I have in mind for my business specifically: when I talk about “creative and talented people” and “telling their stories” I don’t just mean the creative and artistic world. I mean that I primarily see myself working with small businesses. There are a lot of poorly designed websites out there. With CMS’s, stock art, and design skills, I see a pretty logical fit for being able to do great websites for people who don’t have them and be able to do them easily enough that they can afford them and I can make o.k. money. That seems like a win-win to me. (still digesting the “mastering your craft” section…more there later.)

Lastly, I hope this will provide a vehicle to have a couple blogs I want to run. I would like to find a way to do my craft that doesn’t require my presence in front of a computer a good chunk of the day and allow me to be out and about with people.

Thanks for reading, replying, and hitting some nerves.

Monique

Hi Paul, and everyone else on here! OK. Here goes:

1) Where am I now?

I am an artist that has been balancing my art career with a full time job in customer services. But, I am leaving my day job in May – this is purely circumstantial – however, it has been my intention to build my career as a creative on a full-time for a long time – so it’s a welcome change that I am embracing. My sites are set, I am confident in my ability, I am very pro-active and I have received recognition. However, recognition alone doesn’t pay the bills, and I want to do this thing full time, properly, the right way.

2) Where do I want to be?

My chosen career path is within the toy industry – My drawings and ideas have great potential within the toy industry. I want to do this on my own – ie. under my own toy label.

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I’m succeeding?

Here is where I need a bit of help. I have already set the scene, so to speak – I just need to take it to the next level! It’s one thing to measure how many hits you get on a site, or many many new subscribers you have, or how many websites and magazines feature your art – but I need to know how to measure my progress from a marketing, financial, business point of view. I am not going into launching my own toy label half heartedly – I want to go all the way….and more! :D

Steve

Hi Steve! What a great website. I’m enjoying it now. – Monique

I just thought I’d e-mail to give you a clearer picture as to where I am right now, and what I have planned over the next few months.

ILikeCharacters 1st birthday – I have e-mailed everyone about this – including art mags, toy blogs etc.

‘ILC Toys’ holding page – I have set this page up with a subscription box – http://www.steverack.com/ilctoys/ (linked from ILikeCharacters.com)

Toe Fluff will be my first toy release.

This week I am refining the Toe Fluff characters, I will possibly create 20-40 and I will test my market to see which ones are the favourite – I will do this at a major arts/family fun day at Swindon’s Big Arts Day in July. I will also test the market at my ‘Toe Fluff’ solo show in Swindon, which will have lots of Toe Fluff drawings and paintings (I might invite other artists to draw from a Toe Fluff template and be part of the show also) . I will also test the market by having an online pole (which I aim to set up this month). And just for fun, I might even hold a Toe Fluff contest – inviting people to submit ideas for a new Toe Fluff character, thus encouraging people to sign up to my newsletter)

While, I am market testing, I will be seeking quotes from manufacturers – the designs will be the very much the same for each Toe Fluff.

End result – The 1st series of Toe Fluff plush toys is released under my ILC Toys label in a blaze of publicity – and hopefully in a high profile store.

As a side note, as much as I love the designer toy industry – it appears a little unstable at times – I have seen designer toy mags come and go, and designer toys fall away – so, although I will definitely market towards to the designer toy shops, blogs, mags first, I do want to take this mainstream eventually.

(Now, while all that is happening, I have lots of little things I am still doing in order to continue to get my name out, including 1 high profile group show in London and a Boys Who Draw session at Bristol’s Upfest. And, of course I will continue to build upon the ILikeCharacters brand.)

Now, I know that from the above statement anyone might think that I have it all planned and sorted – but the truth is that there is a boys voice in my head saying – “What are you doing? Are you crazy?!”

Plus I have my partner concerned that If I don’t get a new ‘day job’ once made redundant (in May) that I will dwindle my savings.

- and that voice is why I have signed up.

And just a final note to say that the reason I have chosen to enter the toy industry is for 3 main reasons – I like characters, Art on walls rarely sells, and toys will take my creative ideas direct to the market (and I am confident that they will sell given the right PR and launchpad).

…and yes Paul – a little less than a year. :D

Paul,

Word of mouth is not a marketing plan, is it? Thanks for making the point and illustrating what it takes. I will teach myself about local paid search advertising and rethink my strategy on this…

Thinking about this is causing me a great deal of fear about being too busy. It makes me wonder if I can handle having lots of people needing websites. I spend a lot of emotional energy on projects and I need to get better at being busy and handling projects in that “calm and confident” manner I mentioned not being good at.

As always…lots to think about. I glanced at the mastering your craft section…bracing myself as I head over there now…

Thank you again for all your thoughts,

Monique

Monique – haha – Well, I’ve just this mo published a marketing campaign site for Toe Fluff – feel free to check it out http://www.toefluff.co.uk.

Thanks man, I’m probably too optimistic thinking about the graphics itself will sell, I like when people say WOW, that means it works, but you are right I need someone that people consider cool, saying my brand is cool and make it cooler.
Thing with mma fighters is that they are sponsored by many clothing brands that I think that’s a problem too, besides most of them have their own clothing brands.
I’ve seen fighters that own a clothing brand and they appear in magazines ads promoting not one but maybe 3 different clothing brands.
Example:
Wanderlei silva owns wand cloting http://www.fitenite.tv/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/wanderlei-silva-5.jpg
He appears on triumph clothing ads http://gymtops.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wand_fight.jpg
He also appears on Hitman clothing brand ads (the ad is not here but ive seen it)http://www.fighters.com/images/chadposts/1213127499440.jpg
And that happens with most of them.

What if i do something different and invent a fictional character endorsing my product, making fun of all the mma brands.
if everyone endorses a fighter what if I endorse I don’t know a monster that Robert williams http://www.robtwilliamsstudio.com/ or Mark Ryden http://www.markryden.com/ would create?

yeah, I know that I ask and ask a lot , and i’m little crazy too, in school teachers would get mad at me ahahah but I like see what you think

WOW, thanks Paul, I’m starting to think that I had all the pieces of the puzzle around me!
I was blind by the trees who didn’t let me see the forest.
I happen to know a guy here who is from Peru, his family is wealthy and they own a clothing manufacturer in Peru. BTW did you know Peru has the best cotton in the world?
I shouldn’t worry about all the process like you say, I should delegate it to the experts and experienced just like 50cent did.
All I need now is the distributor and to have a nice interview with some of the big guys in the skating or surfing industry for a great know how and I’ll be like muhammed Ali before his fight with george foreman.
Thanks again, I’m on fire.

1) Where am I now?

My name is Gerald Kelley. I’m 42 this year and I’m a freelance illustrator working in the children’s market. I received my bachelors degree in fine art but my illustration work is all self-taught.

I’ve been working as an illustrator in one form or another since 1997. However it wasn’t until November of 2008 that I left the safety of a 9-to-5 paycheck to focus solely on my illustration work. Before setting out on my own, I would take client projects and work on them in the evenings and weekends. This was OK as long as I maintained a fairly low project load. However, the last year of my employment saw an increase in illustration work which effectively eliminated any free time. I was working until midnights during the week and nearly all day during the weekend. While this wasn’t great on my mental state, it allowed me the luxury of saving the money I made from my freelance while living off what I was bringing in from my day job as a design director.

As 2008 was drawing to a close, management duties shifted at the company I was working for. The new management team made all the current employees re-interview for our positions and I was offered a demotion from Design Director (overseeing the work of four designers) to Graphic Designer, joining my team of designers under someone we’d never met before. I had spent nearly ten years earning my position and it was quite a shock to be dismissed in such a cavalier manner. I thought about a great deal and decided I just needed to get out. I had spent the previous year seriously contemplating resignation anyway in order to take on more illustration work. This circumstance, while not ideal, seemed like the perfect jumping point. Never been more scared in my life. But it was the best decision I ever made. I’ve been able to take on more work than ever before and I’ve been able to stay on my own ever since.

While the decision to leave set me off on the path I’m currently on, I feel like I’m basically drifting along, making it up as I go. I’m able to say that I’m an illustrator, but I feel like I’m now taking work just to keep myself from having to go back into the 9-5 world. I’m maintaining but I’m not excelling. I love my drawing but I know there’s more I want to accomplish with it. I have tons of interests in what I want to explore with my illustration: children’s books, web comics, graphic novels, licensing. And that’s the problem: the abundance of options results in paralysis. I get lost in the overwhelming load and simply don’t know how to organize it into manageable steps. Right now, I am just trying things sporadically with no real plan in place. I read various marketing or social media books and pick and choose various offered steps in an effort to see what sticks. And, while that’s shown various levels of success, its been more random than by design.

2) Where do I want to be?

I’m awful when it comes to the business end of my work. So I want to be much more savvy when it comes to taking care of the more official aspects of my work.

I want to create work that generates an audience. I want to create work that is meaningful for me. I want to be focused enough to reliably say “this is where I’m going, and this is how I’m going to get there”.

I want to always be improving my work, be it technique or basic skill (like anatomy).

I want to create a social networking plan that increases my exposure to fellow artists and future clients.

Ultimately, I want to to be able to live comfortably off the proceeds of my illustration work. Not simply get by, but set up a framework that will allow me the opportunity to plan a modest life for myself when I’m ready to retire in the future. Ultimately, I’d like to work on a way to generate recurring income from images I create. I want to explore licensing opportunities with my work (both my illustration as well as graphic design). I would love to be bringing in enough from my illustration work that I can comfortably say I’m not simply trying to exist. I want to excel.

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know I’m succeeding?

Honestly, I haven’t the foggiest. And that’s the problem.

Vaguely, I know one of the markers would be creating a plan that is systemic and orderly. It would be a structured way to organize what is now an amorphous cloud of ideas. One of the markers of success would probably be more results from more efficient effort rather than trying a little bit of everything and hoping something succeeds. I definitely know that one of the measures of success would be a much less restless spirit that’s unsure of the future and insecure in it’s assessment of its self.

Hi There,

My name is Ronan and I’m 22 years old.

I graduated last year from the University of Cape Town in South Africa with a film degree. I wrote a creative thesis in the form of a feature length film. It was well received at the University but I really want to get it made into a film.

I recently moved to London from South Africa where the film industry is far more diverse (with a lot more money too) but it is a lot more daunting at the same time. I am currently working on adapting my script into a graphic novel with an illustrator which is very exciting and holds much promise. I am also submitting the same script to a London film production company in the hopes that they want to make it.

What I really want is to be published in the next 2 years (specifically have the graphic novel finished) and I want to have completed my second feature length film within the next 2-3 years too. My other goals are to start making films in whatever capacity I can, not just the writing sphere but directing and editing too. The ultimate goal would be to have my own production company with creative control over my own projects and to help others (specifically young filmmakers) get out there.

My main fears are that I really do not know how to market my work or myself as a creative. I have confidence in the level of my work, but I do not know how the business side of things work in the creative/film industry. I am scared that I get taken for a ride, that I lose rights (my intellectual property has been stolen once before) and so on. I am not huge on networking but I realize it is an important aspect of the industry and so I want to learn how to do it better.

I also have fears about how my work will be received. I get very nervous whenever I give my work to people to read. I am overly critical of my work and tend to make excuses over plot points, characters etc when there really is no need to make any. I need to learn to let projects go, perhaps that is where being published or getting my films made will help.

In terms of measuring success I guess the best way would be to keep writing, to complete projects, get them picked up by production companies or published in the form of graphic novels (my second love behind film). The greatest success for me would be to just get my work out there.

Ronan

Hi everyone,

I know I am publishing this a bit late but it is because I originally wrote it down in my journal and then chose to share it here as well. It took me a while to sign up for this 12 week program. At first, I didn’t think I would really get anything out of it, although I really enjoy the newsletters. Then, I told myself the price was too high…until I remembered that I have spent that much on food outings with my friends in a week (foolishly so) and realized that this was over 90 days and was actually quite a bargain, lol. And then I missed the deadlines…and finally signed up.

I say all of that to say that fear sometimes shows up in a myriad of ways…telling you that you won’t benefit from something that could greatly benefit your life — and I am grateful that my fear is not as strong as it used to be, lol.

Where am I right now?

I am in a space where most of the time, I feel empty and that I am doing work simply because someone else tells me it is important, not because it is really important to me. I rail against the constant calls for my time and my energy — pushing me to leave room and time for what I really care about in a small box. And I am clear that just doing what I care about for only a small portion of my life is not suitable to my soul. For some people, they make that compromise and assume it is fine. For me, that compromise, for the rest of my life? Yea…it is not going to work, lol. I am a hard worker and I would rather be working ridiculously hard for the life I create rather than work that hard to create someone else’s dream and life. I am at a job that I thought I wanted…but then I quickly realized that this job is not conducive to the LIFE that I want. So…now I am here, in AAA, looking for support in my future endeavors.

Where do I want to be?

I want to be in a constant space of learning…I want to constantly be nurtured by music and to give that nurturing and love right back to music. I want to sing and I want to perform and I want to create music that leaves an impact upon people’s lives. I used to dream that if I made enough money in this life, then I could finally get up every morning and just do what I wanted — sing, dance, paint, whatever resides in the realm of creation. Now I know that I want to LIVE A LIFE full of that…not just wait until some unforeseen time to finally have that be a part of my life. And I don’t want to be a starving artist — I want to flourish greatly as an artist. I want to express myself…be myself and connect with fans, inspire fans to follow their hearts and their dreams and be their authentic selves. I want to travel the world and get paid handsomely to sing and perform for a living. I want to perform in Madison Square Garden and even larger venues for thousands of fans. I want to have a large platform from which to encourage and connect with people. I also want a large ranch, horses, gorgeous big dogs and a loving family. But that’s later, lol.

How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I am succeeding?

I will measure my progress in two ways — one on an internal level and the other externally.,
Internally, I currently record my practices with my vocal coach and write down each of my individual practices — continuing this habit helps me to not only see how often I am practicing but also how far I am coming along in my own progress with my voice. It also helps me to write out my fears and hurdles and see how I am growing past them. Lastly, I will be able to more clearly see how I can get better, what I need to work on and what I have accomplished thus far.

On the external level, when I begin performing, I will measure my progress by people’s response to me. Are people talking about me? What do people think? What is the level of word-of-mouth? Are people excited about what I am putting out? Is there demand? Who is listening to my work? Who is responding? Where are they located? What motivates them? Encourages them?

All of these questions, and more, will help me to measure my progress and get a sense of how I am growing — am I growing stronger and better for myself? And these questions will also help me to better understand what people need (without compromising my own integrity) — which will help me to actually move people to purchase my music.

I am scared…scared all the time to practice, scared of what life will be like living my dream, scared of how people will respond and scared in general of following my dream. However, I want to do this…I now know what life is like when I am not and I don’t want that anymore, lol.

Thanks for reading!

Hi – am a little late to the party but glad to be here nonetheless ;-) I am going to keep this rather short since after a short skim of the other posted comments I have a few more years on folks already here and so will try for brevity!

1) Where am I now?

I currently live in Nashville TN and am a wildlife biologist [with a Master's], freelance writer, horsewoman, yogini and also more recently a songwriter. I’ve owned an art gallery, founded a few non profits, volunteer loads, have had the opportunity to do a lot of rewarding work and travel and am thrilled at age 50 to have opened a new door into the world of songwriting. I want to continue combining the areas I’ve listed above to create new and interesting work…and have some great leads to do so…

2) Where do I want to be?

This next year I would like to really build and strengthen the brand of ‘me’ so that I can generate enough income from my various threads of work to be totally independent financially. I want to keep learning new skills and having the ability and freedom to travel and explore new places and things and want the economic freedom to do this. I was raised to do what I love and I do believe that passion is key to living a long productive happy life. I have just not been as good at generating the income to support these habits. I have also felt that I’ve not really reached my true potential professionally or personally and time is short! So more specifically:

I’d like to get a handful of freelance articles published this year in national publications
I’d like to launch a new venture working with an equine clinician
I’d like to get some songs placed or cut so that they are income generating
Learn a few new things
Go to two new places I’ve never been
Generate a book idea
Learn film making

3) How am I going to measure my progress so I know when I’m succeeding?

Since my goal is really in the end a financial one it should be fairly easy to measure. I definitely need help and guidance to accomplish this. I think part of my issue is I’ve never been able to figure out how to monetize some of my strongest skills – I’m a great networker, I can envision organizations and make them become reality, but its the financial upkeep that has been an issue. So I’m ready to buckle down and learn as much as I can over this next year …. Just as an aside – I’ve been looking at a bunch of coaching programs trying to decide which was a best fit for me right now – what clinched the deal for me was an email I got from Subvert suggesting that you ask your heroes to be your mentors – this concept really resonated and its already happened for me once this year so I’m thrilled and want to ride that wave!