Art as a career: Enthusiasm leads to success

One of the biggest challenges of adulthood is to find a job that helps us reach our dreams and ambitions. Some people are born with an impressive vocation and when it comes time to enrol in a technical course or university, no dilemmas or fears: these lucky ones already know exactly what they will be in the future.

Unfortunately, for most people who choose the professional area, it is not an easy task: it necessarily brings with it many hits and misses until they find their way. And this is natural.

But what to do when you have a vocation, plans, and every fundamental background asset, but the job market is against you? Whether due to competition or lack of jobs, some careers are particularly challenging, as are the careers related to the arts.

In general, launching into the world of art is seen as a bold attitude and quite risky: but according to Magali Étoré, Art Project Manager, every professional field can be uncertain: “Everything is risky. Building a business is a risk. Keeping a job in a large company is risky, especially in North America, you don’t have any guaranties: The risk is everywhere. However, you have to measure this risk. You have to give yourself the best chance, and if it does not work you have to change the strategy. But you can’t stop. For an artist, keeping morale up is the most difficult task; you have to hang on to the desire to continue”.

A failure does not mean the artist has no talent or does not have market value. Many of those who have succeeded in this area have in common a challenging life trajectory, but full of persistence and enthusiasm.

Good advice for arts professionals, according Magali Étoré, is: “The best recommendation I can give them is first not to watch someone else’s life. Stop comparing yourself to others because you are unique in your art ”. This experienced professional in entertainment and audio production, who moved to Canada 16 years ago, shares with us other valuable tips:

– Work in your network: This may be the most difficult thing for shy people, but you have to do it. Develop social networking and human relationships, navigate between different cultures, build a LinkedIn and a Facebook profile, stay in contact with the world and all networks involved with art.

– Be enthusiastic: You must keep the interest and motivation. The most important thing for an artist is to have a high morale and be confident.

– If you don’t have a stable career yet, you should try to work around the industry you like. If you are a model for example, I suggest you work with a photographer and this way you will be able to pay your bills and learn at the same time. You must always keep in contact with the universe you like, because if you walk away from your field entirely, this can discourage you very quickly.

So, don’t doubt your talent and keep up the necessary enthusiasm to follow your dreams. Maybe you won’t make the same revenues as an international artist, but the happiness of accomplishing your vocation and living the dream are priceless. Also, the secret to happiness is: work in a field you love. This will insure your workdays are not full of troubles, but full of interesting challenges instead.

Phoenix Alliance’s Founder, who has been connected to the dance world in some way or another for almost four decades, strongly believes in the power of enthusiasm to achieve anything you can dream of. This was her motivation in creating a self-financing system, to help artists who would like some extra funding to accomplish an art project. Obviously it is preferable to find the extra income you need in a field as close as possible to yours. But we are very humbly offering this as a «Plan B».

For more in depth and detailed information, Phoenix Alliance offers a FREE specialized « The importance of enthusiasm in achieving successful careers » seminar to its registered members.

Interesting outside link: « How to Pick a Career You Actually Like »