Inspiring You to Stretch as an Artist

Social media makes it easy to compare yourself and your life to the highlight reel of someone else’s. And many that we compare ourselves too are proving that they’re sprinting and not taking their time for quality and consistency.

The key factors to avoiding comparison and building confidence in yourself? 

Be authentic, consistent, and willing to stretch.

We’ve talked before about authenticity and consistency. But what does it mean exactly to stretch yourself? Let’s hear what pro Arkevious “ArkInspire” Armstrong has to say.

A poet is like a rubber band

“When it’s in you, you don’t have to be something you’re not.” 

Think about a rubber band. A rubber band, by nature, has the ability to be stretched. It just requires a new force to do so. 

Now imagine this: You are the rubber band. You already have your greatest potential within you. You just need something new to get you there. 

Arkevious continues:

“Often, we’re not allowing ourselves to stretch to our full potential mainly because of fears and uncertainties.”

How true is that? Think of the last time you felt something within you light up with a new idea. Did you pursue that idea or did you let it fizzle out as quickly as it came? That’s fear or uncertainty speaking. 

You’re a rubber band waiting for that new idea to stretch you to your greatness.

As a poet, “your job is to make people feel what you’re saying,” says Arkevious. “You have to be creative and better than those [the world has] heard before, and you have to be innovative.”

Share your story, but don’t stop there

Let that new idea stretch you, not fade away as quickly as it came. It can be easy to pigeon hole ourselves into the familiar. The thing we know we’re good at. But what if there can be more?

Arkevious shares, “If I would’ve stuck with only ‘I want to tell my story,’ I wouldn’t be who I am today. Telling your story is a good start, but everyone can tell a story.” He says to “turn yours into a course. Turn it into a business, books, a documentary.”

But perhaps you already have those ideas (like we mentioned earlier). Perhaps you let the doubt keep your effort at bay. You’ve got it in you to move through that and allow yourself to show up and work for yourself.

“You cannot have a million dollar dream with a broken work ethic.”

He’s not wrong. Effort and consistent work ethic can do wonders for overcoming doubt and furthering your goals. 

Without that consistent work ethic, innovation, and creativity, you may not be ready for the opportunity that comes along.

Without those things, you may not be able to take constructive criticism or someone else’s perspective of your career.

Arkevious asks, “Are you mature enough to understand the seed someone else planted in you? Can you take criticism from someone who sees in you what you can’t see?”

Are you ready? 

Are you willing to allow yourself to stretch into the greatness you already have in you? 

Final thoughts from Arkevious Armstrong

We’ll leave you with this final thought from Arkevious:

“Everything we desire to do, we have to be willing to stretch ourselves into that position. Be creative, be innovative, and always be willing to learn. Sometimes we gotta unlearn to learn new things, and the things we unlearn are going to put us in better positions.”

Listen to or watch the full episode to get even more incredible inspiration from Arkevious “ArkInspire” Armstrong. There’s plenty more waiting for you!

Arkevious “ArkInspire” Armstrong is an inspirational speaker, community activist, author, social influencer, success coach, and youth advocate. You can learn from his story and all he offers the world at arkinspire.com