This is a review of the e-book by Chris Guillebeau and Zoe Westhof titled “The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money: Thriving As an Artist Without Selling Out.”

Note: If you are unfamiliar with e-books you can catch up by reading this Wiki page on what they are.

A guide for artists, no selling out required?! Call me intrigued. The premise is ideal for me: an artist of all kinds with terrible marketing skills. So how does one thrive without selling out? Is that even possible?

Of course it’s possible! This guide will tell you exactly how to set up a successful art business in the modern world. And by “modern” I mean: using the internet to leverage your career and share your art. No selling out required; you will learn from this guide that connecting with people (your potential customers) now requires honesty and transparency. Interaction and connection. It’s all about being even more connected to your customers.

The internet is now a powerful tool and complete game changer for artists.

Your art is no longer this “one thing at the gallery” or this other “thing.” No more one-dimensional, flat, boring, gallery presentation required! Guillebeau shows the reader how art now has space online to be dynamic, ever-changing, flexible, imperfect, and real. People connect with that. We as people just love stories!

Photo: Street artist by Michael Cavén

This guide will teach you how important stepping out of the old persona of a “hoity-toity artist”, with only other artist friends, and deep psychosis* is paramount to the new game of art and money. This guide teaches you how to be more real, and avoid selling-out. It’s setup in a very easy to read format and I enjoyed skipping around to different parts that interested me at different times.

In total there are four sections:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Strategy

Part 3: Tactics

Part 4: Putting It All Together

There are many real life success stories and advice from some of today’s most successful artists. The artists you will get to know in this guide are using the internet as their leg up and main platform to promote and sell their work.

Overall I give this guide a 4 out of 5 for artists. It would be most valuable for artists new to the idea of selling art online or those with limited experience in the online art world. However, there are great tips and individual actions laid out for any artist to follow no matter what stage your at. Both will benifit from this well written e-book.

Interested in reading more or making a purchase? Click here for more information and how to buy!

*The whole tortured artist thing will not sell more of your art, and it’s not necessary to drive yourself crazy to make great art.

Disclaimer: Yep, these links are affiliated links. Meaning if you do decide to make a purchase a portion of the proceeds will come back to The Unmapped Path for maintaining the site. The review is honest however and I have absolutely no interest in promoting products I don’t like or haven’t used myself.

One morning, Mehmet awoke me to let me know that his parents had invited us over for a late lunch. We arrived at their apartment off of a main boulevard, and were welcomed inside as I said in Turkish, “Merhaba. bize sahip olduğunuz için teşekkür ederiz,” which roughly translates to, “Hello, and thank you for having us.” We removed our shoes, as it is customary in Turkish homes, and walked in.

My broken Turkish broke the ice, and Mehmet’s family welcomed me with an offering of Turkish tea. Gladly accepting, I sat down and enjoyed a drink that I came to fall in love with. Tea, being very reasonable in Turkey, was something I drank a lot without concern and always thanking people for it. I soon learned that tea being served to you was an invitation to friendship and the start of a conversation. The next few hours were spent sitting under a blanket with our legs crossed eating a variety of great food including burek (meat filled pastries), fruits, tomatoes, eggs, olives and other Turkish foods.

As the language barrier was quite large, Mehmet’s family and I were able to talk back in forth through Mehmet’s translations. Mehmet’s father held the biggest smile I had ever seen as he said a few words to me in English. Smiling back, I remember this was the connection that I experienced in previous travels. Throughout the meal, I had many out of body experiences which allowed me to mentally watch over what was happening. Stopping to think what I was doing, I couldn’t help my self but to be amazed. Two days before this lunch I did not even know Mehmet, and now his family was welcoming me into their home with open arms.

As we left, we shared hugs and I was given two small hand woven hats, along with a scarf for my mother and two prayer beads. These gifts are something I will cherish for the rest of my life. These presents topped any postcard because they give remembrance to an experience only I had that no one else could. This memory and my mindset as a respectful traveler paid off as this will forever be one of the best meals, and experiences, of my life.

In Turkey there is a proverb that goes, “Patience is the key to paradise”. Paradise is such a fluffy word that many times gets lost in translation. To some, paradise is that time in the day where the only sound one hears is the birds chipping. To others, paradise is sitting on an island and staring into the blue ocean with a drink in hand. Sometimes paradise creeps up on you in the most unusual situations like it did for me in Turkey.

Among many great foods I’ve tried, this story relates to what I live by and by following this openness I posses, I was blessed with a gracious experience. As a person that travels, one should act as a traveler, not a tourist, and respect the rules and customs of the region. This respect can bring great gifts.

Image via Wikipedia

I was recently reading an article about your biological rhythm and using your circadian rhythm to work more effectively and easily, at times that work for you. It reminded me of all the times I’ve felt pressured by the general 9 to 5 mindset of America. I’m not sure if all places run with this basic time structure (I get a mid-day nap in Mexico right?!) but here there is definitely a pressure to conform. Banks and post offices are the most rigorously crunched time places I can think of, but some small businesses, libraries, other community buildings and schools all come to mind as good examples of this time crunch pattern.

When I lived in the city I would often get parking tickets because I didn’t move my car by 7 or 8 am. I’d still be in bed, respecting my natural rhythms at that time of day! But I kept getting penalized for my own personal habits, again and again. It happens at school and traditional 9 to 5 jobs in which you need to punch in or take attendance.

Pressure like that is enough to crush someone who works best outside of the norm.

Honestly, I know… I’ve been there. The 9 to 5 structure most people can agree on absolutely crushes me. I deflate when I hear mid-morning meeting or “we stop serving breakfast at 10″. More and more people are becoming self-employed or able to work anywhere, which also means scheduling is flexible.

But does it really pay off in the end? The ability to work any time of the day is great. But certain business functions like banking and mailing can still only be done during the old conventional hours. How do we balance this type of flexibility with conventional work hours?

by robstephaustralia on Flickr

Suggestions to overcome “The Time Crunch”:

- Batch “conventional” tasks and errands to one or two days a week and plan ahead for the schedule change. (i.e.. head to bed early, or try a cup of coffee)

- Work with people in sync with your schedule. Find other early birds to correspond with or night owls for brainstorming sessions.

- Don’t feel compelled just to work when other people are working. If dinner time is your high-productivity, high-energy time work WITH it, not against it.

- Support businesses that run on a 24-hour, “always open” schedule. As long as they treat their employees ethically it’s a great tip of the hat to individuality and convenience for those of us doing things our own way.

- For really busy people: Plan a day of flexibility. For most people this will be a treat saved for the weekend. Schedule time to roll with the punches if you must!

Ultimately, when you sleep depends on who needs you and how much. Children need to get to school. Time cards need to be punched. Pilates starts at 6:00. The list goes on. Notice when you’re pressuring yourself and make sure it doesn’t happen too often. The stress of working at less-than-optimal times can put a real toll on your body and mind.

Extra reading for more on sleeping patterns:

• Life’s Extremes: Early Birds Versus Night Owls (livescience.com)
• A Glossary of Sleep Terms (everydayhealth.com)
• The rhythms of 37signals (37signals.com)
• A circadian rhythm is a roughly 24 hour cycle in the… (neuropsy.co)
• 10 Tips to Reset Your Internal Clock (everydayhealth.com)

Our favorite links...

Welcome to our monthly collection of resources from the web! If you’re new around here we will be gathering our favorite blog posts, articles, websites, apps, reviews, and links we think you might enjoy.

First up, since we are in a beginners mindset, is 28 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Traveling by the legendary Chris Guillebeau from The Art of Non-Conformity. (And if you don’t yet know who Chris is, or what an impact he’s been making in the travel community read more about him here.)

We are art buffs here so museums really get us going. If you feel the same way check out the Top 10 Museum Destinations.

A great resource for potential overseas students: GO! Overseas and GoAbroad. Great websites if you’re planning on volunteering, studying, teaching or even finding an internship in a foreign place.

Another website I’m becoming a fan of is Explorra. You can view my profile page here. Link it with your Facebook and you have an awesome community resource of friends to support your travel plans. The site even has a fun little quiz that identifies your “VisualDNA” or your travel personality based on your aesthetic preferences. (Mine came back as a “Culture Buff”.)

I also wanted to feature the International Ecotourism Society for those of you interested in a community of eco-friendly tourists and organization. It’s a great hub of information.

by Christine Kane

Perfectionism is brutal.

I meet countless would-be entrepreneurs, artists and world-changers who hold themselves back because they need to “do it perfect.” If you’re one of these people, then you know the unfortunate truth:

When you wait to be perfect, you never get it done.

It’s a painful loop, and it often leads to depression, disease, and a nagging feeling that you’re not quite stepping into your life’s purpose.

What you’ll learn today is that recovery is possible! In fact, most successful people I know have carefully cultivated a philosophy that drives them: Imperfect action. In fact, some will tell you that Imperfect Action is the key to their success. I call these people “Imperfectionists.”

What’s an Imperfectionist?

• An Imperfectionist knows that getting something done is better than waiting to do it perfectly.
• An Imperfectionist knows that being a Perfectionist is simply an excuse NOT to take action.
• An Imperfectionist congratulates herself for taking small steps.
• An Imperfectionist buys herself flowers when she accomplishes something - even if it’s not quite up to her ego’s high standards.
• An Imperfectionist knows that getting a scary thing done IS the reward. Not the kudos or adoration.

You Might Need to Become an Imperfectionist if…

• You tell yourself you need to get “just a little more information” before you’ll try something.
• You have a case of the “Used-to-Be’s.” (“I used to be so good at this!” Or “I used to be so thin!” Or, “I used to write everyday and now look…”)
• Your mantra to the world is: “I’m just so overwhelmed! There’s too much to do! It’s so hard to be me!”
• You call friends and co-workers to get sympathy for how hard it is to accomplish your goals and dreams. They often agree, citing how special you are because you have been given so much talent – and how it must be quite a burden.
• You spend more than one hour per day on Facebook, watching television, or not fully engaging in other addictive activities.
• At the end of every year, you wonder why you never seem to move any further towards your dreams.
• You are waiting for your POTENTIAL to finally kick in.

Why Becoming an Imperfectionist Makes You Successful and Happy

Being an Imperfectionist is an Intention.

When you become an Imperfectionist, you finally recognize your ego voice exactly for what it is: Your own personal Success Prevention Expert.

When you become an Imperfectionist, you finally realize how many Success Prevention Experts exist in the world.

When you become an Imperfectionist, you lower the bar – or better yet, remove it altogether. You can thencreate in the moment without any grade or standard. Ironically, this allows for such freedom and joy that you might end up doing a great job. (Or at least having a great time!)

When you become an Imperfectionist, you place your attention on the project or activity itself. You don’t waste it on obsessing about the outcome. (This paradoxically leads to a higher chance of greatness, and a definite outcome of happiness!)

When you become an Imperfectionist, you get things done imperfectly. You then learn that you can tweakand fix and try again. This process makes you Unstoppable.

When you become an Imperfectionist, you finally understand that there are no mistakes. Just judgments.

Becoming an Imperfectionist doesn’t mean you don’t eventually master your craft or calling - but that’s not the starting goal.

How to Become an Imperfectionist

1 – Imperfectly pick one thing you keep telling yourself you want to do.

2 – If you read #1 and think, “I can’t possibly pick just one! There’s too many!” then do not proceed until you have picked just one.

3 – Get a timer, and set it to 55 minutes.

4 – Walk away from your computer right now and spend 55 minutes doing that very activity.

5 – Repeat #4 again tomorrow.

6 – Repeat #4 again every day after that until the item is complete.

7 – Celebrate the item’s completion with chocolate, flowers, or a manicure.

8 – Go back to #1 and start over.

An Imperfect List of Things You Can Do Imperfectly

• Imperfect Writing
• Imperfect Teleseminars
• Imperfect Meditation
• Imperfect Romance
• Imperfect Video Blogs
• Imperfect Vacations
• Imperfect Scrapbooking
• Imperfect Launches
• Imperfect Dinner Parties
• Imperfect Affirmations

Add your own items to this list as needed. Find a way to let yourself experience them without judgment. And listen to this recovering perfectionist when she tells you that your success is guaranteed when you live by this principle!

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a free subscription at http://christinekane.com.

With interviews from Chris Guillebeau, Pam Slim, Cody Mckibben, Adam Baker and Dan Andrews you can be sure this is a product worth investing in. These are people who’ve carefully crafted empires around what they love and make a point of sharing their lessons with the public.

Overcoming the Fear of Uncertainty is a membership-style website produced by Sean Ogle. Sean has a popular travel/business blog called Location 180. And I’ll be honest, I hadn’t read much of his stuff before signing up for his Overcoming Uncertainty program. But he’s moved fast and transformed his life quickly — this resonated with me and I wanted to give him a shot.

First, I enjoyed this product. I recommend it. It cuts to the core of why we stay stuck. We all know fear holds us back right? Well this is a straight forward way to start chipping away at the fear and moving forward in spite of it.

The website is organized much like a book. Starting at the beginning you can read posts that will take you step by step through the process of busting uncertainty. I got through the content in a day. But you can spend more time on the worksheets and activities if you wish.

Overcoming Uncertainty Worksheets

The interviews are in audio format with an optional, readable transcript available. (I like to read and listen to both at the same time to fully digest the content.) Worksheets come in PDF format so be sure you have a PDF reader and printer available to you.

I believe it’s being continually updated and fleshed out. Once it has more flesh (hey sex sells right?) err… more content it will be a perfect 5-star candidate.

This is a product for beginners on a path to change and action. Dreamers of travel, change making, and standing tall in unfamiliar places.

There are four main sections of content; but you also get bonus guides for setting up a blog and working with budgeting tools. Really it’s the foundation for building a solid life.

Index of main content:

• Part 1: Recognizing the Uncertainty
• Part 2: Preparing for the Change
• Part 3: Making the Change
• Part 4: The Real World — Resolved

 *Disclaimer: This is an affiliate linked product. That means: our website receives a percentage of any purchases you make by clicking through the link. Remember: This review is honest and I simply do not sign up for affiliate programs that offer no value.

Happy Minimalist Day!

Today is International Minimalist Day so wherever you are- celebrate with a few tips from us!

• Everyone can celebrate this day, not just minimalists. We all should be conscience of the products and “stuff” we bring into our lives every day, but especially today. Take this opportunity to give something away.
• Be grateful for the things you do have. Clutter is a topic we love to complain about, it seems to affect everyone and well, misery loves company. How about thanking everything around you for being there when you needed it. At some point it served a purpose, it was an aide to finishing a task, a trinket to remind you of a moment, an accessory that made you feel like a million bucks. Say thanks to your stuff.
• Dreaming of your next journey or vacation? Imagine you had to pack, right this moment! You can only fit so much into a suitcase and it can be very telling. You leave in a few hours! Think of all the things you wouldn’t mind leaving at home for a trip to Paris or Sydney. This practice can be very useful in paring down possessions.
• Make it a digital holiday. Keep one browser window (one tab only) open at once. Check your email inbox once. Do one thing at a time and no more, but certainly less if you’re feeling festive! Quit any digital multi-tasking that you can.
• Try any of the 47 tips Karol Gajda provided for this holiday. Or visit his blog and read about more minimalist and travel friendly lifestyle tips.

However this can cause several clutter related issues, mentally and physically.

1. Every scrap of paper becomes important and it takes up space.
2. You constantly worry about losing these “things” from your trip.
3. Over-spending on keepsakes seems rational at the time.
4. You become wrapped up in the past.
5. Being mindful, alert, awake, and conscience becomes an uphill battle.

For example, while on vacation in Seattle I was keeping my ferry ride receipts thinking, “Now I’ll have all the exact times and dates that I rode the ferry each day!” For some reason this detail felt like it might be important at some point in the future. What? Why?

Sometimes we put off making hard (and easy) decisions on vacations. So we act in strange ways…

Let’s analyze our thinking for a moment:

Do dates, times, accuracy, amounts, digits (or anything that can be quantified) really have more value than being ready for whatever the current moment is holding?

Is it worth missing out on all the great unexpected things that happen in new places?

The answer is no. Don’t put off making decisions just because you’re on a vacation.

Becoming illogically attached to travel “mementos” means clutter will be waiting for you the moment you set down your bags at home. You’ll accumulate useless items, forget how you were feeling/thinking/sensing and you’ll waste time and money.

I still have a shopping bag full of unused postcards, books, brochures and receipts from a trip I took several years ago to San Francisco. It’s taking up space and making me feel guilty for not “doing something” with it. Sometimes we rationalize “Hey, this will be great for that scrapbook I’m going to make someday!” Yet, I’ve never made a scrapbook in my life, and I’m much more fond of digital organizing anyways.

How To Conquer Potential Clutter:

1. Unless you are a die-hard scrapbooker, the paper is just junk.
Take a photograph of it if you’re worried about needing to reference it later. If you’re in a shop browsing keepsakes, try alternatives. Find the spot on the front of that postcard you’re considering and photograph yourself in the same place. Creating a homemade postcard is cheaper and more meaningful! Taking pictures is simple, easy, affordable and accessible to everyone these days. (Why do we still buy postcards with other people’s photos on them?)

However, there may still be things you need to keep for records or have an actual use for back home, if this is the case…

2. Dedicate a finite amount of space for travel trinkets and papers to bring home.
Be diligent about what goes in and what doesn’t! Consider it a sacred space (folder, box, envelope, whatever) for only the most irreplaceable items and documents. Some people are collectors, so take that into consideration BEFORE you go on your trip. If you collect sand/dirt samples from around the world bring the jars with you and only take what you can. If you like sea shells bring a small jewelry box or trinket box for these. Press leaves from trees. Take a paper rubbing of Lenin’s headstone, or a photo of Michael Jackson’s Hollywood Star. Rub a flower on a postcard you’re sending home (like a scratch-n-sniff). And of course, copy down that recipe for traditional sourdough bread to replicate at home. Then…

3. Store as much digitally as you can. 
Easier to retrieve later. Less delicate. Longer lasting (keep backups regularly). Takes up almost no space at all! Really, digitize as much as possible. The zoo map you think you need to reference at some point can be scanned or usually something similar could be found online. But I’ll save the best tip for last…

4. Document as you go, and then forget about it!
Take your pictures and then… REALLY take it in. Use all of your senses here. Be present. You are in a brand new place and you can define your experience there any way you want. You can rush in and out to take all the snapshots to prove you were there and convince everyone how awesome it was OR you could actually just be there and feel amazing the whole time. You’ll radiate when you get home if you actually take the time to soak it in. These days, when you send an email you have a copy archived for a lifetime if you need to reference it. Your photos practically organize themselves by date or location. And with GPS and geo-tagging you can lookup the name of that awesome beach you surfed at later.

Enjoy now.

(And don’t worry, your friends will be jealous no matter how well or poorly documented your trip was.)

We can’t all be the energizer bunny.

One thing I know, and have to remind myself of regularly is that I can only go at my pace. Earlier this year I ran my first 5K ever and it was such a powerful reminder that we are all at different levels, with all kinds of pasts and futures tugging on us. I kept pace with a cancer survivor and was lapped (twice) by several young athletes. Most of us lie somewhere between these types of extremes. This point is especially important when traveling with other people.

Just finished running a 5K, can you tell I'm tired?

Pay attention to your pace and make sure your companions are aware of what to expect.

Nothing can ruin a trip faster than separate itineraries and agendas! To be mindful of our health is a hard thing to remember on vacation, or when away from home. We think “Hey I’m on vacation, I don’t have to worry about a thing!” and we forget about taking care of ourselves… just where we’re going next, or what’s for dinner.

You may be ready for a faster, more intense day after a long flight than your buddy is. Be respectful of others as well as yourself.

Just remember to “check in”.

“Check in” with yourself and make sure you aren’t just keeping up with the pace or dragging along a miserable companion. It can cripple your entire day, or more! (I won’t insert any photos of blistered feet here, but you get the idea.)

Photo by amybo on Flickr.

Make A Plan! I always tend to have a day or two on my trips dedicated to complete relaxation, with my feet up. If I don’t plan for downtime I burnout quick. Be sure to double-check with your travel companions to see how they are feeling and when you might need to separate.

*Don’t Forget!

*Honor your own pace.

# Photo credit to John C Abell of Flickr

I’ve got a handy link here to the website from the US Department of State so you can find a participating location in your state. No appointment needed!

If you don’t already have your passport, you might want to get it now. I learned in a recent trip to get my own passport that the officials are not in the office every day and you need to make an appointment. (I had no clue!) So if you get things squared away ahead of time, you can save a headache if you get itchy feet suddenly- it happens to the best of us!

So go get your passport, or remind someone you know to take advantage of this day to make it happen.