ATWS #47: Andrew Zahn (with special guest post!)

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Andrew Zahn is a creative who publishes a blog for other creatives. He has spent over a decade as a professional actor and was one who participated in the Wood Stove House production of Lancaster’s 24 Hour Plays back in November 2011. He later became a corporate sales trainer for a national multi-million dollar company. On this episode of Around the Wood Stove, I had a chance to chat with Andrew about his creative path, his new found love for blogging, and how he injects his own creativity into his corporate career. Play the episode at the bottom of this post!
To get a taste of Andrew’s blogging style, enjoy this guest post…
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The Ultimate Mistake Many Artists Make

by Andrew Zahn
There is only one mistake from which a creative cannot recover.

• Her novel flopped: recoverable.
• He went bankrupt: recoverable.
• She ‘went up’ on her lines onstage: recoverable (pride damaged is most likely healthy).
• The album tanked: recoverable.

We’ve all heard numerous quotes from inventors, entrepreneurs, presidents and inspirational giants about the value of failure.
And most of those sayings hold tremendous merit. Failing prepares us for success. Failure is a teacher and motivator. Lesson learned. Improve. Progress.
So what’s the ‘unrecoverable’ sin? The costly mistake that many artists make?
Not calling yourself an artist. 
Pretention Confession
Confession: I sometimes feel pretentious calling myself an ‘artist.’ I superimpose judgement from others when I say it. Maybe I’m paranoid. I know I shouldn’t care, but at times, I do.
It may play out something like this:
Them: What do you do?
Me: I’m an artist.
Them: Cool.
What I Think They’re Thinking: Well well well. So does that mean you don’t have a job. Really, just level with us. Tell us what’s really going on here.
Or…
Them: What do you do?
Me: I’m an artist.
Them: Oh.
What I Think They’re Thinking: Fancy. Way to go champ. You’re an artist. How’s that workin’ out for ya? Collecting unemployment?
Or what about this one…
Them: So whaddya do?
Me: I’m a corporate sales trainer (secretly thinking ‘why don’t I tell them I’m an artist’).
Them: Sales huh?
What They’re Actually Thinking: Hmmm. He kinda looks like an artist of some kind.
Fear can’t keep us from admitting who we are. We are artists.
For the Hungry Artist
I hate the term ‘starving artist.’ It’s weak and filled with a poverty mindset.
The truth is, at my core, I am a hungry artist. I want to do, say, and create things that make people feel something. Because you’re reading this, you are too. You are a hungry artist.
We feel the call to the numb. To those that have been afraid to call themselves ‘artist.’ To those that are watching others create while they merely consume.
As artists, we live under the truth that our creativity matters and (at some point) must be shared.
We are the hungry artists. Our creativity comes to good. Our work brings change.
My blog has been a tool to carry me through my own silly judgements of myself and others. The writing frees me to create as I connect with other creatives working through the same journey.
I hope you’ll join in too.
Andrew Zahn is an actor, writer, corporate sales trainer and candy lover. On his blog Creatives, he’s building a community of brave creatives who desire to live, work, and play with creative zest. He’d love to connect with you on Twitter and Google+.
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Around the Wood Stove is a production of the Wood Stove House and is hosted by Jason Mundok.
You can now hear Around the Wood Stove while on the go with Stitcher SmartRadio. Stitcher is a free news and talk mobile app available for your iPad or smart phone with access to 1000s of programs without syncing or downloading. Click here and enter the promo code WOODSTOVE to have a download link for the app sent directly to your email inbox. Plus, you’ll be automatically entered to win $100. Stitcher is the smart way to listen to radio!