I remember the movie Chariots of Fire. One character was obsessed with winning. He was devastated when he lost. He worked hard to get to the Olympics. He finally achieved his win, he got the gold. He sat alone in the locker room with his head down and quiet. His team mates didn't understand, he should happy! He won the gold. One of his friends said hey, one day YOU will win... and it will be a hard thing to deal with. It's a head scratcher. My interpretation... its the journey not the goal.😁

@starwaypathmaker6817

2 жыл бұрын

i love quotes like this.

I saw this title pop up and I immediately put my pencil down to watch. I feel this more than you can understand. I work so hard to be successful. And yet. I self sabotage in so many ways. It makes me wonder if I even really want success in this field or if im just scared...

@FloraSora

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely. Every time I succeed it seems like the next hour/day it just sets me up to have to out-do myself. Which is fine, but it definitely feels unending too, which is stressful.

@b3nsu

3 жыл бұрын

I hope you work through it dude. Keep it up, you deserve to get there

@ElderCreationist

3 жыл бұрын

@@FloraSora thats exactly it! And then Im hardly satisfied with what I produce anymore unless it is significantly better than what I last produced

@FloraSora

3 жыл бұрын

@@ElderCreationist Now, that makes me wonder... how much of that is a real desire from our truest, deepest selves--and how much of that is due to societal pressures, capitalism, social media, etc? Either way, it does make me wish for a simpler life, that's for sure.

This video made me think to a book i read some weeks ago: "Greenlights" - of Matthew Mc Conaughey. In a part of the book, he describe a certain situation of every ambitious artist: we always say to ourself " I want to reach success, i'll be realised ", and then that happen and you're like ' Oh crap .. now we are on the top .. and now? '. Probably we should all be more confident in our capacities and on our creativity, BECAUSE THEM takes us right in the position in which we are now (if we are professional artists , i mean). An hug for every person and artist that is in a difficult emotional part of his life.

@AdamDuffArt

3 жыл бұрын

Hmm! I think I’ll go check that out - thank you for mentioning it :)

@riccardodesantis765

3 жыл бұрын

@@AdamDuffArt A pleasure :) !

@RenauDesign

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the hug :3

@AwakeningWings

3 жыл бұрын

I saw a few quotes from "Greenlights" on Instagram a few days ago (July 19, around then). This part of what you mentioned stood out to me: "Every ambitious artist: we always say to ourself " I want to reach success, i'll be realised ", and then that happen and you're like ' Oh crap .. now we are on the top .. and now?". It reminded me of a song called "Interlude: Shadow" by BTS. When an artist reaches the top, what more is there and you feel trapped there; it's that type of feeling in the music video/trailer. kzread.info/dash/bejne/goplyaWvqtO5qZM.html (The lyrics have so much depth. And it's a reference to the "shadow" on the Map of The Soul from Carl Jung.) I think as artist's we'll go through this eventually at one point in our lives. I've felt it; I was so scared and procrastinated out of fear. I was more worried about success and how scarier it is than failure.

I am 17 years old and I think you just saved me. You are the father I needed thank you S2

@hairylegs1319

3 жыл бұрын

I can really relate to your comment as adam was basically the father of my art career

i usually just drawing/paint while listening to your videos. this time though, I sometimes just stops and look at the video as if I were looking at you talking to me... this is really inspirational. I finally understand why I sometimes can't continue with some of my works... it was too much for me to handle. thanks a 1000 times

Wow i rly understand why so many peeps here says Adam always seem to put out these thought provoking videos at the nick of time. Cause hearing this now I always wanted to get this art job and i told myself i wont be doin the exciting work as i need to work my way up BUT when i was finally hired as the bg artist in my company. Ive been assigned to many types of work like prop design, Character design and more the fun stuff i always hear people wanting in my art community. Its so amazing but overwhelming at the same time.

I really love what you do, really. And I have something to say: These days I've been struggling with homework, I know it's really stupid, but it's since a year that I don't really do my homework. Quarantine really hitted me, idk why. Maybe it showed me how lonely I really am. I'm currently 16, stucked in a life that I don't like, I know I can fix it, but for some reason I gave up, I feel tired of everything. These kind of things happen when life doesn't tell you anything, when there's not a clear path. I am not the only one, but it's funny that homework, just homework, really terrifies me a lot. I am going to an adult school at night, I couldn't pass 4th year. Everyone is older than me. That's not a problem, I guess that I felt lonely even with people my age in 2019, when I was in another city. I am lonely anyways. The only thing that can really help anyone in this situation, including me, it's this: When you know what you should be doing, and you know that it will lead you to happiness and success, but for some reason you can't find your will to do it and you don't know why... it's because you need to make things clearer in your mind. And by that I mean "Why should you achieve success?" "Why should you be happy?" "Why should you exist?" The answer will come up, not as a thought, but as a feeling. I like stoicism and what it teaches you. The ultimate goal of a human being is VIRTUE. I came to this world to be a virtuous human, or at least try to be one. You will always find a meaning and a purpose for your life in helping other humans, in one way or another. The ultimate goal of human kind is love. The only thing that really matters when you are dying and you look back into your life is "How much did I love?" "How much people loved me?" ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. RECEIVE IT, AND GIVE IT. Good luck to you all, best wishes from Argentina :D

Damn... if my cat asks me "How did it go?", that's when you know you gotta really take a rest :D

The music is absolutely beautiful

@AdamDuffArt

3 жыл бұрын

I couldn’t agree more :)

This video speaks to me directly. I just recently got promoted to one of the main concept artists at the studio I work at, after struggling for 10+ years trying to get this title post-college and working in retail and then QA for several years. The directors had so much faith in me that they skipped me past the "Associate" level concept artist and offered me the real deal. My imposter syndrome is super distracting right now, but I have to understand that they probably see my abilities and dedication more than I see it myself, since we're all hyper critical about our own work. Thanks for this video!

So I’ve been throwing your videos on in the background while I work on commission or personal projects and I just have to say your entire channel is fantastic. Some of the most introspective advice and topics only an artistic mind can address- I’m so glad I found this channel. Thank you for the content my brother, can’t wait to hear what’s up in this one 🙏🏽 🙏🏽

@9:10 made me tear up. Unknown places and people and situations scare the shit out of me, and listening to someone describing how well something could go is really, REALLY helpful and emotional. Thank you

After I got accepted to my theatreschool as an actor, when the year started, for the first 2 weeks I had to run to the toilet every single day before class because I was simply to nervous. I felt overwhelmed and felt like I lacked the skills to actually go to that school. But with time I gained some confidence and it slowly went away

Who needs platon or nietzsche, we got Adam :D

You’re a genius. In other words, we could do all things, if we would only be ourselves. What a notion.

I am a musician and what I love is that you can relate to these videos even if you are not an illustrator or drawer

This title alone I can relate to. I feel as an artist you need a thick skin and then once some success comes you start getting scared. Or at least I have. Thank you for this video.

I'm not a digital artist, but your talks are always useful.

I *really* relate to your "expanding your canvas" into your workspace, onto your body, in your fashion, etc... when I'm not making art I want to wear what my art means to me. I like to look around and see myself in every corner of my room. It's a huge part of how I design the aspects of my life I can actually control, and it makes me so much more comfortable with creating. It's all a little scary when I realise I dream of studying abroad and leaving this place behind, but I know I'll just have to find new ways of expanding my canvas. Might even find new parts of me that I want to put out there.

Thank you. This... I needed this far more than I've ever wanted to admit. Simplify. I need to simplify things. From the depths of my soul, thank you.

People are more creative as conditions pile up, when you tell them they are not allowed to do something, that's when the creativity pours out like a fountain.

17:27 When I hear "unlimited budget" I think delegation. I'm not doing everything myself - You said unlimited budget? Dream team time! Put together a team of my heroes, local and otherwise, each person amazing at something different, make 'em an offer they won't turn down, give them great toys to work with, micromanage with a giant ego. Make jobs, not anxiety.

I can't even begin to describe how relevant this lesson was for me today and also just recently. I'm so happy that I found this video. It really helped

I'll be teaching digital art for the first time this fall and I feel very overwhelmed. In coming up with a course and trying to figure out how I should simplify the content and spread it out, I've tried to adapt to the massive scale that is that task. I feel like an imposter when I think about trying to teach others due to a lack of confidence in myself and my artistic skill. It's very easy to believe that I can't do something rather than believe that I can because believing it incurs the idea that I must succeed at all of these things eventually. Failing at something means that you can just walk away and move on to the next thing rather than having to continue succeeding. Thank you for telling me to adapt the world around me to a manageable size I needed to hear that. I've gotta remind myself of who I am and what I can do for myself and my students as an artist and realize that it can all be super simple if I want it to be.

Dude, the things you say in your videos... it's just awesome.

Thanks as always

it is a blessing to hear your voice calmly telling me its ok you can do it in a time when I am lost I dont know what the future holds for me but my prayers and blessings are on you for giving me what i needed most LOVE from the heart of someone who may not know me but knows how my heart feels. I wish you the best and may your life be full of joy and happiness as you have filled mine with hope and joy. LOVE you adam sincierly a man with a lot of pain

This is painfully relatable, I needed this mate. Thank you Adam

All of your art talks inspire and empower me when ever I doubt my art. I never get tired of re-watching the art talks while I draw. Very inspiring, love to know I'm not alone in the artistic world. Thank You.

Haven't watched the video yet. Wanted to recommend u this right after u upload one of your videos. Since your into polish folklore and art, there's this PC game called "Darkwood". It's a top-down survival horror game that has a lot of art that I think you'd appreciate, given you're a big fan of Beksinski and melancholic, desolate video game art (ahem, souls, ahem). Happy painting to u too A.D.

Once again I just want to say how incredibly thankful I am!

I definitely bit off more than I could chew with a painting I was working on while listening to this. Thank you for this video. I also wanted to sit in those little chairs at the Friendly Giant's castle and play music with Rusty.

I can relate to this so much. To all of you that also relate, keep going friend, you got this 💜

Adapting the world to ourselves instead of adapting ourselves to the world...Wow. That's powerful, I got the chills, I needed that. Thank you.

Totally sunk in my first big studio job. Extra hard if you don't know what department you fit into yet and you are hired to do both concept and 3d as a junior artist who doesn't know what they are good at yet. And also if your boss is an introverted douch who does not give a shit about your emotional well being.. Took 4 years of neglect and insulting feed back for me to break down and quit... Would not recommend. I had to go into counseling to understand where I went wrong. Most important thing tho is that Im not giving up on art because of how shit that experience was

This came at the exact right time! Great advice for all creative endeavors. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

You are a wonderful soul and your videos are often like therapy. Thanks for doing what you do Adam.

Adam, when I see your new videos on my feeds, I clip faster than any other videos, you are a great person, Cheers from Montréal

thanks art dad, i needed to hear this

I recently landed a new job and felt exactly how your friend did. Hearing this video gave me an idea to move forward, thank you!

You have no idea how much I needed this. I don't think anything has ever eased the fear, guilt, shame, and overwhelm like being told I'm allowed to be small.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really really needed this today. I didn’t know how to explain this to people but this was exactly what I needed. I’m scared but I’m doing it scared and ready for the outcome. Much Love..❤️

Such a great story and life lesson you have told today, Adam. It is truly something I and everyone need right now. I love you too with all my heart!❤️

Thank you adam I needed to hear this.

Thank you so much for these videos. This particular situation is exactly where I've been for the last few years. I have a studio in a beautiful local gallery with wonderful people. I have a hard time even showing up to do my work..... because of exactly this.

I really like these videos, even though I'm not really an artist. I think all the stuff you talk about is applicable to many more people than just artists and really interesting. They really help :)

Thank you again for an amazing video Adam. As an young artist with anxiety it's hard enough to even take compliments, but I'm almost at a point where I have to find a job and the idea of both: obtain one or not, have been scary enough for me to cry about it sometimes. I'll probably come back to this video if i find one and I know you said you're not a psycologist so I won't take you as such, but I personally find big comfort in your videos and I know that at that moment, I'll probably need it.

Success is scary for sure! I can't believe how far I've come with both my process and technical learning over the past year especially. I'm still only a beginner but I'll keep this advice in mind if I do get good enough to have a career in the industry ☺️

thank you Adam - this was the most needed advice at this point in my life. Don't try to fit the shoe, shrink it down to your size. I have a new home and studio waiting for me and for the last 3 months I fail day after day to move in, I was not in touch with the overwhelming "expectations" I was putting on myself. From getting the drapes right, to making better art. Your pointer connected me to the heart of the problem.

PERFECT

This is so true, I had to simplify my colors and choices before I started making progress. The do happens when I reduce to simple steps. Too many options parallelize, its just so true. We're creatures of focus.

I struggle a lot with painting and realism and I feel I have been avoiding a half done digital painting because of how overwhelming I feel it is lol even thought is just a simple portrait. This video/coat fits ! So I left it there and now I'm doing some more simple pixel art for now while listening to this video xD I am not sure where or when I will be in a spot where I feel like I have "finally" reached a far end dream/fantasy but I can understand that stress for sure. Great video as always !

Good advice. Thanks.

why do i feel so ...... touched

You were so on point describing all these random thoughts we have when walking into a new studio ! I had all of them on my first day, and now I'm playing Super Smash Bros with all the scary tattooed people :D

I get what ur saying and I could see how it make sense but atleast with me the whole excitement of "art" it self is expanding into something that's foreign to u

Thank you.

Great birthday gift right here! Insightful as always. Thanks, Adam! :)

Always amazing brother, thanks again.

Thank you♥️

I just finished the video and without thinking, muttered to myself “what a lovely human being.” Figured it’s kind to let you know. Thanks again!

I do enjoy most of your talks, even if I don't enjoy your artwork (just not my style). So, I put it on, and then go look at something else. Many statements hit home today, I have just recently moved to a new State, a new house (owned instead of rented), Hubby with a new job. Now, I'm not doing the jobs I was doing before (some of them), I have time and space for my own indie work (between unpacking into a house that is much smaller than I had before). Before, I think with my situations, it was easy to say, "I don't have time for that, because I have a duty, or an expectation that I will do this other thing,". So, anything "too hard", too "scary", etc, just ended up put off, because I had good excuses, as to why I couldn't deal with them at the time. And now, again/still as a freelancer, those prior excuses are gone, and those other projects are looming, because the dam that was holding all that back, is gone. And so, yeah, the space in my head is too big, the projects are too big, the expectations of MYSELF are too big, with nothing to hide behind. The options are too many, like you said with the guy and the ocean, but the thought of cutting off any options brings deep sorrow to my soul. So, I'm swirling around in my tiny life raft, with a rushing river pushing me all over the place, and I can't find the paddle to get me straightened out and able to see where I'm going. The feelings of fraud are strong, even though I've proved to myself and to others in the past, that it's just not true. Because at the next juncture, the next door you open, the next project, you feel like a fraud again. Like the first day of High School, where you go from being the oldest, I know it all, in Middle School, to being a nobody in a sea of older, more experienced people. Pretty much, like you were talking about. Like I said, many things really hit home. I'm not sure how it will all work out. I've been slowly building my "spaces" (I have 2, as I do traditional, as well as digital art, and they aren't in the same room, because there isn't room for them to be!) I call them "stations", because it makes it easier to sit down and do things, if you have everything at your station. And they are slowly getting set to me, but it is hard, I don't have the same furniture that I had in the previous home studio, I don't have the same space, so things have to shift and move and it all feels unstable. Like walking over a log over a raging waterfall. When you have a "boss" who tells you what to do, what is expected of you, sometimes that is easier than when you are your own boss, and you have to tell yourself what to do. Because myself doesn't obey me very well, myself doesn't always act in a kind way to me, myself sometimes just is too lenient with me, sometimes myself has too many expectation of me, as to where I should be in my life, at this age, and what I should be able to accomplish, myself sometimes just gives up on me. I'll keep plugging along, your bits of advice remind of things that I have learned or done in the past, and often how I have forgotten that thing, and now, maybe I should use that tool again in a new situation. Thank you for taking the time, and having a wonderful voice of reason in the cacophony of the internet and the cacophony of my brain. Keep up the great work. See you around at the next video.

man ! you are really know what youre talking about iwas in the same situation

I got myself a special pendant from a silver smith I look up to. It‘s my lucky charm and part of my cocoon. It helps me a lot to have it as companion. Especially in the situations you‘ve mentioned.

Love these videos. Keep em coming! :D

This was a great talk but all this makes me feel is sad XD. I envy being in such position. Great talk as always Adam.

It’s even scarier during quarantine and start without coworkers nearby

love the vids

thanks man

amazing vid man

Gracias.

This video makes me want to cry

Thank, you. This help me. Turned down a commission recently because it's too big for me.

As someone who left the corporate world a decade a ago and presented with an infinite possiblity space with zero expectation so much of this resonated with me; having barely produced anything of note beyond conepts or half completed works. I've even seen a massive increase of imposter syndrome since that has only grown. Ironic that the thing i balked at for years [the limits of budgets and deadlines] became a pressure i thrived in that without felt like, to quote you, someone droppped in an infinite ocean without hope of land regardless of which direction i paddled

Not sure it's quite related to the message at all actually, but it made me think of my recent anxiety about what it would mean to be a Local Artist. I went to a job interview that was meant to be a little part time admin, but was introduced to me as big time event planning, and I'd never felt so small! Obviously did not get that job XD I wish I could be the artist who chats everyone up at events, but I am terrified of people and rarely even attend events. To be one of those artists who does pop up shows, volunteers for the city part time, starts fundraisers for causes, fights for accessibility, teaches classes to children, all the things I began to think were requirements to being a successful Local Artist. But I am a tiny soul who needs deep therapy and too afraid to do or say anything. I remind myself that I would never expect my friends/family to be that person, so why do I expect it from myself? Almost nobody I know does even one or two of those things, let alone all of them.

When it comes to customize your studio sometimes is as simple as bringing your favourite pocket watch with intricate steampunk decoration onto the drawing table.

This made me remember about a documentary about Pixar. We could see the inside, the workspace, the office. I was struck by how the artists owned their rooms. There was this artist i don't remember the name, his room was full of toys of every kind, it was quite like a maze, like the dream castle of the kid i was.

Why? Because most of us who went through a lot of adversities, experienced a lot of successes yet we also know how it feels like to fail. There’s so many reasons out there. ⚡️ Imposter syndrome. ⚡️ Feelings of not being good enough. ⚡️ Unresolved childhood trauma. ⚡️ Self-sabotage. ⚡️ Unhealthy coping mechanisms. ⚡️ The list goes on. I have a close friend who is successful beyond his own imagination and yet he’s depressed. He’s lost. It’s a human condition. Another experience that we can either use to expand or shrink. I understand because we’re conditioned to succeed all the freakin’ time without being okay about embracing failure. At the core of it all, we truly want to feel enough, joy, peace, compassion, appreciation for what is without chasing for the next big thing. We want to be free. We want meaning in all that we do. It’s different for everyone. Bottomline, you have to define what success means to you.

i got used to unsuccessfulness so deeply i cant imagine whats its even like to be successful

everyday i wonder what makes us do art what is the driving pint of siting down and making something others cant do you wake up and make something real out of nothing the you show people a window into the artest world yet i wonder why upgrading your workspace is scary thank you for explaining something that i struggled to understand

I know you're using photoshop. but right here the way you have it set up my Krita has almost the exact same layout. It's really clean

A Very Interesting video for Artists and Creative People.😊💝 Dec 18th 2021

Success is scary for sure. Have you driven your Maserati at speeds over 180 km/h? XD That's what I call scary success. Now, about your video. You've been giving outstanding advice, mainly for younger artists. When someone asks me anything related to art, I always send your link and say "Adam Duff explains it very well. go on and watch his videos".

I learned one thing in life if you get a chance take it!

This made me cry. I feel like I completely sabotaged myself at the 100K milestone. Not my first time doing that with an opportunity in life. 🤦🏿‍♀️😔 I won't quite give up yet though.

Hi!

@BillyCrawshrimp

3 жыл бұрын

Hello

I just started to take my art more seriously and I started posting some of my work on my social media. It was just for fun at first as well as to document my progress, then someone asked me if I do commissions for the first time. That one conversation made me question all of my skills and sent me spiraling. was I good enough to seize this opportunity? Was I accurate enough with portraits? can I render well enough? The new height that I achieved scared me soooo much. I was comfortable with posting my work because I thought I’d never be good enough for someone to care. I’m still terrified of this.

That's why I still don't leave my day job, althougth technically and financially I can. It will be just too much time and freedom - and it is stressfull, and because of stress I can't create. It is like a vicious circle.

I've been drawing my whole life, I really want to do it professionally and I know exactly how to start ... but I'm just too terrified to start .. been strugling for 5 years now because of fear...that terrible fear of nothing....

This is _amazing_ advice. Everyone watching knows this already. I was just going to say -- this guy sounds too much like Garfield for it to be coincidence -- That cat reference was no accident. I was only surprised he didn't mention Lasagna. Not even once. See how refined he has become over the years? -- Self control is very important. If he can do it -- so can you!!

Not to be the one to disagree, but nothing is worse than never being seen and never having value. Getting a job is being acknowledged, now is the time to show them what you can do. Nothing is scarier than being blanketed in the warped darkness of failure, uselessness, hard work and becoming wasted time. That is truly something to fear. A chef will always feel at home when especially during the hottest times, or a fisherman ready with his sea legs and strong arms pulling in his fish with his team never feeling so alive, being part of something is what makes life rich. Those new to it maybe worry-some, yet it is and always be smallest sweat from your brow vs everything else in life. Those who got the job I am very happy for, but I couldn't disagree more about being scared for a job one worked hard for so long. Sounds as silly as one finally has a cure to help you run again, and and he or she is scared to take it. However the speech was genuine so I give it Good props.

Bobby chiu. "Its because you bit more thab you can chiu" That was funny and probably unintentional

the day the dog catches the car

How can I support your work? I want you to still doing this videos, they help a lot

I picked up the pen again because of you, you might not see this but if you do, thank you.

I thought I'm the only one weirdo that too attached to my workspace cocoon o_0

im sorry i love this guy and he is so inspirational and amazing but when he said impostor i lost it

for the algorithm

"And your cat says, 'How did it go?!'" Him: 'Fine, I guess?' Me: 'AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm.................Fairly good.'

Hey Adam, You may not read this, but I really appreciate all the time, energy, and thought that goes into the content you create, and I think it's one of the main reasons I just barely strayed away from being suicidally depressed. I was diagnosed with serious ADHD almost two years ago, which meant that I found it impossible to have any form of control over my own life compared to even most ADHDers. Through what I've learned on this channel, and through practicing mindfulness, my mental health has gotten a lot better. One thing nags at me though, and that's the knowledge that I could have been far more successful if someone had me diagnosed in my childhood. I felt so inadequate and incapable for the longest time, but recently I've realized that in one short year, I had made so much progress it's almost unbelievable to me. My grades that had been eternally stagnant, had finally risen to the point where I could have been accepted into every Ivy league college out there. Emphasis on "could have been", because everything before remains like a black blemish on my record. There's no way I would ever be even considered, compared to students without ADHD. And there was another point in my childhood where I had the chance to enroll in one of the top middle/high schools in America (top 10), but I blew it during the interview because of my ADHD. It extended into my personal hobbies as well, as I found it impossible to even begin to learn art, programming, music, and writing. (I really, really, am not trying to brag or make anyone else feel like I am. I'm sorry if it comes off that way.) The thought of what could have been, especially in the sense that I feel I was robbed of my entire life until this year, is honestly depressing. Do you have any advice?