If you’ve ever taken a science class and studied rock formations, you know that it is possible to change the face of a rock, any rock over time, by repeatedly applying something. Water dripping in the same place on a rock will eventually, molecule by molecule, wear a path into that stone. The longer it drips, the deeper the groove.

The wind, which can neither be seen nor touched, is only invisible by in its effect on the surrounding environment,  can erode the face of stone. Words, which are equally invisible except for their effect on the people, can erode hope and joy and the well-being of others.

Hope in New Life

In my early 20s everything was an adventure. I wanted to go everywhere, and see everything and do everything because it was all new. I remember having some unwritten assurance that everything would turn out fine. Did you feel anticipation and excitement when you dreamed about your future? My whole future lay ahead. Do you remember those days? What were your dreams? What plans did you hope to accomplish? How far ahead were you able to imagine your life?

I had no real map for my life. I didn’t understand the importance of setting goals. I didn’t hang around people who rained on my dreams or listed reasons why my ideas wouldn’t work. I wanted to try them and find out for myself.

During the trial and error phase, I oftentimes gained insights that slipped by other people. Because of that, I was able to make something that didn’t work for them, work for me.

Without a role model for becoming an artist, I spent years spinning my wheels repeating cycles that short circuited my progress. Has this happened to you? I noticed that some will press through those times, deconstructing why something didn’t work. They may try variations of many things, find traction and keep going. Others will give up and quit. But why?

Confidence building

I moved away from everything I knew and started over. I wanted to create humorous illustrations. As a self-taught artist, there were things that I missed out on that “schooled” artists gained: self-confidence, meeting and learning from other artists, considering alternative but equally fulfilling work and networking for future work.

At the time, there were no social media channels. The thinking at that time was to get notice and hired by a comic book syndicate, a publisher of comics or comic books. That was the only idea presented as an option. Thinking that I would “be discovered” proved to be limited thinking and frustrating.

What I really needed was a mentor. Someone who had traveled the path I was on, who could show me the choices they made that led to their success. A mentor could help me in ways I didn’t know I needed help because of what they’d learned along the way.

Moving to another state kickstarted a thought process. With no family or friends there, I needed to start making connections. By working in an art supply store, I met more like-minded people. People looking for artists often called or came to the store. My coworkers and I shared our goals and because we knew their niche, we connected each other to art-related opportunities.

By divine providence, I met PJ Andrews, a caricature artist. A coworker and I took her class and learned the tips and tricks of drawing caricatures. As part of our graduation, PJ subcontracted us to work with her at a corporate holiday event.

Through that experience, my subject encouraged me as did PJ herself. As a subcontractor, PJ named her hourly rate and never dropped below it. She already knew what the market would bear and didn’t undersell herself. She taught me the value of my work, how to conduct business, write and submit contracts and network to get more gigs.

As my style and speed developed, I caught the eye of a talent agent. He consistently sent me work for many years. As a result, I worked a lot of great parties, visited many lavish homes and resorts and met truly entertaining people and even more caricature artists. Within a few months, my hourly rate was $50-$75 plus tips. Much better than waitress pay, and I really enjoyed the work. It let to other creative expressions and more connections.

A business owner in the entertainment industry shared that my business card was on the desk of every agent in that city. That stream of income served me well, and I sometimes wonder what else would have come out of that had I not moved away.

The Mentored Path

Even though I had learned a lot on my own, the results I wanted came much sooner after having a mentor. It was worth every dollar. A mentor provided an opportunity to prove myself, and she referred me many times when she was double booked.

What kind of mentor do you want? Their are fields within fields. Even in humorous illustration, there are many subcategories. A laser focused goal simplifies the search for a mentor in your field. Yes my mentor was an artist, a humorous illustrator. Once it was defined, that eliminated a huge segment of possibilities. But it clarified who I needed making them easier to find.

Since my caricature drawing days, my focus has shifted. What stayed the same is to make a living by creative means. Different mentors have helped me reach that goals.

It’s easier now than ever to find mentors through networking, blogs, LinkedIn, industry forums and meetup groups everywhere in the world. Map out the steps. What kind of mentor do you need? Create a list of questions that help you move forward. Such as, How do you get your first client and future clients? How can you reach income goals? What makes it sustainable? How scalable is it?

What this means for you

Wherever you are right now, your thoughts are aligned to fit your current environment. It may be through that invisible wind or a constant dripping. It may take a short time or many years, but it’s happening one moment at a time. Is this where you want to be? Are the people at the top people you want to emulate? How has your current environment eroded or improved you? Where do you want to be a year from now?

The advantage of taking PJ’s class was already knowing how to draw. I never doubted my ability. I was already ahead of the curve. She showed me better face drawing skills. Because I was motivated to have an unusual, exciting life, I practiced until it became second nature. As my new talent blossomed, my speed increased. I had a few gigs every month. Making in a few hours what it would have taken weeks to earn.

You may already have skills that easily transfer to your new opportunity. If you must learn new ones, but the rewards of taking charge of your destiny are worth it. What the value of knowledge?

Much of what I learned as an artist, crossed over to writing and other business opportunities. The lessons continue to benefit me in ways I couldn’t have foreseen.

Where will you be five years from now? Ten years from now? What will you need to have done in year nine, that will make year ten successful? Write it down and work backwards.

Your future starts with a dream you can believe it. A way of life you can see yourself living. Even if you don’t have all the answers today, that’s okay. Once you set your intention, you may be as surprised as I was, how opportunities line up for you.

Thanks for stopping by. Have some ideas? Drop them in the comment box below. I’d love to hear from you. Let’s start a conversation. I’ll see you next time!