Want to become a better artist? Start a small artistic hive.

Do you remember what the days were like in high school? After class or at lunch time, you would gather with a group of friends and hang out with the kids you liked, because of, well, various reasons you couldn’t even explain yourself back then. As a grown up, we are not moving around in these small groups anymore, but part of the human behavior that lies underneath is still a big part of our lives, and it influences the way we think about our art and our business as well. Why?

The average of five
Jim Rohn, a well known motivational speaker, once said: “You are the average of the five people you spend most time with.” I couldn’t agree more. The decisions we make are normally based on culture, that what we learn, hear and experience throughout our lives, and not nature, that what we are born with. How were you brought up? In what part of the world are you? How do people treat you? What things do you do, read, and feel? Thinking of the five people you spend the most time with will give you insights on how this relates to your own behavior and achievements.

In order to get the best out of your artistic abilities for the coming year, writing the names of those five people down can give you good insights on where you are heading with your own personality and perhaps even the selling of your art. If the number one person you see the most is your mother, think of how she advices you to lead your life. Does she want you to get a job at an office, for security and stability? Or does she cheer on the fact that you are perhaps wanting to change that, and would love the idea of being an independent artist? Or is it your partner, your sister, your daughter, your best friend?

Creating a small hive
If there are two to four people on your list that would rather have you work 9 to 5 jobs and think your dreams are fantastic but unachievable, don’t worry. Don’t ignore your mom, but go about it the other way around: create a small group of another five people around you that cheer on your dreams and ideas and have a lot of knowledge in the industry you would want to be in. Are you an aspiring painter, or a professional wanting to become more famous with your work? Surround yourself with people that are trying to achieve the same, or, sometimes even better, already made it and would love to give you some advice on the best ways to get to your destination.

Surround yourself with a small hive of people that will inspire you and, whenever you meet or see them, will spark your ambition and help you to reach your goals. Want to help someone out or are looking for members of your hive? Feel free to drop a note in the comment section below or contact me if you would like some feedback on your progress.