The world needs your ideas and your talent. You can, and will, have all the success you desire. Do you really believe that about yourself? Chances are you don’t. But it is true. Every word of it. If you can stay upbeat and hold on to the belief that you are going to make it, you can deal with the setbacks and stay focused on the big picture.

A creative career is challenging and fraught with pitfalls for positive thinkers. It is impossible for those who have a negative self image. The creative arts and creative careers breed insecurity and uncertainty. You must stay positive to protect yourself, no matter where you want to end up – in front of the crowd or behind the scenes.

You can tell yourself the story about yourself and your business and pave your way to success. Super successful creative people I know think positive and prosperous thoughts and are rewarded for that kind of mind-set. They believe success is right around the corner. They can visualize it happening and see themselves as successful. It works. They believe so much in a positive outcome that they see opportunities, they do the work.  If you act as if you are successful (without the attitude, please) you might just fool yourself into being successful. It is even easier to fool other people. They pick up on your confidence and they believe in you – which makes it easier for you to believe in yourself.

When you feel good about what you are doing and you believe things will work out for you, your whole life looks better. There is less stress, and worry is replaced with good work. People notice you are having fun, and they want to be part of that, so they help you. You also get respect for knowing where you are going and sticking your neck out. A belief that you will make it sustains you through the strained times.

Believing in yourself and your work eliminates many of the distractions and drawbacks that worry, anger, jealousy and frustration can create. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to do anything and good things will happen. Positive thinking empowers you to do what is necessary to bring about positive things in your life.

Great things will happen to those around you, and you will want to strangle them and take their money. That is a natural reacton. Of course you want these wonderful things to happen to you, right now.  And being so close to others who are having their dreams come true can be a little disheartening. It will eat away your self confidence, if you let it. Instead let it fuel your fire and desire to do more yourself.  So get a grip, your time will come.

There are some things you can control (your thoughts and your actions) and some you cannot (crazy clients or market conditions, policies and procedures, rules and regulations). You have to deal with what is, not with the way you wish things to be. You can spend your time and energy trying to change the system (usually futile and not much fun) or you can work within the situation and the system to make things happen. Don’t expend all your energy trying to change something you can’t.  And please, don’t blame others if things aren’t going your way right now.