There are various motives that inform an artist’s hopes and ambitions—one of the most common and primary being financial comfort and success. For most artists, the fragility of those ambitions becomes increasingly evident against the reality of the odds encountered in their efforts to realize career success, which can sometimes result in disillusionment—a reality that is vividly portrayed throughout the narrative of the hip-hop classic, Money Trees by artist and Pulitzer Priz

Every artist is a working artist—whether full-time or part-time. Regardless of the level of professional engagement, focus, optimism and drive are key components in artists successfully navigating the valleys and challenges of the creative career. For artists holding a day-job, as a means to supplement income, maintaining and cultivating focus and drive amidst the obligations of a secondary employer can prove difficult—particularly when it carries the additional distraction o

There are certain words and catch-phrases that are unique to every country, region and culture, used to communicate universal values and experience. “Having heart”—a phrase indigenous to South Los Angeles, Hip-Hop culture—translates as the embodiment of significant tenacity and courage, and by extension, indicates an equal capacity towards self-sacrifice. For artists and creatives, that level of “heart” carries the same translation in the adoption of disciplines, work ethic a

It is common practice to take an overview of the year during the month of December. For artists and creatives, the math of faith over facts yields varying results. While others experience tangible metrics of success, others may find themselves navigating a run of bad luck—as a good portion may still find themselves awaiting a breakthrough moment in their careers, reminiscent of the George Bailey narrative of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”, where hopes and promi

It is easy for an artist to become enamored with the fruits of their career, conflating critical praise and financial comfort with creative merit and ability in a marketplace where merit is largely predicated on sales and the size of an artist’s platform. Over time, this results-driven outlook can upstage an artist’s intuitive voice, resulting in an artist’s mimicry of past creative—or in the case of artists looking to breakout from a lukewarm career of anonymity, an artist’s

Some creative careers begin auspiciously, in little to no time, with all of the details in perfect alignment—an unmistakable confirmation of destiny. Others take significant time to launch, taking years and sometimes decades to develop. In those years of waiting, an artist’s perception of their individual craft can sometimes become distorted—what was once revered as valuable can later depreciate in perception with a creative gift appearing more like an expensive hobby, in lig

The path and process towards realizing personal success has often been taught and illustrated through the adoption of the life perspective: looking at the glass half-full versus half-empty. At the outset of a creative career, there is an assumption that there is always another refill on the way—and that the current roadbumps and shortfall of resources are temporary. In the case of recurring professional mishaps, blocked opportunities and personal trials over time, a rationing