Art is not my WHY but my HOW...
One of the reoccurring topics of conversation I would have with my real estate coach was to help find my WHY. My WHY would be what would keep me motivated, to dream, and to find gratitude in my grind to become a ROCKSTAR real estate agent. And, like many others in my office, I discussed my family, and where I would like to eventually retire, or vacation. In my cubicle I had created a small poster of photos and keywords to remind me of these things as I rode the waves of the unknown. And I did all the things that new agents should be doing and continue to do to drum up eventual clients, and sure enough, my hard work and numerous phone calls began to pay off, to some extent.
But my coach, in his consistent analysis and digging into who I was, sat up in his chair during one of our sessions, and stopped in his tracks. "Money is not your WHY! The things you list are all worthy goals for someone with a family, but you are driven but something different."

Forward to now: for those who don't know me personally, I have spent the majority of my adult life in ministry, and within my time serving in several places, my real WHY has always been the determining factor, even if I sometimes strayed from it. And it is quite simple: no matter my occupation or location, to draw closer to those in my circle and in doing so they draw nearer to the love of God. As Francis of Assisi simply put it, "Do all you can to preach the gospel and if necessary, use words."
I am known as a talker, sometimes long-winded. But I see myself as learning to be a listener, and my time in my art is maturing that spirit, I hope. Many times when trying to determine our WHY, we find out why we have not gotten there yet, because it is a lifelong journey. Enjoy!