"We struggle with insecurity because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel." Steven Furtick Hi artists, It is detrimental to your well-being when you compare yourself to other artists. In today's world, social media became the measurement stick. You are habituated to scrolling on your phone checking out other artists' work and the number of followers they have on their accounts. You noticed other artists are doing well, which makes you feel horrible about yourself and discourage that you are trialing behind. But, have you ever thought maybe those popular artists have been at it long before you? Or perhaps they advertise to get attention? Or maybe they spend 10 hours a day devoted to creating and posting content. But none of these matter, artist.
What matters here is not what other artists are doing, it's more about what you are doing. If the habit of scrolling social media is healthy for your well-being and business. Social Media can be Useful or Harmful for your Business. You are on the right lane if you use it to promote your art, build relationships with your followers and peruse for learning content. You are doing the opposite if you compare yourself to other artists on social media. Social media does not accurately represent a person's success because it is curated; you only see what your competitors want you to see. Remember this, the people that are kicking butt in your eyes are probably working darn hard in the back and perhaps being in the art world a lot longer than you have. Use your social media metrics as something other than a vanity stick and the only measurement that makes your worth. So next time, if comparing yourself to other artists makes you feel inadequate, stop doing it and start listing your growth and accomplishments and start making plans to propel your business. Here are my 3 Productive Ways to Measure your Self-Worth. 1. Focus on Yourself and Measure your Growth The only thing you need to compare yourself to is yourself. Compare your capabilities; where were you with your art, a year or a few months ago? How were you doing then compared to now? As creators, we are sensitive to what's around us, but it is also very detrimental to our ego to compete with outside influences because you can start losing your identity and art style. Here is something I want you to think about; How you create your work is uniquely yours; your gift, your touch, that makes your art different from the rest of the world. So hone in on that, and don't compare yourself with other artists, don't taint your style by adopting theirs. Refrain from comparing your self-worth to how many social proofs you have because that does not equate to success. 2. Celebrate your Accomplishments. Write down your accomplishment and see the growth that you have done. Grab a pen and paper and start jotting down your accomplishments from the last couple of years. This activity will help refresh your memory on just far you have come. The next thing I want you to do is to celebrate your achievement no matter how small they are because all big things come from an accumulation of small accomplishments. Eat a cupcake or crack open a bottle of wine, whatever your fancies are, celebrate your milestones. 3. Setup your Next Growth Spurt Then the next thing I want you to do is set the next growth spurt; where would you like to be a year or a few months from now? Give yourself a timeline, work towards that goal and compare yourself to the next phase. When you do that, you keep your focus on yourself but it doesn't mean you are not growing or oblivious to what's happening. When it's time to up-level your art and business skills, invest in an expert to teach you that. The Bottom Line You have to believe in yourself when you own an art business. Your measuring stick is your income and what you've got set up to sustain your career. Analyze your metrics, see what you are good at and what worked for you, and enhance that part of your business. What you are bad at, get better at it or hire help. My Focus For over 2 decades I have worked hard in my art business and I focus on what I know best and improve as I go. As an introvert and the youngest of 4 siblings. My sisters being older are naturally better than me in everything and because of that, I am not the most competitive person; I play games for fun rather than to win. So, when I started selling my art, I kept my blinders on, did what I knew, and educate myself along the way. Because art is my livelihood instead of chasing the next shiny object, I evaluate what brings me an income. To protect myself from harmful comparison, distractions and self deprecation. I only compare my business by analyzing my yearly progression. Stop making yourself feel inadequate instead start listing your growth and accomplishments, and start making plans to propel your business. Conduct your business with integrity and focus, and stop putting yourself down by doing the comparison game. If you need art marketing advice, please comment below and I will get your questions answered. With Creative Joy, Ting
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Ting YuenI am an artist and art marketing strategist that is passionate about creating meaningful art and courses that inspire your life, business and home. Archives
February 2025
Categories |