In 2021 I went from obscurity to having art in Times Square, from 500 impressions/month to 5 million, poverty to buying my mom a home. I'm extremely blessed--& extremely lucky--but I want to share what I've learned, too.
Part 1 thread of things I've learned this year below. 👇
Part 1 thread of things I've learned this year below. 👇
1/ Curiosity is your most valuable asset.
2/ Think of yourself as an equal to everyone you meet and you'll not only be confident, you'll resonate with those that are used to others feeling beneath them. We're all just people.
3/ Money is liquid power. You can spread it to others and empower them. It's like seeding a garden that will plant new flowers on it's own.
4/ Do it for you. Not for your loved ones (will attach guilt, anxiety) and not to prove others wrong (will attach shame, insecurity). You're in competition with yourself.
5/ Dopamine chasing is not "following your gut," though useful for gauging crowd sentiment if early to something.
6/ Money gives you possibilities. It gives you options. If you don't figure out what you truly want--& why--all the fear that came with poverty will transform into emptiness with wealth. Research "Sudden Wealth Syndrome" & save yourself the standard fate of that path.
7/ Greed can feel like special knowledge. Fear can feel like practicality. Having specific targets and reasons for them will help you discern both.
8/ If you have begun with anonymity, keep it. You cannot get it back.
9/ Take profit if you can use it to meaningfully improve your life. The stability will free your mental processing power to take more risks. It will keep you driven and help prevent burnout.
10/ 3 quotes that have been invaluable:
1) "Perfect is the enemy of good."
2) "Comparison is the thief of joy."
3) "If you're on the fence, flip a coin. You'll find how you really feel while it's in the air."
1) "Perfect is the enemy of good."
2) "Comparison is the thief of joy."
3) "If you're on the fence, flip a coin. You'll find how you really feel while it's in the air."
11/ Make a resume of what you've done here. It may seem silly, but with how fast things move in this space, you'll forget. You need it to keep track of how far you've come.
12/ Building a digital identity will open doors you haven't imagined exist. Consistently explore, connect, converse, and build with the community, and watch what unfolds before you.
13/ The truth is that collectors buy both art and artist. Digital identity is a powerful tool. Work not selling? Build into the community for awhile.
14/ Once you've hit the point of being anxious about how much you have in crypto, begin cashing out a small, set amount each week. Regardless of market, up or down, be consistent. Stop when you feel comfortable again.
15/ Don't let anyone drive you out of this space. No drama is worth the opportunity cost. It's like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
16/ Endeavor to discover why you do things. Most of us are unknowingly acting out of some kind of trauma. Solving this will let you break free of subconscious patterns. If you find yourself anxiously trying to impress someone over & over, ask yourself why. What do they represent?
17/ Believe in your work. Know why it matters and say so. No apologies.
18/ Set big goals. This is the place for them. Achieve them through incremental steps. Slow change is sustainable change--and often compound, too. Notice "synchronicities" along the way. In my experience, these appear when you're on the right path.
19/ Make a plan for the year. Push hard the first 6 months, then take a break, recalculate, and divide your time in a way that is sustainable on the momentum you've already built. This is a variation of the "startup" template in the tech world.
20/ If you grew up poor, understand that when you achieve financial success, the money will feel both endless and dangerously on the verge of running out--always.
21/ Labels can limit. You aren't what you do. I'm not an oil painter. I'm Claire Silver. I oil paint, I work with AI, I write. Anything minted is verifiably mine. I am the medium. That's digital identity. That's what we can do here.
22/ Your art adds value to your digital identity. Your digital identity adds value to your art. Spend time on both.
23/ Practice discipline. I do intermittent fasting. Succeeding at one goal (daily) makes others easier and builds confidence. Keeping a schedule will keep you coming back. 21 days & it becomes a habit. Habits are much quicker to break than form, so lean into it when it sticks.
24/ Be kind to yourself--but not easy on yourself. There's a time to tell yourself it's enough to just "be," and a time to push yourself to grow. Your patterns of choice in this regard will shape your life.
Part 2:
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