By now you’ll know that I’m big on fun.
Having fun, sharing fun, making things fun.
In business and in life in general.
But that doesn’t mean that life can be an ongoing hedonistic indulgence.
I mean, where’s the fun in getting your car serviced, or changing diapers, or filing taxes, or taking out the trash?
It would be highly puerile and immature to not do any of the things that just ain’t fun and can’t be made into fun. It would also mean problems: car won’t start, baby stinks to the highest heavens, IRS wipes you out, and the trash would pile up to epic heights, much like what happened to Sara Sylvia Cynthia Stout in the Dr. Hook song (brilliant lyrics, look it up if you’re in the mood for a chuckle).
In other words: there’s non-fun stuff that you just can’t get around. Has to happen, or else.
And this matters a lot in business.
Especially when it comes to acting like a professional whilst being a creative or an artist.
Because let’s face it: we’d rather be in the studio, right?
Except that’s the attitude of an amateur.
The pro is different. He or she acknowledges that there’s stuff that has to happen, or else.
And the pro then proceeds to make those things happen.
A true professional is someone who is able to suck it up, and get the not-fun things done ASAP, so as to get back to the studio ASAP.
And the one thing that’s the hardest, for most people?
Marketing. Showing up. Being – and looking – open for business.
Getting your name and your work out there.
Finding, and communicating with, your potential buyers.
Because even if you’re a full-time creative and manage to live off your work, you’re not an actual pro unless you also make showing up and all that goes with it, part of your work. (I know: harsh. But it’s important that you get the pro attitude&behaviour into your life. Also: I didn’t make this up, but got it from Steven Pressfield’s brilliant book War of Art which I HIGHLY recommend. And I’ve just bought the followup ‘Turning Pro’. He’s that good).
Anyway: as long as you’re still shirking the kind of work that literally every pro does, you’re operating on the level of an amateur.
The pro gets to build a thriving business, by virtue of acting like a pro, while the amateur will continue to struggle and fret and worry, until such time that they accept reality, and start acting like a pro.
So what side are you on? Pro or amateur?
If you’re the former, and you know you could do better but you’re not sure how to get better results, maybe we should talk.
I’ve built a career and a business out of helping people like you create your own pro business.
So let’s talk. It’ll be fun.
Cheers,
Martin
