It Is Hereby Resolved…

You probably noticed that it’s a brand new year. Although you may poke your head outside and discover it feels about the same, a new year offers the opportunity to contemplate where you’ve been as a creative professional and where you’re going. Like most other people, I like to take this season to think of some good New Year’s resolutions – not only the things I’d like to tackle, but also what I’m leaving behind in the rearview mirror. After all, some baggage belongs in the previous year, right?

So let’s start the year correctly. As you’re drafting your resolutions for the New Year, here are a few to consider:

1) Write down some precise creative goals. Studies show that if you set defined goals to work towards, you are much more likely to actually take action and make substantial progress in the things you undertake. This is because your goals give you a persuasive sense of purpose and mission, so even when you don’t feel like being creative, you will continue making progress. Write your goals down and put them where you will see them often.

2) Resolve to set aside unhealthy fear and self-doubt. Many people end up spending all their creative energy coming up with reasons why they can’t move forward. For example, thoughts like I don’t have enough money to do this project, or I don’t have the right agent, or Maybe they won’t like this idea keep people stuck and spinning their wheels. Use your creativity to come up with ways to overcome obstacles and get things done, rather than imagining why you can’t do things. Remember, if you spend your time telling yourself you can’t accomplish something, then you probably won’t.

3) Read... and then read some more. A minister I know once said, “There are two things that will determine who you will be at this time next year: The people you spend time with, and the books you read.” So resolve to read a good stack of books – not only those that are about your chosen art form, but also those that will give you a broader view of the world. That viewpoint will broaden the scope of your art too. (If you're looking for some good recommendations, click HERE).

4) Resolve to work hard and make some sacrifices. It seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of artists end up skipping this one, trusting their raw talent to get them by. But remember when you got started down this creative road? You were willing to really hunker down and work at your craft, spending time, energy, money and more to be good at it. Too often we lose this resolve, so this year, make it a point to get back to the hard work and sacrifice that’s necessary for the creative lifestyle.

5) Resolve to have only one standard in everything you do artistically: excellence. It’s easy to cut corners, and that can quickly become a habit. Unfortunately, it’s also easy to develop a reputation by our bad habits (much easier than by our good ones, I’m afraid), so make the choice to strive for excellence in every project you undertake – whether you are getting paid for it or not.

6) Resolve to spend more time dreaming. You know that person in your life who called you a “dreamer” as if that was something bad? Forget him (or her). You’ll find that a lot of your best ideas come when you give yourself permission to dream.

7) Finally, resolve to use your artistry and creativity to serve other people and our society as a whole. Your value in the creative industry goes up in proportionate to your ability to solve other people’s problems, and not just your own. You’ll find that the truly great artists are those who found ways to use their creativity in the service of others.

I’m sure that you have some other resolutions for your creative and artistic life as well. If you’ve got a good one, feel free to share it below.

Happy New Year from Hollywood Connect!

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• Published in:
• Life in Los Angeles,
• Creativity & Art