“There is no right time. Finally, it just made more sense than it didn’t.”

The first step in letting go of the Starving Artist mentality is to let go of who we think we are or must be, even if we have no idea what new identity awaits us. What’s out there, however scary it may be, is almost certainly better than staying where we are now.

“On one hand,” she said of her blog, “it’s a self-serving project that holds me accountable to doing art. And at the same time, it’s been amazing to see how people have connected with my cartoons. It’s also a place for me to share about the moments I’m experiencing. It’s the messages I need to hear.”

Stubbornness gets in the way when it’s about you—your fame, your reputation, your success—but it becomes a tool when used to further your work.

A network is more than a team of cheerleaders; it’s a diverse group of individuals who offer a set of skills and resources that help each member succeed. After all, not every art student becomes an artist. Some become curators, community organizers, and patrons; others become collectors, dealers, and auction house owners. And nearly all become entr

This is the Rule of the Scene, which says that places and people shape the success of our work far more than we realize. Location is not irrelevant. Place matters.

When we show the world our ideas as they unfold to us, people repay such generosity. Because she shared

What often allows great work to get the attention it deserves is not a matter of only talent or luck but a matter of the will. Can you stick around long enough to see your work succeed? Do you have enough grit to take a few critical hits and keep going? Or will you get discouraged at the first sign of failure?

In 2003, Tharp admitted in her book The Creative Habit that she is not as original as people think. She is, in fact, a thief.