 |
| the number is hypothetical |
It's been awhile since I've blogged, I know... Throughout late May, all of June and early July, I've been working hard on new art, connecting with potential clients, and executing mock ups for presentations, connecting and reconnecting with people again, more mock ups, more chats... In art licensing, you do a LOT of work before anything ever comes to fruition. It is the nature of the business, and if you don't like it, then save yourself the pain and find another career. Also, you have got to let "rejection" (air quotes!) roll off you like water off a ducks' back. Onto the next thing, as immediately as possible. It's so important to not take companies passing on your art and concepts personally. In fact, I don't even like calling it rejection, because honestly, that is not what it is. It's more likely "a zillion different random mini-reasons why your work is just not the right fit at that precise moment in time". Save the energy, and know that it is never personal. So you move forward with that knowledge, and that's that.
Honestly, I can suck it up one hundred times— "that's that" and move forward, positive-minded, no lack of zeal for the next door I'm knocking on, plenty of gas in the tank, not a blink... and then, that 101st time comes... it's a longer pause, and a little bit of a "time out". Of course, the 101st blind-sides you. Because, for some reason, you became really emotionally wrapped up in 101st. The 101st maybe sort of sublimated the 100 that came before it. The 101st can steamroll you.... But ultimately, it can be a catalyst to reassess and rethink your strategies.
Well (you know where this is going..) this week, I had one of those rare "101st" moments. First, I processed and responded to the specific situation that caused it. Then, I spent a lot of my time thinking about the bigger picture. After a lot of thinking, I still don't have any solid answers to my questions, a list of actions to take. I'm only starting to wrap my mind around possibilities. But, I'm trying to figure it out. 101 is not ignorable, and maybe the importance pinned on 101 is in direct measure to the need to reassess the machine. I'm not exactly sure... But the important thing is,
anything that acts as a catalyst for positive evolution is a good thing. So, with that, I say, Cheers to the 102nd! Hey, by the time it rolls around, I am bound have a little bit more of this figured out.
