Book notes on Steal like an artist (part 9/12)

Chapter 9: Be boring

• Being boring is the only way to get work done.
• Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work
• Take care of your well-being
• It takes a lot of energy to be creative. Conserve your energy for it
• I used to neglect my health in the form of staying up until 3am every night. Now, I keep a healthy sleep schedule. Still tired all the time tho.
• Stay out of debt
• Make a budget
• Say no to consumption culture
• Save as much as you can
• Keep your day job until you can do art full-time
• Provides financial security
• Puts you in the path of other human beings
• Learning new skills that can be used for art, such as research, selling, and web design
• I don’t want to do art as a full-time career. After lots of soul searching I have decided I’m happier keeping my art as a hobby. I enjoy the freedom of doing art on my own terms, instead of toiling for somebody else’s dream.
• Establishing a routine is more important than having a lot of free time
• How much time can I set aside for art?
• Get a calendar and plan work with concrete goals
• Get a streak going
• I need to get back into making to-do lists. I should also make better use of the calendar and impose deadlines on myself to improve discipline
• I am currently thinking about how I can allot more time for art in my schedule. It’s been almost completely pushed out of my life without me realizing. It’s no wonder I’ve been in a rut. 
• Keep a log book
• List what you do every day. Small details remember you remember the big details
• I keep multiple notebooks for writing and record-keeping.  I have been able to stay committed to this habit for multiple years and I am proud of that. It has come in handy many times.
• What’s the best thing that happened today?
• Encourages a more positive perspective
• Better than the automatic negative bias
• How did I challenge myself today?
• Marry well; a good partner will keep you grounded.
• Not limited to just romantic partners. It can be family, friends, or roommates. The right person, regardless of their role in your life, will hold you accountable.