Business Book Review: Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins
Whatever your ‘art’, read Real Artists Don’t Starve. Goins earnestly reminds you to value yourself, so you can keep yourself in business.
My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 245 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2017
Key takeaway for personal branding
In the Wall Street Journal Real Artists Don’t Starve, Goins valiantly busts the myth of the 'starving artist’.
Goins begins by sharing an important discovery. Michelangelo’s worth in the modern-day equivalent would be $47 million dollars.
It may seem fairly realistic given the legend the Sistine Chapel artist has become. But, the Renaissance artist belonged to an era that regarded artists as labourers. Rather than have his gifts exploited, Michelangelo learned to thrive.
Through the book, Goins posits the distinctions between the ‘starving’ and ‘thriving’ artists.
Goins lays out that a thriving artist must master three key arenas:
The Mind
The Market
Money
Personal brand principles propose that you have a unique set of gifts to share with the world. They are then matched with your unique personal brand story, experience and values. Combined, this means there is no one just like you in the marketplace.
Your personal brand is perfectly positioned to help solve a specific problem. Goins reminds you to remember your value. So you can keep using your gifts to help others, and keep yourself in business.
Favourite Quotes
When we hear the cautionary tales and warnings about what it means to be an artist, there’s an important truth we must embrace:
You don’t have to starve.
Making a living off your creative talent has never been easier.
We all have creative gifts to share, and in that respect, we are all artists.
Creativity is not about being original; it’s about learning to rearrange what has already been in a way that brings fresh insight to old material.
Art is always found on the fringes, at the edge of our discomfort where true change occurs. It’s never too late to start living a new story. You just have to become who you are.
We must always be striving to reinvent ourselves, continuing to build on who we are and what we’ve done.
The Starving Artist doesn’t share his work, the Thriving Artist practices in public.
In true artist style, Goins’ book is the perfect portfolio of references from the arts. From modern-day music royalty like Dr Dre, to legendary artists like Picasso. Most significantly, his references to Michelangelo underpin the book. Goins uses one of the most renowned artists in the world to demonstrate that real artists don’t starve.
Goins reminds you that no matter what your profession, you are an artist. If you’ve been indoctrinated to suffer for your art, whatever that may be, read Real Artists Don’t Starve. And learn to transform from a starving to a thriving artist. The world deserves to experience your artistic gifts, so keep your stomach full.
Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins: Available on Amazon.
