I presented this list to my illustration class today. It was targeted to illustration but I realized it has wider applications. Simple truths I have learned over the years, many I’m sure you have heard before. I am hoping to give them some mental tools to work with as well as tools of the trade. Part of being successful is having a belief in yourself and the process. Plus, sometimes it just feels good to read a list and feel like you can do it (especially number 6). I told them number 6 is the source for all of my best ideas (wreck this journal, guerilla art kit, explorer, all were done when I was supposed to be working on other things). True story.
Secrets of the Self Employed (or How to be an Amazing [insert profession here])
1. Don’t worry about marks while you are in school. No one will ever ask you what school you went to or what your marks were when you leave it. (this pertains to the field of illustration).
2. You are always working for yourself, even when you work for others. Sometimes it feels like you are just the hired hand (and some clients can be really challenging to work with). But there is always some way to turn an illustration job into something exciting for you. Some ideas: experiment with a new technique (or a new color palette), use it as an opportunity to learn about a new topic, rebel against the job in tiny ways (do some roughs just for yourself in which you insert subversive material).
3. There are no actual rules for how to become a successful [insert profession here]. Make your own path.
4. It will help you to create a social network of other self-employed people.
5. Move your body every day. There are many health reasons for this, but it also helps you to work on ideas subconsciously. Ideas and solutions will come in when you least expect them but (almost always after a minimum of one hour of walking). There are new studies that suggest increased oxygen to the brain is a greater source for creativity than “creative brain exercises”. I have found this to be true for myself.
6. Goof off on a regular basis.
7. If you want to work on your art, work on your life. All those personality traits that aren’t working for you will come back to haunt you in your career (i.e. assertiveness, fear of conflict, fear of confrontation.) It’s all connected.
8. What you think becomes your reality. I always had a belief that if I cleaned out my recycling bin in my studio I would get new work. And guess what, it always happened. If you think the industry is screwed and there is no work to be had, guess what you will find out there?
9. Focus on ideas instead of tools (technology). Anyone can learn to use the tools, but it is the thinkers who really impact the culture in important ways. In the end the tools don’t offer anything interesting.
10. Worrying about the competition does very little to help your career. I know it’s hard sometimes to ignore what other people are doing (we all think that others are doing better than us), but every one of us is on a different life path. We are all here to accomplish different things and even though it would seem like one person’s path is similar to yours, it is not.
11. Only work for free if you are passionate about the cause or receive something of value in return. (Be wary of people who offer your name in lights in lieu of money. Many people will tell you something is good promotion for you, often it is not and there are no guarantees when it comes to promotional value). If you are not getting something of a measurable value (i.e. printed pieces, or money) ask for something else, creative freedom. If they refuse then they may not be a good client to work for anyway.
12. Take some small risks on a regular basis. Some ideas: write some places/companies you would really like to work and let them know why you think they are great.
13. Don’t worry about whether or not you are good (good is subjective and most people are not great judges of their own work), just keep making work.
14. Ignore cool. Successful people do not try to be hip, they just do work that excites them.
15. Always come back to work that excites you. Even if you get off track for a while. Do personal work on a regular basis, show it to others. You can reinvent yourself at any time.
5:18 am
What a beautiful, peaceful, practical set of directions! Thanks for articulating the wisdom of your experience.
A while back, designer Bruce Mau posted his “Incomplete Manifesto for Growth” (http://www.brucemaudesign.com/#112942/). One of the items on his list is “Don’t enter awards competitions.
Just don’t. It’s not good for you.”
I think what he’s saying is akin to your point about not working for free. I also believe he’s speaking to the way competing with others and submitting work for others’ approval is like abnegating responsibility for finding your own direction — both for your external career and your internal creative development.
For example, I often assert that there’s no such thing as “Writer’s Block”; being stuck is almost always a symptom of focusing too much on what others will think instead of working to find the answer that’s ready and waiting inside you.
This is also related to why I’m an indie publisher.
Soulful business-guy Mark Silver quotes a Sufi teaching that says: “Comparison comes from the devil.”
(http://www.heartofbusiness.com/six-sufi-teachings/)
Amen.
8:47 am
Thank you.
10:07 am
Love your list! Thank you so much for sharing it here on your blog.
It is so exciting that you are a professor now. It would be so cool to be in your class. You are very inspiring to me!
Smiles,
Briana
12:07 pm
This is wonderful.
1:56 pm
Thank you for this post. I really needed to read that right now.
9:56 pm
I think your favorite term is: regular basis.
It is funny to find it in most of the things you write.
(:
4:49 am
Love this Keri! especially #14. Avoid cool. Yes, it sure is a lot more fun to be having my own kind of silly excitement =) and a great reminder to see this here.
9:53 am
You’re sooooo inspiring!!! Have a great day, Keri xx
1:30 pm
this is wonderful and so inspiring, thank you so much!
4:00 pm
Thanks, I really needed that. I can see this list and I becoming well acquainted.
7:07 am
Thank you Keri.
3:01 pm
Brilliant. And very timely for me – very much needed to read this. Thanks for sharing, Keri.
3:23 pm
Thank you.
7:09 pm
Thank you. I’m a part-time yoga teacher, and I find a lot of parallels between the world of the indie artist and the yogi. I hope this becomes a “Popular Post” so I can always find the link easily :)
10:22 am
What you write touch my soul very much.
Though, in a day to day life, it is difficult to apply.
I would like so much spreading my work ( books and arts) for children all over the world to help them feeling that they are much more than their body, they are a little soul in travel here on the Earth.
4:53 am
This is ace! I too need these directions right now – warms my heart. Thank-you thank-you! How lucky are your students!
12:22 pm
These secrets don’t just need to be shared, they need to be screamed from the rooftops!
3:11 pm
um, you’re my new favorite person. thanks for being so awesome. kinda needed to hear this. couldn’t agree more with all of them.
1:33 am
I love #8. Could we get some wallpaper of this for offices and studios worldwide?
11:44 am
Thank you so much for that. I needed it.
11:53 am
thank you so , so much, keri. such an inspiring list and rules to live by. i’ll be printing this out as my new manifesto!
11:59 am
Amazing. Book marking this post for a regular kick in the pants!
12:00 pm
So glad to have discovered this read. Each point is so right on and I was shaking my head in agreement while reading each one. Great blog too!
12:05 pm
Practising no.6 religiously keeps me sane. Thanks for the great list!
12:07 pm
Amazingly concise & well written. (I teach too – Graphic Design & Typography) The only thing I would add is to put fear behind you and let it push you forward, don’t let it get in front of you and block your path. Thanks for writing this.
12:10 pm
Really smart tips. Thanks so much for sharing!
12:11 pm
Just what I needed. Thank you so much :)
12:14 pm
A-friggin-men! LOVE this post. Share share share.
12:20 pm
Terrific advice. Don’t you dare compare yourself to others!!!
12:26 pm
Wow. So well said. These are lessons for life, not just work. Reading this just affirmed so many things I think about my business – thank you!
AND AGREED – this would make amazing wallpaper!
12:27 pm
I have to agree with the general consensus and say thank you! My favorite is #13. This is something that I wish more people (especially in the website design field) would learn. The website design field seems to carry over a lot of childish “video game” bickering between people about who’s using the right methods or whose skills are more elite. I like the mindset that we are always improving as long as we are learning and working toward a goal.
I agree with Tara too in that I like and very much beleive in #8.
12:29 pm
Keri, I do believe this is my new favo-right list. I need to print & marinate on. It’s so handy for me in this moment. Oh how I wish YOU were my illustration teacher, all mine did was hand out assignments & text her boyfriend (haha!) It’s all well & good ;)
Thank you SO much for sharing this here.
12:43 pm
Keri, I haven’t commented on your blog in a long time (my blog used to be Absolutely Vile eons ago), but I had to come out of the shadows to speak up after reading this post!
I’m a graphic designer, and although I’m not self-employed (and don’t want to be), I have been at the same job for 13 years now, and just about everything you wrote here speaks to me in a big, big way. You’ve reminded me of all the reasons why I started doing this in the first place, and you’ve also touched on all of the things I hope for people who are just starting out to realize.
Thank you. Thanks for this post, and all of the years of posts that came before it.
xo Anna
12:48 pm
Great list of reminders! I especially love # 6 – goofing off does wonders for the heart and mind. Re: #9 – I love technology, but we shouldn’t throw money at it. Technology should support our fabulous ideas, not take the place of them.
2:10 pm
You are so absolutely right.All the things you bring up are relevant , insightful and completely sensible and true.
Thank you for taking the effort of writing this and sharing this.
2:26 pm
Thank you so much for this! I am a freelance writer and editor, and it absolutely relates.
I’m also a poet, and I think that many of these suggestions are helpful to artists, in general.
3:42 pm
These are great and positive suggestions! I think they apply to everyone, artist or not, who just want to lead happier lives :)
4:31 pm
Love this list! It’s exactly what I needed to read during this time of my life – thanks for the inspiration!
4:55 pm
Keri, this is wonderful advice. I’m starting the daring journey of growing my freelance collage art biz, and it’s so easy to get discouraged when I don’t feel as successful as I would like to be! Thanks for the encouragement. :)
Much love,
Lesley.
6:02 pm
So true! You probably just saved your students a few years of angst :)
11:30 pm
Thank you. I needed this.
6:04 am
Thx for sharing this. Some of my cyber neighbors would feel quite related with your thoughts from experience. Hope you don’t mind me translating this into Korean on my blog for my artist friends.
11:32 am
smart. thank you- sometimes you need to read something like this to keep it churning..
12:18 pm
Awesome advice, Keri! I probably need this just as much now as I would have in school.
1:39 pm
Great article. Just what I was looking for. You perfectly described my business in #8. :D
3:44 pm
Brilliant! Thank you :)
8:51 pm
I really appreciate this advice. Thank you for sharing!
12:55 am
wonderful, wonderful. the part about moving everyday is certainly true. sloth begets more sloth and so on. i love this list and that you focus on the work, not just the creativity.
i can’t tell you how down i have been lately- and this list was just what i needed right now.
thank you
3:26 am
Loving this article :)
Thanks for sharing.
Loooooved the fonts here (the headlines). Please share it too
11:42 am
Really inspiring advice !!
Especially nr. 9, 10 and 14 are excellent !!
Gives me a motivation boost !! :D
11:52 am
Amazing and uplifting. :)
12:06 pm
Some of this does sound a bit strange – but at the same time, it does make some sense. Thanks for sharing it.
12:52 pm
A fantastic article… resources like this for creative professionals are very inspiring. A similar one..
http://andrewtayo.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/10-rules-of-publication-design/
Also very useful… would love to get your feedback on it.
6:12 pm
Great thinking, great post! This was forwarded to me by another reader, so you know you’re getting out there. I’m sending it on to a dozen mese’f. Thank you!
8:45 pm
This was a fantastic article, as an illustrator I found it to be very insightful and inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing.
11:05 pm
so helpful and comforting and necessary. ..sort of like a warm bath.
12:05 am
really needed to hear this today ~ thank you.
6:30 am
Thanks for putting this list out there, great advice. So glad I stumbled across it!
9:34 am
Great list–many points I’ve often made to students when I’ve given guest-artist talks! Especially appreciate No. 11!
10:27 am
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I am also self employed – and these rules can definitely apply to anyone out there in a creative field!
I am learning as I go (I’ve always been a creative thinker – but never dreamed I’d run my own company) so the business side if things is a work-in-progress…
I think I’ll print your tips and keep them next to my desk for encouragement. Thank-You!
7:49 pm
An invaluable piece on wisdoms, and soulfully given. Thank you. #11 drew my attention. Self-taught on products for graphics and web design. Working for free. I do it for the creative freedom, oh yes, and the pizza.
9:24 am
Thank you, you’ve restored some faith for me. Sorry for anyone who clicks on my website and finds it under construction, but maybe now I’ll finally get it finished ;)
1:13 pm
THANK YOU! ♥
I’m printing and putting this in my inspiration board!
4:02 pm
A great reminder, after 9 years working for myself it’s always good to hear these ideas re-enforced. Many of these ‘tips’ have been on my mind lately – happy I found this post – Cheers!
5:32 am
This is a wonderful post. Thanks so much for sharing. I like all of them, but #2 stands out to me. Inject yourself into everything you do. You are what makes you different from the crowd. Be alive and confident in your abilities.
4:46 pm
4:47 pm
5:07 pm
Regarding #12… each year I look back and apply the 80/20 principle to the clients, projects, opportunities, etc I’ve had.
Usually 80% of my profits came from 20% of my clients. 80% of my happiness came from 20% of my projects. Then I try and figure out what those 20% have in common and seek out new clients or galleries or projects that will offer similar profit or happiness.
1:22 am
I love this! Thank you so much!
11:52 am
This is fantastic, thank you! I would love to be able to share this on facebook, twitter and tumblr (altho already quoted and linked you there), please think about adding share buttons to your posts :)
6:52 pm
How practical and true. thank you for this post.
8:12 pm
I felt inspired. thanks
8:19 pm
Truer words weren’t said. Thank you for the motivation.
12:31 am
Excellent. A lot of this is stuff we should know, but it’s difficult to live it. Thanks for the tips.
10:55 am
I was a freelance for many years and this was a great reminder of why I miss it. All so true, thank you!
4:03 pm
Thanks! I needed this creative jolt. There’s a lot to chew on here. I especially like point five. It’s worked through me to get out of the office and move a little.
9:32 pm
I agree with all of it, Keri – nice post!
10:36 pm
truly inspiring
2:06 am
you certainly have the whole soul peace thing down. thank you for sharing with the rest of us.
10:39 am
mmmmm, yes. I think that also you should ignore the outside world/pressure/expectations created as a result of one success. This creates a useless fear of disappointing your audience… always as you say, follow your passion, what excites you and if the ‘audience’ hates it at least you enjoyed it. Kerri, you should write for Spoonful.
Anthea.
x
12:40 pm
*sighs, takes a deep breath and dances around the studio for 15 seconds… thank you for that
1:52 pm
Thank you for sharing that! It’s just what I needed to read :)
11:28 pm
love it! my absolute favorite is #9 – i tell students that all the time – thanks for sharing ^_^
9:31 am
These are very useful insights. I hope that I apply them all in my own way. Particularly 6!
You might find our illustration blog useful:
Great to read you.
Matt :)
1:44 pm
Excellent – I wish I’d had illustration tutors that could have told me these things. Maybe I would have had the confidence to try to become an illustrator. On the other hand (as a painter & teacher of art to kids) I think I’ve pretty much arrived at these conclusions myself, so perhaps it’s also a question of maturity & experience (as in number 7 “work on your life” & Number 3″make your own path”). I really agree with number 13 , you just have to get on & do the work, also number 5 , which is related to number 7. Finally number 14 makes me think that when I was an art student I was far too preoccupied with the image of myself (I think maybe I wasn’t alone in this)…whereas now I’m more concerned with what my paintings look like!!!
1:34 am
“Goof of on a rugular basis” , that’s realy a wonderful advice , your blog are awesome
9:47 am
Thank you for this post, really great ideas brought together here. I’m going to endorse your point about exercise. I always have my best ideas when I’m running! I need to get an MP3 player with a record device.
9:05 pm
Thank you so very much for sharing!
2:09 am
Thanks for sharing these great tips. What a way to start the new year.
5:15 pm
I love your web-site. It’s become an instant favorite.
2:03 pm
lovely. thank you.
9:59 am
I printed this off and stuck it on the wall by my desk. Its helped make me, me.
12:18 pm
nice and very very true…
5:44 pm
Outstanding! Teaching students real world survival skills is a great thing. If they get it. You may have saved them a lot of time and heartache if they didn’t know it all and just go yeah, yeah! LOL
9:19 pm
Great post, so many truths! Thanks so much. Kent.
10:14 am
Good stuff! thank-you for sharing. How sad that so many do not see their creativity as a marketable skill. Sadder still that so many really gifted artists are discouraged away from expression and encouraged to just follow the mold of what is expected and what are the parameters of ones own creative potential
11:09 am
After 40 years in another profession I’m starting over.
It’s time and I needed the change.
All of your 15 points are right on the money.
They are as true for the “art of Art” business as they are for any endeavor.
Thank you for sharing.
3:11 pm
Really beautiful sentiments. I wish you had a Facebook “Like” button. I’d hit it 10 times!
10:00 pm
This is my first visit to your site. Great advice and love your style! I’ll be back soon.
11:27 am
Not being a weaver of words, I appreciate it when somebody can lay it out in such an elegant manner.
I have lost count the number times I have been offered an unmissable number 11, (no really, it’s good exposure !).
8:57 pm
I love #7! I really needed to read that today….thank you for some inspiration! Love your website!
9:06 pm
I spent the last five years researching this topic and I’m thrilled to report that all of the above is true. And I really enjoyed the last five years and the future looks bright with this newfound enlightenment!
7:22 pm
I love that last bit about always being able to reinvent oneself.
9:13 am
Thanks for sharing. Mind if I repost this in my blog?
10:20 am
Also, I keep coming back when I need a bit of a confidence boost. thank you :)
3:12 am
After read a couple of the posts on your website these few days, and I really like your style of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my web site also and let me know your opinion.
3:55 pm
Wonderfully wise words, will definately help me to see sense when stumbling around this ridiculous world of art, thankyou
1:14 pm
Awesome list! Thank you so much =D
8:35 pm
You inspire me so much, I haven’t a way to tell you. I have purchased all of your books, followed all of the instructions to “Wreck this Journal” and learned a ridiculous amount from the lists you make.
9:54 pm
I found this article to be so helpful. Mostly this:
“Ignore cool. Successful people do not try to be hip, they just do work that excites them.”
My dream is to be a freelance designer / mostly illustrator. It is in my bones. It’s what gives me life and keeps at the coffee shop until close. Not for money, just for joy. It’s just so so hard to cross over from well-paid design firm to best-of-luck-yeeesh-pool-of-drawing-madness. Thank you for your encouragement.
9:13 pm
This truly answered my question, thank you!
10:05 am
A lovely piece. Your words support the truth and the truth supports your words. This is so refreshing in a sham, chaotic world.
11:01 am
Love this! <3
1:34 pm
totally loved it….something so inspiring, so right and so directive . Thanks !
12:42 am
Keri:
Your books books has been a great inspiration to me! Keep on inspiring! Discovering lifeology.
12:06 am
I love you.
