I’m partially reprinting this post from Burns Auto Parts Creative Marketing Consultants because I think it really is that awesome. It speaks about believing in yourself as an artist and in your creative abilities, a total necessity for us creative business types.

” Do you believe you are a creative; that is, a person with a gift, a talent, a set of abilities like no other person? Believing that is an act of faith and, rather surprisingly, it’s damn hard for some creatives to do.

Are you one of those creatives who honors that gift or one of those who acts almost embarrassed or ashamed of it?

Do you put down your abilities, your gift? Ever catch yourself saying things like “Oh, it wasn’t anything special” or “I just kinda shot it–got lucky with the light?”

Do you refer to yourself and your path as “the guy who liked to draw as a kid and ended up in art school” or “the adult version of the kid who liked taking pictures for the yearbook but couldn’t do anything else?”

Do you feel, on some level, like apologizing every time you get a check for your creative work?

Are you waiting for the day when someone finally tells you you’re a no-talent hack who has only managed to fake it this far?”

The author coins the term Cognitive Reduction of Art Pathology…or CRAP, as the diagnosis if you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions. Nice little shot of humour here I think.

My favorite of her prognosis? Ok, all of them.

• • Call yourself an artist and what you make art. Do it out loud, every single day.
• • Remind yourself that if an ad costs $300K just for its space (placement), the art for that ad is worth a hell of a lot more than $2K.
• • Most people will not like your art, after all, most people like Wal*Mart and lawn ornaments; but the ones that will like it are the only ones that count and they’re the ones to market to.
• • You have every right to get paid and paid well for your abilities, just like a doctor or a plumber or any other pro; your skills are just as rare and valuable.
• • And, most importantly, you deserve to be happy–you are doing what you love, what you should be doing in this life–don’t crap on it.

Well said.

You can read the full original article here.