Are Artists In Touch With Their Heart's Desire

"Most of us don't know what we want; we've never defined our goals, values or passions, so we're out of touch with our hearts' desires." ~ Mark Batterson author of Wild Goose Chase~

I'm just wondering if the above quote applies to creative types . . . to musicians, dancers, poets, painters, artists, to you? Creatives are extremely talented and disciplined in their art form. At the same time, these disciplined artists are sometimes totally disorganized with their time.

Does disorganized thinking and lack of time management rob you of your ultimate goals and dreams? Do you make the most of every day? Do you know how to begin a productive day? Do you know which projects to tackle first?

If any of these questions hit a hot spot for you, it's time to make some changes, some drastic ones!

Let me help you do that by asking some questions:

1. What is your heart's desire ?

2. Are you fully alive?


3. If nothing changes in the next 5 years regarding your art and your income - are you OK with that?

4. What steps can you take that will move you in the direction of your goal for your creativity?

5. What obstacles are standing in the way?

6.What can you say NO to - that will give you more time to work on your creative endeavors?

7. Can you get up 1 hr earlier, or maybe 2, and give this time to work on your art?

8. Is there someone you can connect with that will encourage you to make headway with your art?

9. Is there a message behind your art - a greater picture or cause that you could link your art to?

10. What does the story of your life say about you thus far? Do you inspire others?

11. Is anyone helping you come up with a plan to support yourself with your art?

12. Do you know how to make real money with your art? (is there any other kind?)

13. If you need an extra $1,000 this month, do you know how to use your art to raise that money?

14. Do you think of your creative expression as a business?

I'd love to hear your answers! I'm in a transformation process myself and I'm learning how to view my creativity as a business that needs to be stewarded! I hope what I'm learning can help you too! Any questions? Fire away!

I'd like to recommend this as a wonderful tool to move you in the right direction!
It's created by my coach, Carrie Wilkerson. I can assure you that she has some answers that we as creatives need to move forward. If you want to reach you goals you must have a plan, and a way to organize your day!

Juggling?? Time Management Tips - Strategies for Your Success from 3 Experts!

Changed at the Boss Event!

Just returned from "The Boss Event" with Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive! It was an amazing event and I'm thrilled that I was able to attend. The speakers were "movers and shakers" who run their businesses with high standards! Each of them spoke of their families as their treasures, their relationship with God, and the fact that their businesses were how they give back to the world.

The speakers were Zig Ziglar, David Frey, Paul Evans, David Ring, Paul Martinelli, Joel Comm and Carrie Wilkerson. They opened my eyes to a 'new' kind of business, where character, ethics and authenticity RULE!!

So it leads me to this question: Are you AUTHENTIC? Are you honest with your audience? Are you willing to use your weaknesses as your assets? Are you willing to get over yourself?

Each of these speakers talked of their weaknesses, their problems, their tragedies, and each of them had overcome what others said were impossible.

What are your biggest challenges? Do you have an impossibility in your life at this moment? Are you willing to stay the course and believe that God will turn them into your launching pad?

Honestly, I'm facing some enormous challenges at this very moment, but I believe that they will become the launching pad to my future. I have NO idea how . . . I just choose to believe.

Wanna join me? Wanna share your challenge and make a statement of faith regarding your future? Wanna walk away from your past and into the present?

Let me know and I promise to CHEER YOU ON!!!

P.S. Zig Ziglar was better than ever, even though he had a tragic accident and suffers from brain damage, pure sweetness flows from every word he speaks. What a role example!

Continuing - Straight From My Heart - It's Complicated!

After my last article some of you may be thinking - why don't these 'artists' just get 'real' jobs? The economy is struggling and we all have to get out there and work!

My response to this kind of thinking is in the following story:

We have a friend who is a Broadway leading lady. She was touring with the roadshow, "Thoroughly Modern Millie." As Millie, she was the star of the show. They were opening the show in Nashville and she invited us to have dinner with the cast. We met at The Stock-Yard, the historic downtown steakhouse and were seated around a huge wooden table. There must of been 15 or 20 of us. The members of the cast were telling painful stories of auditioning for various shows in New York and receiving countless 'no's' before finally hearing 'you're hired.'

There was a brief pause in the conversation so I asked, "With all of this rejection, why do you keep on doing this?" In unison - as if the answer were perfectly choreographed - they all answered, "It's all we know!"  Then one by one, they shared that they don't have any other skills, that they don't have a clue what to do other than sing, dance and act.

I left the dinner that night with a solid sense of understanding. We - my husband and I - are artists, musicians and songwriters, and to be honest . . . we don't know how to do anything else either!

So when a dear friend mentioned that artists just need to recognize the season and get 'real' jobs, I began thinking. . .

Most gifted artists who've managed to actually make a living in the arts, have done well financially. But if they can no longer do what they are gifted at . . . what DO they do if they have no other marketable skills? If they simply go get a job, they might be fortunate to make $7.50 an hour.

 Let's see: $7.50 x 40 hr work week = $300 a week. How many weeks would it take before this gifted artist is filing for bankruptcy?

Just saying . . . it's complicated!