The Money Story Holding Artists Back

Day 1: How Rewriting Your Creative Income Narrative Will Unlock the Financial Reality You Deserve​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

What if the single biggest obstacle between you and sustainable creative income isn't the market, your skills, or your portfolio — but the story you've been telling yourself about money?

Right now, there's a gap between what you're capable of earning and what you actually earn. That gap isn't created by your talent or the economy. It's created by your money story.

Welcome to our Financial Sovereignty Creative Sprint, where over the next 5 days, we're going to rewrite that story—and watch as your financial reality begins to follow.

We will spend the next 5 days talking about money as a creative person.

• Day 1: Story of income - Identify and rewrite the narratives shaping your financial decisions

• Day 2: Seasons of income - Navigate the natural cycles of creative work with confidence and foresight

• Day 3: Streams of income - Map multiple revenue channels that complement your creative strengths

• Day 4: Sovereignty of income - Build genuine independence in how you earn and grow as an artist

• Day 5: Your Creative Money Roadmap - We’ll Combine these insights into a clear, actionable plan that aligns your creative practice with sustainable financial growth​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

You will go away from this sprint with a little more clarity and focus on what you can do to create Financial Sovereignty as an artist.

I’m not here to tell you how to manage your money or income, but I am here to share some of my personal knowledge accumulated trying to find my own way as an independent creative professional. In hopes that it will help you chart your own path

We’ll start with…

Your Money Story

Having a powerful and uplifting income story will drive your actions that ultimately determine your income. There are many crappy income stories out there. Some were cynically developed to oppress you, others were created by well meaning role models to protect you.

“Artist only make money when they are dead”, sound familiar?

I think that one is the ultimate, over dramatic, boogie man income story told to scare little kids to stop drawing, study hard and get a ‘good job’, whatever that means.

I can think of some alternatives.

“Artist start getting paid well when they know how to ask for what they are worth”

“The majority of the value in a product is created by artist, and therefore they should be compensated accordingly”

“Creativity paired with some business acumen makes for a wealthy artist”

We need to write our own stories about our relationship to money as an artist. And make it a positive one. Because a positive story will open your eyes to the possibilities that are out there and resonate with the people who want to pay you for it.

Here are some money stories that won’t serve you, if you currently believe any of the folowing fairytales, perhaps you need some new beliefs.

• You are not X enough, (Black, White, Gay, Straight, Young, Old, Educated, Left, Right, Cool and so) the opportunity should go to someone else.

• You’re not a real artist because you’re not making money from your art

• Someone else can charge X but not you because, reasons.

• Times are bad. I’m lucky to be able to work as an artist.

• My value is based on the amount of time I spend on it.

• Real artist don’t do it for the money.

• I need X followers to charge that.

• Making art is frivolous

And on and on, later I’m going to ask you to write down the stories you allow to live rent free in your head, so you can change your story.

Some of my own personal limiting beliefs around money have been.

• If I can just make the same amount as I did in a previous job I would be happy.

• Illustration is the only skill that I have to make money with.

• If I don’t take this opportunity others will dry up.

• I ONLY want to make money from illustration.

• I will only produce what I am paid for.

• I need to find someone to pay me.

• I don’t need a portfolio

Your money stories will be subtle and nuanced, you might have many beliefs that are holding you back. But trust me when I say that the only way to unlock new levels of income is by changing your beliefs, and creating new stories about money.

You might ask:

How do I know my new story is true and not some fairy tale either?… Maybe the reason people say artist only make money when they are dead is that it’s true!

The “truth” of your money story isn’t about blind faith. It’s about alignment with reality and the actions it inspires.

Test your new story against evidence.

There are real people making real money from their creativity right now. They don’t need to be famous - look at working professionals in your field who are financially stable. These aren’t rare exceptions but everyday examples of what’s possible.

Your money story becomes “true” when it produces results.

Try raising your rates with new clients. Experiment with a new income stream. See what happens when you operate from the belief that your creativity has genuine market value.

Connect with artists who are succeeding financially — those who’ve built sustainable creative businesses.

The old “dead artists” narrative persists because it relieves us from the challenging work of building a creative business. It’s comforting to believe success is out of our hands rather than requiring business skills many of us weren’t taught.

Your new money story isn’t true because it sounds nice.

It becomes true when it guides you toward effective action and aligns with how markets actually value creative work.

This is my Money Story:

I create VALUE through divine guidance, my talent stack, skill, experience, personal knowledge and point of view. And I have an abundance of opportunity to exchange this value for money.

This can be in the form of an illustration that my client can put into a book and sell. It could be by writing this substack and helping you grow on your creative journey. It could be in writing a book or a course. It could be collaborations with other talented artists.

The point is that it is within me to create valuable things and it’s also within me to connect with people who appreciate the value I create to make that exchange for money. When I do they feel like I am doing them a favour not the other way around.

Your money story will evolve and so will mine. I’m just here to tell you that will not be able to achieve any more than what your story allows.

I illustrate 4-5 books a year because that is what I believed I was capable of before I had a single one, and I took the actions to make it happen.

The mistake is to try to tackle the actions without first developing the belief. And in order to have a belief, you need a story.

Here’s a detailed prompt to help you write yours. I would love if you would share some of your old or new stories in the comments.

TEN MINUTE ARTIST CREATIVE SPRINT PROMPT:

Money Story Replacement Framework

Transform your relationship with money by replacing limiting beliefs with empowering truths that drive real financial results.

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Step 1: Identify Your Limiting Beliefs

Write down your 3 most persistent limiting money beliefs. These are the thoughts that surface when you're setting prices, discussing fees, or considering new income opportunities.

Example: "I should be grateful for any creative work that pays, even if the rate is low."

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

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Step 2: Trace the Origin

For each belief, identify where it came from. Was it from a parent, teacher, peer, or a disappointing early experience?

Example: "This belief came from my art school professor who constantly reminded us how competitive the field is."*

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

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Step 3: Calculate the Cost

What has this belief cost you? Try to quantify it in actual dollars.

Example calculation:

If this belief caused me to undercharge by just 20% on each project for the past year:

- Average of 3 projects per month × 12 months = 36 projects

- Typical project fee: $800

- 20% of $800 = $160 undercharge per project

- $160 × 36 projects = $5,760 lost in one year

1. $______ because ________________

2. $______ because ________________

3. $______ because ________________

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Step 4: Craft Your New Belief

Create your empowering replacement belief, written in present tense as if it's already true.

Example: "Clients seek me out specifically for my unique creative perspective and are willing to pay premium rates for it."

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

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Step 5: Find Supporting Evidence

List 3 pieces of evidence from your own experience or observations that support this new belief.

Example: "A client once told me they chose me despite higher quotes from others because they loved my style."

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

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Step 6: Define Your Action Step

What's one immediate action you'll take this week that demonstrates this new belief?

Example: "I will quote my new rate to the next inquiry without apologizing or offering discounts."

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

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Remember: Your money story isn't just about what you believe—it's about what actions those beliefs inspire. Each small action aligned with your new story creates evidence that reinforces it, gradually replacing your old limiting beliefs with a powerful new reality.

Tomorrow we'll be discussing "Seasons of Income" - how to navigate the natural ebbs and flows of creative income with confidence and strategy.