Do What You Love, and the Money Will Follow

I believe in this deceptively simple principle.

And if you're reading this, chances are that at least at some level, you do too ... or you want to believe it.

And, if you're like most of us ... like me ... you're also conflicted about it. You're not sure you can trust it.

Your whole life, you've been bombarded with messages that say you can't - messages telling you to do something "practical", "sensible" (read "boring") if you want to be "successful".

Driven by this inner conflict, most of us are either living the "sensible", financially comfortable, but ultimately unsatisfying life the messages have led us to ... or we're defiantly bucking the pressures of the mainstream, doing the creative work that we love, and struggling to pay the bills. Or some combination of or compromise between the two.

And since virtually everyone around us is also living according to one of these two models, the evidence seems to confirm the messages we've absorbed - that it's nearly impossible to make a prosperous living doing what most deeply moves us.

But I assert that what this really demonstrates is exactly the opposite.

People are not living unfulfilling lives because a truly prosperous creative life is impossible or unlikely or difficult. Rather we are living this way because we believe that's the case, and therefore have shaped our lives according to this belief.

So what can we do about it?

As Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right."

So if you want something other than what you've got, it's essential to remove those beliefs you've unconsciously bought into that hold you back ... and replace them with new beliefs that are consistent with the life you want.

We'll be practicing Building Your Belief Muscle in the Artist's EDGE Membership call on Monday. If you're reading this after that date, or can't make the call, fear not - a recording of it will be available to Artist's EDGE Members.

Building Your Belief Muscle

I’m very excited about the upcoming newsletter. It’s all about building your belief in yourself and your success as an artist. Belief is a funny thing. It affects what we think and feel from moment to moment. It impacts our confidence and our ability to act. It even affects the opportunities that we attract. Artists, being sensitive beings, can be easily derailed by a single errant belief. And so it’s really important to believe in yourself, in your ability to succeed, and in your fundamental worthiness of success.

But beliefs are so intrinsic, so below the radar, that most people don’t even realize they have beliefs that run their lives. And even those of us who are aware of limiting beliefs have no idea how to change them or that it’s even possible.

We believe (pun intended) that they're like the color of your eyes – you’re stuck with them. Sure you can disguise those negative beliefs, act “as-if”, but then you just end up feeling like a fraud and undermining the success you do experience. So what’s the answer?

Ah, you’ll have to read the newsletter when it comes - better sign up if you're not on the list already. If you're very patient, you can wait until it’s up on the archives page. Or better yet, come to the Members-only call on June 26th, Build Your Belief Muscle and get the real skinny!