Part 1:

  1. The first article, titled “What can entrepreneurs learn from artists?”, by Tim Leberecht, points out that nowadays businesses significantly are beginning to utilize visuals and creative, artistic methods (and that inventive ideas are becoming a determining factor on the success of an entrepreneur). The article ventures to emphasize that artists have characteristics which are becoming even more useful to the way people in the business world approach issues.

In the second article, titled “Are Artists Entrepreneurs?”, the author Amit Gupta also recognizes the aligning qualities and similar inherent requirements of people in art and business. Both articles focus on the assets of both fields, and how both want to make an impact on the world. The second article focuses more on the characteristics of entrepreneurs and how they will help to shape future artists, and the first article focuses more on the behaviors and beliefs of artists that are being incorporated more and more into the business world.

  1. Artists can learn from the practices of entrepreneurs that art can be collaborative, and that it may be especially beneficial to reach out to other artists and groups in order to become more active and even more industrious within themselves as well as within the community.
  2. I believe that artists can be entrepreneurs not only in through consumption of their physical art piece, but more importantly they can be entrepreneurs of their own ideas and perspectives. Getting people to become excited and enthralled with their style may not be the goal for all artists, but it certainly can become an effect, as many consumers of art become infatuated with the styles of artists as a result (whether intentional or not!).
  3. Numbers 7 (Artists are holistic, interdisciplinary thinkers), 9 (Artists are great storytellers), and 11 (Artists are passionate about their work) are the characteristics that I agree with most. Artists combine thoughts and emotions through visual elements in order and usually express different levels of whole ideas at once. They put their own stories into creating a story for the viewer. Their art embodies their personal communication of their thoughts and emotions, which is a part of their daily life (their passion).

I found that number 4 (“Artists are like children”) was one of the most compelling qualities, especially when it makes the connection that different popular technologies/companies simply tend to our inherent natures to share and touch.

  1. I would add that artists review their work, reflect, and exhibit shifts in their approach/styles over time (goes a long with the love of new ideas, except that their changes are more of a response to their context and personal observations).

Part 2:

  1. I received a score of 3.63, which means that I am “grittier than 60% of the population” (not too shabby, I guess)! I believe I can be determined when sticking to what I believe in and to the goals that I have, but sometimes I let emotional or technical distractions and discouragements get in the way of me achieving and learning fully. I’ve noticed that I have gotten emotionally tougher when faced with challenges as I’ve gotten older (especially with the support and insight of my mom and my teachers throughout high school).
  2. In order to have a grittier attitude and approach to learning (and all things), I will have to stop dwelling so much on what I should have done differently in the past, and instead reflect and work on the present with focus and optimism for the future.

I read a quote recently, by Mary Engelbreit, who says, “Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. It empties today of its strengths.” Overthinking has become a distraction all its own for me, and definitely stalls my motivation at times. It’s very important for me to put more trust in and to be more patient with myself. I need to understand that I have the ability to learn, that I’m always changing and growing (and that we all do at unique paces), and that a little work and passion can go a long way.