YOU WILL FAIL. You'll never make it. It's too hard. You'll be a waiter your entire life. You'll give up. Make sure you have something to fall back on. You're a starving artist. Get a real job. Have you heard any of these phrases? They are the frequent mutterings of those around us who "advise" us on pursuing our dreams as artists. They are the internal thoughts and doubts that creep into our minds-they are the words we sometimes tell ourselves. You need to remove these words, these people, and these thoughts from your life immediately. Cut them out like a cancer and never let them in again. You can confront this reality or ignore it. Confronting it will set you on a path toward your dreams and success. Ignoring it will lead you down the path of failure. The choice is yours. Based on nearly 40 years of experience navigating and working as an artist at the highest levels, the insights James Barbour shares within these pages will enlighten, inspire, and give you a critical edge in one of the most difficult businesses in which to make a living. The Artist's Survival Guide is a take no prisoners look at the reality of surviving as an artist in one of the most competitive and difficult professions there is in which to succeed. It lays out the tools you were never taught. They are the tools and strategies used every day to create successful entrepreneurs and businesses around the world. They are the tools and strategies you will need to create the foundation needed to survive and thrive as a professional artist. The world needs your art. Sink or swim? The choice is yours. Your destiny is waiting.