Follow the traits of a professional artist, not an amateur one.

Amateur artists never achieve success because they aren’t committed to it. Professional artists are committed to working towards success every day of the week - they never give up.

1. Be patient.
   Instant gratification is fleeting. Be patient with your artistic career and individual work - follow this rule of thumb: any job takes twice as long to complete and costs twice as much. Prepare your mind for the long haul; be consistent, but patient and you will achieve success.

2. Seek order.
   People often flourish in a clean and organized environment. Maintain such a place at home and in your workplace. - Leaving an unkempt workspace environment will create a chaotic and disorganized mind.

3. View your work as craft, not art - demystify it and do not show off.
   Focus on your technique more than the higher meaning of your art. Do not create art with the intent  of drawing attention to yourself - create it for the sake of creating it.

4. Overcome fear and accept no excuses.
   Fear is just another excuse, but it is one that cannot be eliminated. There is no such thing as a fearless artist. A professional artist will create art in spite of their fear, while an amateur will give in to it. However, recognize your limitations - turn to others more experienced than you for help or advice when needed.

5. Be prepared for your battle with Resistance.
   It is a battle that will never be over - everyday, you must remind yourself that Resistance will try to prevent you from doing your work. Tell yourself that you will mentally absorb all the blows that Resistance throws at you.

6. Endure adversity and self-validate your art.
   Your core is bulletproof - nothing can touch it unless you let it. There are plenty of critics out there who are no more than the unwitting mouthpieces of Resistance - judge the quality of your art by your own standards, not theirs.

7. Have a weekly meeting with yourself to review your progress and confirm what you need to do next.
   Sit down once a week and go over all your assignments. Prepare a worksheet that details what you need to complete by the following week. Then, do it!