Creative Coaches can help you to take an incredible amount of self-motivation and courage

1. Creative Coaches can help you to take an incredible amount of self-motivation and courage "Support is often in terribly short supply in a creative person’s life. There is no one to talk to about the work. There is no one to talk to about the struggle. There is no one to talk to about the enormous gap between the dream the person had and the reality the person is living. Indeed, many creative people have been looking their whole life for one single advocate, for one person who will say, “You have it in you and I will help."– Eric Maisel If you are a creative person and have been doing your work for some time, you will have inevitably come to a point where the initial passion and inspiration have worn off. Now comes the hard part. You must figure out a way to abandon your doubts, get past your fears, pick yourself up by the boot straps, and sit your ass down and do the work. And you must do it regardless of how much money you have in the bank, regardless of your relationship issues, regardless of the demands of your family, your health issues, and so on.

2. You have to figure out a way to fit all the pieces together of a human life so that they work together, not against each other. The creative person’s life is especially challenging because it is constantly in flux, and it is always self-motivated. You are not just showing up at a job every day, doing what you are told, following the guidelines set before you. You have to make up your own guidelines, set your own schedule, and then follow it. This takes an incredible amount of self-motivation and courage, and is nothing short of herculean if we can accomplish it. But even if we do accomplish it, we still have to keep it going! And that, in my experience, is even tougher.

3. An art coach, or creative coach / creative mentor, is someone experienced in your field or medium (preferably but not necessarily, as I will show) who has been through the thick and thin of being an artist, and who understands what it takes to do the work necessary to realize the goal. Like the muse, they are the guiding light. But unlike the muse, they are also the drill sergeant who forces you to stick to your own schedule and deadlines. Most every artist in history has had a muse, and most have had a mentor (a.k.a. art coach) of some kind. The painter Jean Michel Basquiat’s mentor was the screen print artist, Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol's mentor and muse was Art Director, Tina Fredericks (of Glamour Magazine, in 1949), who as also his first patron. So you see, a mentor or creative coach does not necessarily have to be experienced in your specific field of work. They just have to be likable to you and they have to inspire you. When you have the magic combination of creative inspiration and practical guidance, you can accomplish miracles. You can become the artist you’ve dreamed of. So if you are serious about doing your creative work, and if you are really ready to do it, an art coach is quite handy. They will help you to go beyond what you ever imagined you could do. They will take you to places you’ve never seen. They will give you permission to think highly of yourself (many artists suffer from a lack of self esteem and just need a little love and encouragement), and give you the necessary confidence to complete your specific goals. And perhaps more importantly, an art coach will be there for you when the going gets tough and you have no one else to turn to. They will troubleshoot confusions, and give you a clear path to travel, so that you can let go of worries and focus on you and your dream. I personally have hired an art coach for my painting projects, and have had multiple muses. The benefits are indisputable. The support is invaluable. Once you have a taste for it you will see for yourself. To know more about: www.houseofflow.org