We recently connected with Samantha Hearn and have shared our conversation below.
Samantha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Real success requires a positive attitude. It requires shifting the ingrained perception of “hard” work into Smart Work, into Happy Work, into Easy Work. Doing work that you LOVE. For me, when I was in a mindset of hustling, grinding and stretching myself thin to chase success, I was the least successful I’ve ever been. When I finally realized that the standard method of achieving success wasn’t working for me, I chose to instead adopt the mindset that when I do what lights me up, I’m doing the world a service. My core beliefs shifted from “starving artist” to Thriving Artist by believing that doing work that I love brings me not only the right clients, but happiness which can then be shared. I think success is different for everyone, but to me, success means total alignment – mind, body, soul and purpose. Success for me means leaning back into my creativity and allowing the universe to work for me – to bring me the clients instead of chasing them down. To fully fling myself into my creative endeavors and trust that what’s bigger than me will take care of the rest. Once I started adopting this mindset, I went from making barely $1000 a month to consistently making $10,000 a month. Positivity works for me! I highly recommend taking a deep look at your core beliefs around money, success and happiness and defining it for yourself. Tune in to what feels good!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I was working as a newspaper journalist for a few years before I shifted into full time creative work. I had always loved taking photos, and I knew when I graduated college that I wanted to be an artist instead of a journalist. But – listening to my parents and society’s assumption that all artists have to struggle – I took the steady newspaper job. About a year in, I was burnt out, stretched way too thin, and broke as a joke. I knew that I wanted to be happy, and I wasn’t. So I quit my job with $50 in the bank and flung myself into full time photography, videography, styling, creative direction, whatever I could get my hands on. A few years of struggle in, I began to realize that shifting my mindset from starving artist to thriving artist could really make a difference, so I began a spiritual journey akin to the law of attraction that literally saved me from poverty. I went from being in the negative bank balance club to making $10k per month over the last few years through vigorous daily gratitude journaling, affirmations and meditation. My entire reality shifted because I decided it could. And I want everyone to know that they can shift their reality as well!
As a creative, I am very drawn to science fiction, the disco era, and lots and lots of color. I love anything outside of the box, and my creativity has taken me to NASA to shoot a rocket launch, to working with Zac Posen eyewear, to multiple repeat clients, and to having a photo featured in the New York Times. Being in Nashville, I work mostly with musicians and that’s extremely gratifying. To get to co-create with such talented artists is truly a dream come true, and I also fill my time with styling, set design, acting and videography. I also teach photo and video students at Nossi College of Art and I LOVE giving all the knowledge I can to my classes.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the personal freedom I have found in creating. To make what I want to make, and to have an audience that’s into it, is really cool. Being able to set my own schedule is such a perk as well. I used to work in print journalism which is a 24/7 job, and since going full-time artist I’ve really gotten to explore the things that light me up, and in my own time. Freedom is the best part of being creative.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I had known about print-on-demand sites like Society6 and Redbubble sooner. I found a niche with Society6 about a year or two ago, and since that I’ve been able to have a generous stream of passive income every month. I highly recommend any artist to explore these sites – you really only have to upload your work, set the products and prices, and then sit back and collect. I also wish I had known about personal development courses sooner – I can’t tell you how helpful it has been for me to take courses on positive mindset. As an artist, we’re sort of programmed to think that all artist’s are going to end up hustling and starving. But that’s SO not true!! You can THRIVE as an artist if you decide you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.samanthahearn.com
- Instagram: @sammyhearn
Image Credits
Models: Stephen Dillon, Randi Lee, Delaney Keith, The Artist Redd