Making decisions about what to do next may require more finesse than “Rock, Paper, Scissors”.
Working artists, pulled as we are in many directions most of the time, can be frustrated, even lose hope, watching in dismay as worthwhile projects flounder. Part of our reality is that many things in our careers are out of our control. But sometimes, it only takes a simple adjustment of mind, habit or approach to bring things back into focus, and happily, cyberspace seems aligned to help: it seems that the web is all abuzz with useful tips on organizing and rethinking your work, and several tips and tricks have popped up recently that seem perfectly suited to the artspreneur. Whether the authors offer a pep talk or a dose of reality, walk you through a listing exercise, help you sidestep your inner perfectionist, or simply give you permission to “goof off” for a bit, these are diverse and almost magical ways to shake things up and get back on track. Pick and click a couple of these articles and see if they help to realign your mind and reorganize your work:
- How to Succeed — Seth’s Blog, 6/11/12
Marketing guru Seth Godin’s keen eye and brutal honesty are served up in this list of 39 action items that you’ve probably heard before. Read together, they serve as an empowering reminder that you probably already know what to do.
- 10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wish For Overnight Success — Music Think Tank, 5/28/12
Although the Get-Rich-Quick bug is less prevalent in the classical world, plenty of people are still waiting for their big break to drop into their laps. This list may help remind you of the joys of the process, and help you revel in the present.
- How to Get Over the “I Suck” Barrier When Learning a New Skill — Lifehacker, 5/30/12
If you don’t suffer from this one, you must be destroyed. If you do, a little perspective may be in order. - How Do You Know When You’re Finished? (Video) — Ze Frank (via Lifehacker), 6/5/12
At some point, our inner selves disagree on whether we can label our work “done”. If you can learn to recognize which voice is loudest, you’ll be better able to choose which to listen to…
- The Virtues of Daydreaming— The New Yorker, 6/15/12
Jonah Lehrer summarizes recent research to validate what artists have long suspected: we are what we dream.
- …and a whole bunch of productivity exercises, courtesy of LifeHacker:
