Let me be honest. As much as I would love every artist to really start thriving in their life, art, finances and spiritual life, that's just not realistic for some... and it hurts me to say because I'm an eternal optimist and believe deeply in the divine calling of artists to do big things! It's not that I don't believe it's possible, I do! I completely, 100% believe breakthrough is possible in the life of every artist but what I know more than possibility is the fact that thriving as an artist and experiencing breakthrough into that life is a choice. A personal choice that can only be made by a the artist.

Sometimes, I wish it wasn't the case but it is.  You either choose to thrive or you choose to live life the way you've lived it and get what you've always gotten. As I think back on tons of emails and conversations with artists, I've heard these three reasons over and over and over from phrased a little differently for each person of course to fit their "unique" situation.  As we say in the country, "You can't put lipstick on a pig".  An excuse is an excuse and these are 3 of the biggest.  Here we go:

• Reason #1: They Let Immediate Pressure Overshadow Longterm Success
  One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in my own journey is the lesson of delayed gratification.  Like a lot of artists, I was used to seeing things my way, getting things my way and choosing immediate payoff instead of learning to delay pleasure for a greater reward later on.
  
  One of the biggest areas this shows up with artists is with money. If you have it, you probably tend to spend it. And when you don't have it, you freak out, get fearful and go into conservation mode thinking that will somehow solve the problem.  The problem is not lack of money, it's a lack of understanding how to get it, steward it and grow it. When fear reigns, nobody wins. The rollercoaster cycle will continue.  
  
  Let me give you a couple of examples: Take the artist who signs up for a conference, class or seminar only to call back a week or a month later freaking out that "they have to have a refund" or "I just can't afford it now because something came up." Do things come up? Sure, but the deeper concern is that you've chosen to put out an immediate fire for immediate payoff rather than realizing how much you could gain in the short and long term by taking advantage of the opportunity you've now just canceled.  It's like when I was in the marketing business years ago. Short-sighted businesses were the first to cancel their marketing campaigns when the economy bobbled where as mature businesses increased marketing during those times because they realized the long-term importance of that investment.
  
  Or take the artist who wants to paint, sculpt, play or weave like the pros but just isn't willing to take classes, learn from others or put in the practice it takes to develop mastery.  We have a saying for that down south...."You can wish in one hand and spit in another and see which one fills up faster."
  
  You can overcome this hurdle by setting clear vision for your life  and making decisions on a daily basis that lead you toward your long-term goals, not just short term gains.
  
  
• Reason #2: They Choose to Let Other Things Steal Their Focus
  Jesus said "In this life, you will have trouble..."  There's always going to be some situation, person or combination of both that will compete for your time, resources and attention. People who thrive in their life learn to prioritize themselves first in balance with their family and work relationships. Otherwise, you end up putting out everyone else's fires, having nothing left for yourself. These are the folks who show up to conferences and webinars and workshops exhausted, confused and longing for God to show up and somehow fix everything so they can experience breakthrough in their life.  Listen, this is not an issue of God not showing up but rather a lack of prioritizing in life which leads to everything being out of balance.
  
  These same folks are some of the first to attach a spiritual reason for their lack of focus because let's face it... it's just easier than taking responsibility.  For many, it's easier to believe that it's just not in God's plan for your life rather than learning how to focus and stay on course regardless of what's happening around you.
  
  Someone wise once said "If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority." You get to choose and the bottom line is many artists never make that choice. They let everyone else dictate and consequently suffer under the guise of being a caring parent, loyal employee, church servant or attentive friend.​
  
  You can overcome this hurdle in your life by setting clear priorities that align with your unique design and vision as an artist. Make sure everyone in your life knows and respects those priorities as you start shaping the life you were meant to live!
  
  
• Reason #3: They Stop Too Early, Believing This Isn't Really Their Time
  This reason is sort of a combination of the two earlier reasons.  This artist starts down the road with good intentions but doesn't stay on track.  It takes work, yes, but more than that, it takes interaction and community.  It takes relationship to keep each one of us focused, energized and moving in the right direction over the long haul.  
  
  When an artist doesn't stay engaged in the process, the enemy is right there to sow lies like "It's not really your time" or "This is just not the season for you" or maybe "It's not supposed to be this hard". Believing a lie becomes easier than asking for help or pushing through difficulties and boom! Another one bites the dust. Another dream left on the side of the road only to be remembered 2 years later when their heart is awakened to the possibility again and the whole scenario begins again.
  
  You can overcome this hurdle by renewing your mind to the truth of God's Word regarding who you are, what you have, what you can do and the vision for your life.  Once you understand who you are in Christ and your unique design as an artist, you start to realize the Kingdom is available and active to you any time. It's always time to start stepping into your best life in God!

Some of you may be reading this right now saying "Wow Matt, this just got real..." Yes, it did and I love you too much to sugarcoat things. God's invested too much in each one of us to let momentary troubles and pressures take our focus from the goal He's set before us.  

I also know this to be true: people always... ALWAYS do what they want to do. If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to see it happen. The simple fact is many people like the idea of breakthrough and thriving but aren't willing to lean into the process.  

To those that do lean into the process, who keep going even when things get difficult and who prioritize their life the align with their dreams and design, the sweet feelings of knowing they held on, leaned into God's grace and trusted in the face of fear will usher them into reaping the rewards of the process. To them it will be said "Well done good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over little, not I will make you ruler over much."

One question I get all the time is "Matt, how can I take my artistic calling to the next level and really start thriving?" Yep. Many well-meaning artists have asked this question and most believe that it's a single answer... like there's some shortcut or secret ad you can run to make everyone buy your art and make a million dollars. Spoiler alert.... There's no silver bullet for learning to thrive as an artist. However, after working as a creative now for over 20 years, speaking to thousands and personally mentoring hundreds of artists via my books and online artist mentoring program, I've come to understand some of what it takes to really thrive. I'm going to share some of those with you here.

Since I also believe no one person as the corner on success, I reached out to several of my thriving artists friends who are creating beautiful work and selling the heck out of it all while living an incredible life.  Based on their input and my experience, here's my curated list:

1. Have a Consistent Studio Practice and Treat it Seriously, like "Work"
2. Don't Wait for Inspiration... Start Creating
3. Stay Focused by Minimizing Distractions
4. Understand Why You Create & Stay Connected to that Story
5. Keep Learning & Experimenting, Especially When You're Successful
6. Under Promise and Over Deliver.. in Everything
7. Constantly Improve Your Communication Skills
8. Fill Your Creative Well with Inspiration Outside Your Artistic Medium
9. Cultivate a Positive Mental Attitude toward Your Work
10. Avoid Negative Self-Talk
11. Strive to be Uniquely You and Own It
12. Practice Gratitude
13. Cultivate Relationships with Your Clients 
14. Know Who Purchases Your Work & Why
15. Listen to Your Heart
16. Don't Be Afraid
17. Selectively Choose Your Place in the Market: Don't Get Overexposed
18. Focus Your Creative Expression within a Chosen Medium
19. Practice Mindfulness, Prayer & Listening to the Still Small Voice
20. Keep Pushing the Limits of Your Skills
21. Always Deliver Excellence Quality
22. Create a Business that Fits You
23. Be Around Artists Who are Better Than You
24. Be Open to Feedback & Constructive Criticism
25. Go Deep, Not Wide
26. Create Quiet, Reflective Spaces in Your Life
27. Journal, Sketch & Steward Your Ideas Well
28. Develop Meaningful Relationships with Other Artists
29. Connect with the Creator who Created You to Be Creative

​As you probably know by now, information doesn't create change. Real change only happens when valuable information meets action and interaction; action on your part and interaction with others on your journey and an experienced mentor.  Why, you ask? Most of the time, there are things in your life you just can't see by yourself. For those who are willing, God uses mastermind and mentoring relationships to bring you to the next level of growth.

If you'd like to make this year your breakthrough year and really start thriving as an artist spiritually, artistically and in business, check out my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and read some of their stories!  Literally hundreds of artists just like you have made the decision to be a part and it's changing lives. 

Thanks again to all my artist friends who contributed to this list. Each one is creating great work, thriving as a professional artist and a joy to call friend! ​