Mule

As it applies to making a living making stuff: I, at one time, was someone who didn't make anything who transitioned into making things full time to make a living. It was, well, hard. But being on both sides of that coin has given me some perspective.  I am acquainted with many people who make stuff.  The difference between those who are successful  and the makers who swaffle can sometimes be obvious to everyone but the maker themselves.    Makers can hide behind their art, their muse, their inspiration, as a guise for unproductive or wrong decisions.  When sales are not good we can work on our machines or oogle other people's creations for inspiration and not just get better at selling things.   There are many different aspects of this life and we can easily divert to the ones we like when the ones we suck at are causing us pain. Consistency.  The makers I've known that hold a big question mark over their successful outcomes lack consistency.  If they make 10 belts, then they are making 10 pots, then they are helping a friend with an installing and then making tap handles for their buddies brewery.  They might wake up at 6 three days a week and then get distracted the other two. This is totally fine if the making of things is something you do as a hobby.    If it's full time making you want to be a part of consistency is key.  It takes relentless forward progress. Your initial decision on what to make is huge. If you are going to committ to one thing, make sure that 'thing' is worthy of the commitment.   Just because you are a potter doesn't mean the world will want your pottery just because it's yours.  That's entitlement.  How can you do it different enough  to be yours but still something everyone wants? Where's your pocket of creativity sit in the world? If you can't answer that question now, find the answer first. Wake up everyday at 6 o clock and make one thing.  Obsess over it.  Strip everything away until it's just it's parts, and then make the parts simpler.  If your estimation is that it should take 10 hours to make, know it probably will take you 20. Figure out how to make it in 8.  Don't get distracted by making something else, we adults call it something else but when our vocabularies were smaller our parents' called it 'quitting'.  When it gets hard, punch harder. Keep waking up, keep doing one thing. Precise focus, immense effort.