How to manage your ambition.

In my coaching, I work with a lot of strivers, artists who have big aspirations for their work.

Strivers aren't afraid of hard work. They don't mind the hustle, in fact, they thrive on it. They enjoy feeling productive and in-demand. They are most comfortable when their plate is full. They often wear "busy" as a badge of honor.

I'm painting a picture of what you might call an ambitious artist. And we celebrate this type of artist. They're prolific. They make things happen. They make sacrifices to get shit done, even if it means they burn out in the process.

But in my coaching work, I wish ambition was talked about differently. I wish we celebrated a wiser, more sustainable type of ambition in our culture.

In my years as an artist, here are three things I've learned about ambition and creative work:

1. Focus requires confidence.
You can't do it all. At least, not all at the same time. Too many artists wear themselves out by trying to do ALL the things at once without thinking about exactly what it is they want in the first place. Usually they just want to feel like they've "made it" as an artist. But what does that mean exactly? A better set of questions might be:

What is a great opportunity for my work? Why?
What is creatively fulfilling for me as an artist?
What is financially fulfilling?
What does a sustainable creative life look like for me?

Choosing a direction requires confidence. It requires you to recognize what's important to you and what you want to succeed. It requires confidence to know that setting something aside for the moment doesn't mean you're setting it aside forever. 


2. Scarcity is not a sustainable motivating force.
I see this too often: we mistake scarcity mindset for ambition. These are two different motivating forces. 

Scarcity is the feeling of never enough-ness. When you feel scarcity you are operating from a place of believing that what you want is in limited supply. You feel a sense of panic, and from that feeling, you often make short-sighted decisions. If scarcity is your motivating force you will never feel like you have enough recognition, exhibition, connections, grants, etc. to feel satisfied.

Ambition on the other hand, feels different. It's patient and determined. It is focused and forgiving. It has a sense of humor. If something doesn't work out, you don't collapse. You can laugh about it and say "Oh well! I'll get 'em next time!" It is not a single-minded obsession, but an energizing and grounding force. 

So, which do you feel motivated by right now? Scarcity or ambition?


3. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Shout out to my dad on this one, as this is an age-old Garvey expression: Life's a marathon, not a sprint.

When you think of your creative life and the things you want to achieve, what is the timeline you imagine these things happening on? Are you thinking about this work as a life-long practice? What would happen if you were more patient with yourself? How would that impact the way you make decisions? 


Think about it.