If it wasn’t for the internet, you wouldn’t be reading this article and I wouldn’t be here talking to you today. There is even a chance I wouldn’t have my own business or be working for myself. The one thing the internet didn’t change though, is the passion I’ve always had for business and to be my own boss.
Yes, I still could have ended up in business for myself, but definitely not in the same fashion that original went down. I would have likely had to attend college, suck up to bosses, get a loan and eventually start something of my own — fortunately, the internet was here to change the way the game is played!
While the internet changed everything for me, it’s also doing the same for millions of other individuals, entrepreneurs and “starving artists” around the world as well. It’s no longer so much about having the right tools or skillset, but instead the right work ethic and focus to succeed.
Anyone with a passion for something can be referred to as a “starving artist” — it’s not just your typist drawing artist or musician that you are probably thinking of. Performers, graphic artists, writers, entrepreneurs, freelancers — you are all among us as well.
So what is a “starving artist” anyway?
Wikipedia defines it as “A starving artist is an artist who sacrifices material well-being in order to focus on their artwork. They typically live on minimum expenses, either for a lack of business or because all their disposable income goes toward art projects.”
That also sounds quite like an entrepreneur to me!
The old world mentality of a starving artist is a guy sitting on a park bench playing his instruments and hoping one day to make it as a rock star or rap artist. Another common image is seeing an artist on the streets of New York doing spray paint designs and selling their work for $ 5 each. Both are passionate about what they are doing… but also lack direction in how to get to where they want to be.
Take this same mentality and apply it to the internet and you no longer have an excuse for failure or lack of direction.
Millions of starving artists are being discovered every year and many of them start off with that same burning passion and desire we all once had. Unfortunately, as many of us start to age, the realization of our dreams coming to a close and the fear of financial responsibility starts to kick in.
However, all is not yet lost. The difference between those who find success and failure (at any point in life), is the willingness to put in the time, work and effort to study and do what it takes to get to that next level.
Even more exciting… it’s not going to be easy. Here’s what success looks like for most “successful people”.
With all of this in mind, it’s time to take what you are passionate about, build a platform and start to put everything in motion to take the “starving” out of “starving artists”.
Using the Internet to Fuel Your Passion and Success
Right now you have an amazing opportunity in your hands. You can go through life like the majority of people and get a job to make someone else rich, or you can prepare to build your own career path and focus on your passion. It sounds easy enough, but trust me, it’s not.
Money is important, and money matters. If you have it, you have a lot more freedom. If you don’t, then you will need to find a financial stability while growing your passion and expertise on the side — which is perfectly fine.
No matter what it is you are trying to accomplish, if you put in the time and effort to build your platform, reach an audience and get your name out there, the world is your oyster.
Anyone can find success online — whether that be through fame, fortune or reach.
Implement the follow steps to improve your chances of building a successful business and brand online, while also removing the “starving artist” component from your life.
Build a Personal Brand
This one is so simple, yet so effective and important.
Register a domain name (grab your personal name if it’s available), set up hosting and get a site live today. You are looking at costs of less than $ 50 a year to set this up. Way too many people are wasting time with free hosted sites like Blogger and Tumblr. If you want to be treated like a professional, look like one.
Through your own website or blog you can put your content and expertise out there. Once you have a platform in place, it’s that much easier to put things into motion and make things happen.
This site should also act as your main hub to connect with all of your social profiles, work experience, portfolio and galleries of your work. Make it easy for people to see what you are best at.
The Power of Teaching
Millions of people are searching the internet every day to learn how to do something new. As a starving artist or someone that has an expertise in something, this is a perfect opportunity for you to establish yourself and teach others in the process.
If you don’t think there is money to be made in teaching, then you are very wrong.
Teaching also comes in many forms and can be as simple as creating content through your web site or blog, or even creating videos on YouTube. Many YouTubers are making millions of dollars per year by creating “how-to” videos and teaching people how to do some pretty basic things.
At the end of the day it’s all about building your message and getting it out there.
Don’t let the huge audience numbers and follower amounts discourage you — everyone started off at ZERO in the beginning.
Get Your Finances in Order
Life is much like a business, in that you need to keep your finances in order.
If you are having a hard time with making money, look at your existing expenses and see where you can cut back. It’s simple math, but for every $ 100 you aren’t wasting, that’s essentially another $ 100 less time you need to spend working.
A good example of this would be how much money is wasted by simply by eating out. You’d be surprised how much money you can save, by simply being more frugal with your money — and when it comes time to make the leap from a starving artist to a successful entrepreneur or profession, every dollar counts.
Every dollar counts, and when you start to realize that $ 1 a day is really $ 365 a year, you’ll start to see how costs can really add up.
In addition to all of the exciting growth and opportunities we see in the United States today, there is even more growth around the world. In the Philippines, for example, more people are able to use the internet to connect with clients around the world and start working for themselves from the comfort of their own homes. The eComparemo.com blog has been a valuable resource for freelancers and entrepreneurs in the Philippines who are looking for financial advice or funding for their ventures.
Goals: Have a Plan and Take Action
Goals are nice, but without a plan on how to get there… a goal is just a wish.
If you want to find success in life or business, you need to act. With over 7 billion people in the world and a billion active sites on the internet, just “creating” something and putting it online isn’t enough.
You need to hustle.
This again goes back to the ‘starving artist’ stigma. There is no need to be starving if you put the right amount of work and effort in. Why do some people fail when others succeed? A whole lot of work and a little bit of luck goes a long way.
Need some inspiration? Here’s 9 celebrities that made their way to the top after what seemed like endless failures, battles and obstacles in their way.
Follow Your Passion and See What Happens
As much as I hate the saying “follow your passion and the money will follow”, it’s an important thing to remember — not so much for the money part, but the opportunities that may come as a result of it.
We’ve covered a lot of information here, and definitely enough to get you started on your way. The starving artist is now just a myth – the artist is now ready to be more open to more possibilities and is in control of their own destiny.
Go make your mark!
The post Starving Artists: 5 Steps to Turn Your Passion in Profits appeared first on Zac Johnson.