Episode 95: Balancing Art and Authenticity with Miriam Schulman
In this episode we dive deep into the psychology behind why artists often doubt their worth and how they can overcome these mental blocks. Miriam Schulman, a celebrated artist, coach, and author, offers invaluable insights on breaking free from limiting beliefs, connecting authentically with your audience, and embracing your unique qualities. Join us for an inspiring conversation that will empower you to unlock your full creative potential.
Understanding the Roots of Doubt
Many artists harbor fears that lead to self-doubt and inaction. These fears manifest as stories that the brain creates to protect us from discomfort. Often, these stories don’t feel like excuses because they are deeply rooted in our psyche. Miriam emphasizes the importance of recognizing these thoughts and questioning their validity. By doing so, we can start to dismantle these limiting beliefs and replace them with more empowering ones.
Practical Steps for Authenticity
To combat these fears, Miriam suggests practical steps like writing down your thoughts or discussing them with a coach. This externalization helps in seeing the irrationality in some of these fears. The concept of cognitive behavior therapy is introduced to challenge black-and-white thinking and mind reading. The importance of practicing opposite thoughts and using bridge thoughts to gradually shift one’s mindset is highlighted. Authenticity comes from understanding and addressing these underlying fears.
The Power of Connection
Miriam emphasizes the importance of building real connections with your audience. Too many artists focus solely on social media rather than cultivating meaningful relationships through email lists. By writing personal and heartfelt emails, we can connect with our audience on a deeper level. A beautiful example is shared of an artist who turned her email writing into a spiritual practice, which not only helped her overcome her block but also resonated deeply with her audience. We are encouraged to embrace our unique quirks and lead trends rather than follow them.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Every soul has two sides—the creative and the sacred. The creative side focuses on the 'what' and 'how' of your art, while the sacred side deals with the 'who' and 'why'. To avoid burnout, it’s essential to balance these aspects.
When communicating about your work, shift the focus from your own reasons for creating (your 'why') to addressing the customer's 'who' and 'why'. This alignment can make your art more appealing to others, enhancing both connection and sales.
Embrace your "weird.” Your unique traits make your work stand out and resonate deeply with those who encounter it. Emphasizing what makes you different can magnetize people to your art and create a distinct personal brand.
Operating within certain constraints can actually enhance creativity.
In newsletters or any customer communication, authenticity wins. Share stories and insights that invite readers into your world, making them feel connected and valued.
Have faith that there is an audience for your art that will value and purchase what you create.
Miriam Schulman is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place. Through her online classes, business coaching programs, and popular podcast, she’s helped thousands of artists around theworld develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love by teaching them how to go from "so-so" sales to "sold-out" collections. After witnessing 9/11, she left a lucrative hedge fund job to focus on her art full time. Since then, Miriam and her art have been featured in major publications including Forbes, The New York Times, What Women Create, Art of Man, Professional Artist magazine, and Art Journaling magazine. Her artwork has also been featured on NBC’s “Parenthood” and the Amazon series “Hunters” with Al Pacino. You'll find her best-selling book with HarperCollins Leadership, Artpreneur, The Step by Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living as an Artist, wherever books are sold. When not working in her studio, she splits her time between New York City and a farmhouse in the country.
Connect with Miriam:
SchulmanArt.com
Read chapter 1 of her book Artpreneur for free!
