superstition [new Article By Artist vishal saxena]

As artists, we are often told to take every opportunity that comes our way.

You never know who could be in attendance at that next gallery opening, what connections you will find at that event, or what could lead to future opportunities.

But, sometimes, it’s less about saying “yes” and more about knowing what’s ok to give up.

Habits, as you likely know if you were ever a nail-biter, can be incredibly hard to break. The invisible mental habits of ours can be even more difficult to overcome, but because of this, even more important.

So, give yourself permission to quit these things. And, give yourself the time and patience to break the habits.

Give up on the “not enough” mind frame

Successful artists don’t frame things around “not enough.” There is never enough time, not enough money, not enough confidence, not enough of whatever it is at that moment to make or do what you need to do to be a successful artist. 

“They all point to an underlying fear of not being enough,” says art mentor and creator of The Working Artist, Crista Cloutier. “And, once you can deal with that underlying fear, the other issues fall into place.”

Give up comparisons

Here’s the thing about comparisons: you are always going to be better at some things than other people, and worse at other things. Dwelling on either isn’t going to get you anywhere.

It can stifle your creativity as an emerging artist to compare yourself to someone who is twenty years into their career, and it can stunt your growth to compare your work to someone who is just starting out.

Instead of focusing on how you stack up next to someone else, invest that energy into comparing your recent work with the work you made six months ago, a year ago and five years ago. Have you grown? And where do you want to see yourself six months, a year, and five years in the future?

Only compare yourself to yourself.

By Artist Vishal Saxena