Three things to do before quitting your day job

Are you planning your escape from your day job, with the goal of making a living from your art? The clients I mentor in my Visual Artist Accelerator program are often undergoing—or contemplating—this exciting transition.

Before you turn in your notice and gleefully head to your studio, I want you to go undercover like a secret agent and do some reconnaissance on behalf of your artist self.

Search out the aspects of your current job that serve you. Do you like the income, and the predictability of the income? Perhaps your coworkers are the reason you can smile on a Monday morning. Do you have a supportive and comfortable office chair? Does the office kitchen have a terrific coffeemaker? Really take some time and take note of all of the satisfactions, no matter how small.

Also keep your keen observer’s eye open to spot the aspects of your job that don’t serve you. Do you get stressed over a certain recurring conflict at work? Is the commute killing you? Are you drowning in emails or paperwork?

Use the intelligence that you’ve gathered to help you plan your art career. How can you incorporate the ways that your current job serves you into your career as an artist? Are there ways that the things that don’t serve you in your current job might still hound you when you’re flying solo?

I think that this is a very helpful and thoughtful step that shouldn’t be skipped. It’s important to acknowledge that even if you’re unhappy in a job, there are probably some ways that it has been serving you. And when you quit, you may lose those things. Also, the things that drive you crazy at your current job may well be something that you face while working as an artist.

Reality check: the paperwork and emails will still be something to contend with when you’re a full-time artist!

This is not to discourage you from making this transition. But it helps you change careers with your eyes open and it’ll help you find creative solutions to things that challenge you no matter what your career (like delegating the paperwork and emails!).

It also helps you hold onto satisfying aspects of work and ensure that they come along with you if possible. For example, sharing a studio with others saves on rent and gives you artsy “coworkers” to enjoy!

Whether you’re a full-time artist or an artist with another job, I wish you satisfaction with your art practice and success with your art business!