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Step Up and Own Your Power

Welcome back to fulfilling your creative purpose. We just finished up with lesson twenty eight activating your resource is and now we're gonna roll in tow. Lesson twenty nine of getting to the end here and less than twenty nine is about stepping into your power. So, uh, if you're following along in the discovery journal, I would suggest you cheap, parented page forty four and if not, I'm going to actually give you, uh, information you need to succeed in this course. Um, and if again you're feeling a little lonesome and you've invested in the course, please go to join dot artist who thrive, dot com and join our private facebook group and find yourself a mastermind, but you're a friend. So, um, this, you know, the last week is really about starting where you are today and not, um, judging yourself for comparing yourself to other people, it's a really fruitless and it's really kind of negative. And, um, one of things that craig said to me was that he I noticed in life when he felt the mos...

t disempowered when he eh wasn't present were b he was comparing himself to others that's when he lost his power. So that's why the point of week sixteen is just to respect and appreciate where you are today. And under n appreciate that this is all a journey this whole thing is a journey and you're exactly where you're supposed to be exactly where you are and everyone has to go through a journey and that journey is not always easy and sometimes is painful and I've asked youto all spill the beans about your personal journey but it wouldn't be right if I didn't spill the beans so there's actually somebody who helped me spill the means and we're going to listen to a piece of that right now um I want to get exactly what you did why do you why do you think you got emotional just at that moment talking about that what was it? What was it? Because life is short here we go again angela's gone so every book that I make for my patrons they're all dedicated to angela oh all of them they don't even know who she is but they all say this is for angela all of them and they always will sliced short you don't know when your number's up so if you really want to do something, go do it you know, unless there's something really standing in your way and you can't then that's fine, you can't beat yourself up for that but if you if you if you want something go get it quote the and loves every artist is an entrepreneur and every entrepreneurism artist which he realizes that the gallery system just making your paintings hanging on someone's wall somewhere that doesn't work for her probably lots of people like her so to forge a new future in which you could make a living as an artist she borrowed from the past she is what she calls patrons collectors have her work she doesn't just make paintings for them she provides whole experience so what I do is create this whole experience for my collectors they choose their favorite landscape we actually go there together I go back, I do a whole series of studies and oil then they, um khun choose one or more that I recreate on a custom campus but they've been to that place with me and I give them a coffee table book that chronicles the whole experience with black and white photos taken retrace my steps they could be in the moment it takes him back to a moment in time and it they associate the painting of a memory and how much money are you making now compare it to the yurt previous jobs are you doing better? Worse aboutthe same oh no, I'm making more I made more in my first year than I ever made working for anyone else like significantly more and I think that my prospects are so there's they're so much better because I never was qualified for anything I did I certainly wasn't qualified for the computer company or I mean it wasn't so I was I mean I could only get away with it for so long and someone who's going to figure it out I wasn't gonna become vice president any time in any of those when anne was five she drew a picture and showed it to a friend held up announced for the first time in her life I am an artist propensity no you're not and answered oh yes I am back then when she was five her work was mainly mixed media cran and light bright many of us the dreams we have one or five they don't normally come true for an it took a long time but has finally did oh my god that still chokes me up ok so um that was my interview with uh and pete formerly of npr alex bloomberg he taught a podcasting course on creative life and I was the material for the podcasting lesson see me crying maurine the course if you take it it's a fantastic course um why am I sharing that why am I sharing that I'm going to ask you in the audience uh why did I share that why is that significant you told us about deepest paint a deep pain you went through and you just you will all out open right and do you see how that pain it got resolved and why I'm sitting on this stage at creative life so yeah, I mean, it was really painful was painful because I worked I didn't paint or draw anything for eleven years, and angela, who I mentioned was a co worker um, and we were sitting in our cubicles and are boring jobs, and we were bitching and moaning about her jobs, and I remembered that angela and maria both were in recovery from stage four breast cancer, and I needed to turn the conversation around because it was really negative, so I turned the conversation around, and I asked them, uh, what they would do if they had a magic wand and they could do anything and be assured of success because it certainly wasn't this job we all were sharing, and maria said, I don't know and she had just, you know, dodged a bullet, her hair was still growing back in from the chemotherapy, and I thought that it was really sad that she didn't know it really broke my heart that she didn't know and I pressed her that's it, come on, I just gave you a magic wine, you could do anything, and she couldn't come up with anything but she flipping hated her job, and she really attributed her cancer to enduring a job that she hated for many, many years, so then I turned to angela and I asked angela what wouldyou d'oh if he had a magic wand because we know it's not this we all hate this in angeles said I would be an interior designer and I said, why don't you stand up and go quit and get the hell out of here and be an interior designer? Her hair was just growing back in angela was the same age is me we were thirty days difference in age okay, so she was a real reminder to the impermanence of life and she had the resource is to go do that she had a loving and supporting husband and she didn't have any kids or big big obligations she could have done it and she didn't run shouldn't get up and quit and do it and so I was faced with two people fear and fear right? Both just and I said to both of them are you more afraid of doing what you really want then the cancer treatment that you just endured and the death scare that you've just faced and I realized it was a really pivotal moment for me I realized like how how long am I gonna stay stuck by being scared? And I thought I'm not going to let fear rule me I mean, I know I was still going to feel it, but I can't let it I can't let it shape my decisions, not when I have options available to me because I didn't have obligations that would absolutely prevent me from pursuing this so I didn't and I didn't have a mentor didn't have someone to turn to so I started studying uh I'd study I would study marketing I'd read seth gordon's books and what I would turn to successful artists those who were represented by the art establishment they shot me down he said you know like what do you what do you concerning yourself with business for and money? Well they had plenty of it's that have to worry about it and um you know, I caught a lot of flak until I met the likes of gordon you ther in napa and other like minded artists who understood that we are indeed in business so I'm sharing that with you so you can understand how a very painful persistent fear frickin wrecked my life for a long time I'll be fully honest with you I was had anxiety was depressed at insomnia and I had to take prescribed pharmaceuticals to get my butt back and forth to work for many years during that time it and paid anything I didn't draw anything it's a huge amount of pain, so when I finally figured out how I could actually make art that I was proud of and actually make money they felt an obligation to share what I've learned and ifyou're can learn for me great if this doesn't work for you I apologize my intention is to help you and it goes against the grain of what were typically taught as creatives, which is not to worry our pretty little heads about money or business. So here I am and that's why that you see how the pain actually put actually I've solved a problem for myself and then I took on a mission this whole starving artist bullshit I was sick of it was sticking here, innit? You want to hear it from an artist anymore? I didn't want to hear it from other people anymore, so I went on a little mission and it was actually a jonathan fields dinner party after the good life project, I was surrounded by other people who were interviewed and they'd all developed these courses all a different courses scott spins more had of course, this one had a course and I thought we should have a course. So I started writing the course after that dinner and then people white mice my artist started asking me, uh, you know, you really should be on creative live, and I said, I don't know what credible ofhis honor what you talking about? And eventually I found out what it wass and blah, blah, blah one thing led to another, so why am I? Why am I telling you that because I didn't start it didn't start here I started I was totally depressed I totally wasn't making any art I was had no clue how I would ever do it that's where I started totally powerless, powerless very, very powerless uh so I stepped up and I owned my power over time wasn't something that happened like that alright, the epiphany was the conversation with maria and angela but it happened over time this all helpful okay, so on so it is true that when I d'oh create an experience of art from my patrons, they get a coffee table book if they spend enough money um and every one of them is dedicated to angela angela granger was her name. She didn't make it about every book I ever will create will always be dedicated to angela so because she didn't go for it. And so that's what I'm suggesting that you do is that you obviously are watching because he wanted you're here because he wants something don't let your life you know it runs through your time runs through your hands and just don't don't let it go without trying just don't and so angela will serve as our our inspiration. Okay oh ari, why that's still just really gets to me but it still does still does alright okay together and you gotta teach a course, okay, so uh so um I asked you felix, about why I um why did that? Um now that we're you and you identified my pain which led to my purpose. So from what you know about me so far what's my mission what do you guys what do you guys think it isthe crying on stage a creative lives? Yes, john help people go for the things I really want in life and to inspire them and give them the tools to really make make it happen so they don't turn out like angela not going for it, right? Right. So my friend tony wessling of chromium brands, I'm going to give him a little shout out. He owns a branding firm here in san francisco in washington d c and he helped me with the branding architecture of thie um making art making money course which I'll be re launching soon and he did something called a brand persona which is not a tagline or a mission statement. It just sort of sums up the personality off your brand and, um purely nailed it when he said your brand essence for artists who thrive in making art making money courses you are the destroyer of destructiveness, which is it? So what destructiveness have I sought to destroy starving artist myth starving artist smith what else? What other destructiveness do I seek to destroy fear fear based on this course complacency complacency I don't have a lot of tolerance for that notice that yes perfectionists perfectionism because it kills put creativity and it hurts us and it's inefficient any other things you notice I'm what other anything else I seem to be aiming to destroy any other destructive inside destroy you pretty much got it yeah so in my first course you notice that I keep alluding to glinda the good witch I loved glinda the good witch because she's a helpful guide she rides around in a bubble she's real pretty and she got a nice outfit but she will if here the wicked witch of the west she'll slam house down on your ass and take your shoes and she won't give it back no why don't I identify with her so much? Thats thats why so this isn't a sued you see how this is building a business is such a creative is such a person all form of creative expression this is all rooted in my personal experience so no one can copy this no one can rip this off because it would just look like a bad copy like a cover band playing at the holiday inn it's not them right so um this is why I am forcing you are trying to force you it's all up to you to get so deeply personal to get so deeply in touch with your most poignant and shaping human experiences that's why I'm doing this not to torture you alright, so you you got an essence of you understand my purpose? You understand my mission what's my unique value proposition how my different from other artist coaches? Because you you're an entrepreneur. So it's really about having a thriving business tio and that's a creative process too. They want my talk. I don't just talk about it, I actually do it myself. Yeah, yeah that's that is unique in the marketplace. Yes, you're not just teaching people how to sell their art, you're showing people how art cells with their own personal life and their their mission mission. I'm actually encouraging artist not to sell art because and creatives not to sell what they create, because that sucks. I'm actually encouraging them to just go on a mission and to serve others and his doctor e says to serve them with honor. You don't sound like with your patrons to that with providing the book you're providing an experience for them? Yes, you're not just giving them a painting. Oh, knowing them, I'm not selling any of your whole artistic process so they can actually be a part of it I'm actually help I'm inviting them, teo, be teo, celebrate the moment that's in that moment in that that particular place has, uh, memories or moments associated with it so my my value proposition is not really about selling painting, is it? It is about selling that experience that allows them to revisit those memories they like the book but unlike a painting and I that's fine by me I don't care but they like that they're more keenly in that book comes out they're like oh, let me look at that they they study that book with much more earnest attention than they ever do the painting which is fine because it's for them it's not for me did you have something, captain? Well, I think you're, um you're artists who thrive like your you teach business savvy to artist so I think that's kind of one thing you do, but I like this is you're not just selling a program, but you've created a formula that needs to be followed in order to thrive great so identifies different pathology, right? So, um one thing that artists are hungry for is some kind of road map. And unfortunately I've actually even, um mentored artists who have en bas and they still don't know what to do because a traditional um business development plan does not deal with the visioning in the valuing piece that we've been working on this last in these thirty days that part is missing and that's the most important part and that's the part I identified was missing and so yeah, I give created this basically shared the roadmap that I figured out for myself and for other artists and there doesn't there isn't one out there just isn't and I knew there wasn't cause we did extensive research trying to find it don't teach you this in art school and they don't teach you this in business school so that's you that is also part of the uniqueness so there's layers of uniqueness like you keep adding value and adding value as much as you can see just one added value asian but as many ways you can layer in value the better you know, just keep piling it on piling it on. Okay, so do you say you see how this is breaking down through my example? Okay, um, so obviously I have due to different target markets, right have collectors or patrons and then I have artists who I work with they're very different businesses and they're very different target markets and but the mission or that I would say I would say yeah, my mission is still the same I want to disrupt the art establishment I'd like to topple it over a cliff actually in its current in this traditional on current scarcity and permission based form I'm out to destroy it because it's destructive now, not everyone I actually have an art rep in montana she's lovely lady doesn't behave that way, so I'm I'm not saying you're all gallerist or bad or all our ups or bad, but there's a certain number of you who are and I'm gonna slam a house down on you, so disrupting the way our is experienced, uh, doing that with my experience of art, and hopefully I'm gonna all empower you like dorothy, and you're going to go out and you are also going to disrupt the way that psychic mediumship is experienced and the way that people relate to crafting and the pay away people really, teo, you know, stories about transformation and the way people learn how to access their own creativity through iphone ah, graffiti and the way that people actually make changes and you make in a fun way. So you're not selling, uh, you're not selling spiritually counseling anymore. You're not selling blogging instruction and even, like block a craft instruction anymore selling writing anymore, you know, selling classes anymore, and you stop selling your whatever you weren't selling anyway, but you know what I mean? You don't mean you're not doing it anymore, you see how this is like we brought it up so many notches. That I hope that you're empowered that's the whole point like it's sticking the red shoes on your feet like ruby red slippers on your feet that's what like that's my aim uh if someone doesn't like the shoes I sorry can't help you I can't help everyone and that's the other thing I want you teo also respect and appreciate about yourself you cannot help everyone this course is controversial my course that we're in right now is controversial people absolutely love it people hate it but um I can't serve everyone this said that is they're just two different people the people who really love this are not the same people who really hate it it's okay there's room for someone else so felix, some people are going to hate on you people but we know most people love you because your book so far in advance kathy gonna be some haters it's okay it's just gonna be the way it's gonna be. So why am I mentioning that? Because this segment lesson twenty nine is about stepping up and owning your power when you truly know your purpose you are on a mission you are intent on serving others with honor it doesn't matter if people hate on you it just doesn't you just keep it moving and just keep serving with honor you use truth as your marketing strategy and you can't really be argued with remain so being authentic and being those air being authentic it's like one of those marketing phrases that gets really bandied around um but I mean will be really I think it's really powerful and um and it will uh when you're really authentic um it may polarize some people so so what? All right um we're winding down to the end of the segment you guys have anything to say about standing up in owning your power? I just want to do a little brief survey do you remember when I interviewed you the first time you're sitting on the stage how do you feel now? Felix muchmore confident speaking front of the camera because you were horrified. So and so you spent thirty days you spent all this time in front of camera. Okay, how about you, kathy d feel more empowered as a result of this work definitely empowered and unique I mean really searching for what's unique about me? Um yeah. And I just, um I would have never put all of this together to create to connect all those dots between pain and joy and my mission and my purpose. So I mean, I would have put that as more of a personal search or personal journey, but I would have never connected that that would've been my business right? So a lot of people take issue at how personal this course is getting but art's very personal hello it's nothing more personal and creative expression so yeah it's very personal very personal things can actually make money they make a lot of money yeah, because they're in space a inspire yeah um kathy how I mean cathy sorry den where are you in terms of do you feel more empowered? You feel the same? Do you feel where yet? So I feel like I have a lot more clarity and I actually feel like you gave me some tools about being really specific and connecting the dots between what I can do for myself in my own life and how that how I can help others during that that's gonna be the key yeah it's going to be the key showing you know, healing yourself I'll begin a problem and then and then I think you know, investigating how other people have done it just like jonathan is interview people about howto they've lived a good life I think that's an amazing journey yeah yoni are you more powerful? I'm jazzed this has been great for me thank you so you feel more energy? Yes fork more focused focused johnny feel more power focus unstoppable, unstoppable cool all right, I believe you all are I mean, it just I don't have any like the students who appeared on the google hangouts I don't have I have every bit of faith in all of them because they're so in touch with what matters to them, not everyone else, but to to them. Okay, so that was lesson number twenty nine. Step up and own your power. And remember, I played the interview where wasn't so powerful. Remember, I referenced that. So wherever you are, you're fine where you are, and now I really want a lesson. Thirty, which is about taking action. Okay, thank you.