Do you want to be a great and highly effective artist?

I do. I might be getting a bit obsessed with it, actually.

Ideas pop into my head unexpectedly. I keep a long running list of ideas for improving my work.

I also study how the most successful artists got where they are, and I pore over every word that they write.

If you want to be a great artist, you should, too.

I wanted to find out what all these top artists had in common. Their mindset, their mental habits.

I spent a lot of time observing, which led to this list of the six success traits shared by all top artists I’ve found. I’m happy to share it with you.

The good news is that even if you don’t have all these personality traits already, most of them can be developed over time. Best of all, if you can cultivate these traits, you’ll become more effective in the rest of your life as well.

1. Highly Effective artists are prolific

The first key to being a successful, highly effective artist is to create. A lot.

The more you create, the better you get.

There’s no way around it; it takes work to be prolific. And effective artists work hard. Putting a successful art career together requires a lot of time in your studio, and not surfing LOLCats or Twittering about what you had for lunch.

2. Highly Effective artists are lifelong learners

If you’re a new artist, you’re probably on a steep learning curve at the moment.

Maybe you tell yourself that things will get better when you’ve been doing it longer. There won’t be so much to learn. You’ll have systems in place soon and everything will run smoothly.

Sadly, I think this is a myth. I’ve been painting and working my career as an artist for more than 15 years, and it keeps changing. Just when you’ve got one element sorted out, something new happens. Or becomes obsolete. Or mutates in 20 different directions.

If you want to stay ahead in art, you have to keep learning.

Fortunately, being curious and wanting to learn keeps you young and your brain active. A love of learning doesn’t just set you up for a successful art career, but for a successful and happy life.

3. Highly Effective artists are focused and consistent

Highly effective artists move consistently toward their vision. Their work has a consistent voice and approach. Even when they move toward something that may be off topic, they relate it back to their greater vision.

4. Highly Effective artists plan ahead

Highly effective artists know where they’re going. They have a master plan and they stick to it. Yes, they adapt based on feedback, but always in service of a vision.

They don’t let themselves get derailed. They follow the plan.

5. Highly Effective artists are persistent

Highly effective artists understand that success doesn’t happen overnight. Real success rarely happens quickly.

Time is on your side. To get to the top takes consistency, hard work, serious study, and lots of persistence. Successful artists don’t give up.

6. Highly Effective artists are self-starters

I’ve been self-employed as an artist for years.

I’ve noticed a lot of people like the idea of working from home, working for themselves, being their own boss. But if you want these things, you need to be able to manage yourself.

No one is going to sack you if you’re late. No one reminds you of important deadlines or nags you to get your sales numbers up.

If you want to be a successful artist, you need to be a self-starter. It’s not enough to have good ideas. You have to act on them.

What trait do you think is most valuable?

What do you think the most important trait of a successful artist is? It might be one of these six, or something completely different. Let us know in the comments!