10 Ways To Make Yourself Miserable

This list (How To Feel Miserable As An Artist) has been circulating online for some time now. For all that I first came across it in something more recent, I tracked it back to Keri Smith's blog in March 2006 although I don't think it originated there either.

Anyway, a lot of these things really do hold true, and I was amazed at how easily we can all be found guilty of them at sometime or another. This is not solely limited to artists since people from all walks of life can make themselves miserable basically following these examples, so perhaps it would be more appropriate to call this list 10 Ways To Make Yourself Miserable.

So anyway, here's the list of How To Feel Miserable As An Artist (or 10 Ways To Make Yourself Miserable):

1.) Constantly compare yourself to other artists.

2.) Talk to your family about what you do and expect them to cheer you on.

3.) Base the success of your entire career on one project.

4.) Stick with what you know.

5.) Undervalue your expertise.

6.) Let money dictate what you do.

7.) Bow to societal pressures.

8.) Only do work that your family would love.

9.) Do whatever the client / customer / gallery owner / patron / investor asks.

10.) Set unachievable / overwhelming goals, to be accomplished by tomorrow.