Questions to Ask When You’re Stuck or Need Motivation
Everything is Googleable these days, right?
If you want to know who painted Las Meninas, Google it and you’ll quickly find it was Diego Velázquez in 1656. From there, you’ll see that it hangs in Room 012 of the Prado and can read about the Infanta Margarita and her mother’s maids-of-honor. You can even click on Room 012 and see the paintings of family members that keep the young princess company in that same gallery.
Not into 17th Century Spanish painting? Other treasures await you on the internet. You can Google how to write your artist statement, how to grow your email list, and how to use Instagram Stories.
It’s easy to find answers. It’s harder to know if the answers are right for you and when you should stop looking for answers outside of yourself.
It can be painful to sit in the unknown and explore what might be possible. But … oh! … the rewards that await you when you do.
When you sit in the question rather than looking for answers, you begin generating additional questions and rephrasing your original question to be more in line with what you are seeking.
In his exceptional book, Smarter Faster Better, Charles Duhigg notes that questions beginning with “Why” help us link hard choices to something we care about. He says, “Make a chore into a meaningful decision, and self-motivation will emerge.”
With that in mind, I’ve outlined a number of situations in which you might need a hefty dose of motivation. Each has a number of questions to help you make progress and a Big Why to ask yourself.
When You’re Not Making Art
One day off is understandable. Two days is acceptable. A week? Probably okay.
An entire month without thinking about or making art is something to be concerned about when you’re trying to gain recognition and earn money from your art.
Ask yourself …
Questions to Ask When You’re Stuck or Need Motivation Read