Balanced Artist

I read a book recently called Primary Greatness by Stephen Covey, which encouraged this episode’s discussion about how we put long term success at the mercy of short-term success. We focus more on public image and popularity(secondary greatness), rather than contribution or service(primary greatness). Short term greatness without primary greatness doesn’t really work. Let’s discuss… ……………………………………...

An asymptote is a straight line that constantly approaches a given curve but does not meet at any infinite distance . In other words, Asymptote is a line that moves towards infinity.  Do you see this in your own creative career? You’re chasing one thing, you reach the top of the hill, only to realize there’s another mountain hiding behind it. There really is no finish line, so how do we know when...

I think a big part of success is just showing up. There are genius’s out there, like the Elon or Bezos who have these grand plans that span over generations to change the world. But when it comes to your career as a creative person, you don’t need to figure out how to keep your stock price on the rise after you’re gone.  Consistency in your craft, and when things go off the rails, you figure it ou...

We all have that friend. Every single post is  “come to my show”, “like my page”, “stream my music”. If you don’t have that friend, maybe you’re that friend.  I use to be that friend.... It’s something I’ve only come to realize in later years that when a real fan base is there, then friends and family actually want to come see what all the fuss is about. Let's discuss.... ………………………………………… htt...

Here is a unique episode where I talk about myself - to another person. I was interviewed recently on the 'Level Up with Shaye' podcast, and thought we covered a lot of ground that I think could benefit the Balanced Artist community. Learn from the successes, learn from the failures and see how you can apply them into your own creative journey.   Listen to Level Up with Shaye here: https...

I heard an awesome expression the other day. “you can walk around the forest in fear of poisonous mushrooms, but sooner or later you’ll starve”. We talked a lot about fear and self-doubt throughout these episodes, but never imaged we’d starve as a result!   Let's discuss... ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist https://www.instagram.com/roryga...

Michael Elefante became financially independent in his 20's by acquiring properties and renting on Airbnb. He quit his job, and lived the van life with his wife for a year, while building his brand.  Now living in South Carolina, with baby on the way, they are financially free. Michael built a teaching brand around this niche, reaching over 750,000 followers on TikTok. Independent Artists nee...

What if instead of approaching our craft from a self-serving perspective, we switch to a solution based mind set? At the end of the day, we do what we do for us. The creative outlet is good for our anxiety, or the affirmations from the crowd is good for our ego. But what if your art solved problems for others? Let's discuss how George Clooney flipped a switch for success. ………………………………………… htt...

Are you doing what you love, or doing what our culture tells you what will make you important? Over the years I have seen so many people take a stab at the world of performing arts, and when they don’t immediately succeed, they fall off the face of the earth. What did you think was going to happen? Release your first project, and it would immediately become revered and admired by the rest of the p...

Are you being held back by your unsupportive partner. Does your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend not share the save vision as you?  Maybe they were more supportive in the beginning because it was only a pipe dream, but now that the wheels are in motion, and things are happening, instead of being in the passenger seat next time you, they feel like they’ve been moved into the backseat.  Maybe th...

Our ego is full of limiting beliefs that are holding us back. We may not have the confidence to push past them yet, but with the help of our alter ego, there is nothing that can hold us back.  Without Batman, Bruce Wayne would just another rich dude. Clarke Kent would just be some dork without Super Man.  Without Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé would just be Beyoncé. That’s a bad example. Beyoncé is awesome...

What happens when there are too many cooks in the kitchen? Everyone has their own way of doing things that they assume is the right way, and eventually nothing gets done. That’s why restaurants only hire one head chef, so that tasks can be delegated to the rest of the team and there is some sort of order and leadership in the organization.  The same sort of chaos happens in the arts. The most comm...

The age old question. When can I quite my day job to become a full time artist. The age old answer. It depends.... It’s different for everybody because we all have different lifestyles. Let's discuss... ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic https://www.instagram.com/balancedartist      

Have you ever been given unsolicited advice about your creativity. It can come from two places. One, it could be genuine. You may have a flaw that you can’t see, but is crystal clear to a 3rd party onlooker who has the experience to see it and help you overcome it. But a lot of the time, advice from others could be coming from a defensive place. What you do well could shine a light on inadequacies...

I get the impression Rock Stars don’t have the flexibility in their schedules that you might assume.  Some creative careers allow flexibility in your schedule. You can do it from home and maintain some balance with your family and community. But some careers, especially in the performing arts require a lot of travel, and being away from the place and people that keep you grounded.  When I’m home f...

Are you happy? Not like "fake Instagram happy", but truly satisfied with your identity. My happiness is derived from everything the public doesn’t see. Family & personal life.  But there was a time when all my perceived happiness was a reaction from stimulation from the external world. Tiktok, Instagram, live performance. I was totally addicted to my environment, and dependent on ext...

You’ve heard the expression “everything happens for a reason”. Because when one door closes another opens. Or a window. You just need to see it and be willing to walk in that direction.  Have you ever been pushing for one particular thing, it doesn’t happen, you’re disappointed. But then you find a better thing, and think wow I am so glad that first thing didn’t happen now.  Think about your relat...

One of my favorite books of all time is Rich Dad Poor Dad. Reading this one in my 20’s, which was a big contributing factor to investing in real estate at a young age, and will eventually be my retirement(since artists don't generally have pensions..) The author of the book, Robert Kiosaki talks about a cash flow formula he uses. On the left side of the quadrant is an E and an S, which stand...

Do you really want to make it? Is that your goal? What does making it mean? It might look different for everybody. For some it may be financial success. Cool cars, big house.  For some, success may be large audiences or millions of eyeballs on your work.  Is that really what you want? Or is it what your ego is telling you, you need? In this episode we talk about some of the past guests we've...

People always say “find your passion”, pursue your passion. But what if you don’t have a passion? Passion isn’t found, it is created.  When we're laying on our death beds, we regret not having the courage to live a life true to ourselves.  Instead, we lived the lives others expected of us.  That can be scary, but that’s where the balance comes in. Instead of beating yourself up at your day jo...

Instead of looking at your day job as a distraction, think of it as an asset. Think of it like a record label, funding your life, so that you can focus on the art. If you’re trying too hard to monetize your art, it will stifle the authenticity. You’ll start creating widgets as a commodity, rather than something from your soul. Let's discuss... ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com h...

There are people out there who don’t think they have a thing to offer this world. They assume they have no talent, skills, or reason for showing up in this creative game of life. Then there is this other group at the opposite end of the spectrum who have a cognitive bias called Dunning Kruger effect. They assume they can do just about anything better than the skill set they currently possess. You...

Robert Mack is an ivy-league-educated Positive Psychology Expert, Celebrity Happiness Coach, Executive Coach, and Author.  A creative career can come with many emotional hurdles. From big wins, to an abundant amount of rejection. If we have a healthy baseline level of happiness, it will help  us continue to put our best work out into the world without getting derailed. Roberts work has been endors...

Want to become more productive in 2022?  Here are the top 5 productivity hacks for artists in 2022: 1)    Set a daily goal 2)    Remove distractions 3)    Work in short bursts 4)    Stop multitasking 5)    If it’s not a “hell yes”, it’s a “no” ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist https://www.instagram.com/rorygardinermusic https://www.instagram.co...

Holly Carroll is former miss Canada Tourism, now taking over the real estate game, by capitalizing on a vacation property niche. She does "Finding the Beauty within" workshops, empowering young woman to “somebodies”, not “somebody’s”.   Self-care and self-respect, encouraging woman to pursue their dream career by eliminate feelings of inadequacy.  We discuss: -Eliminating feelings of ina...