Social media is a powerful thing, but it can also be misleading. People have a tendency to show off the good things in life: their money, their bodies, their toys -- I've certainly been guilty of this myself at times. Unfortunately, this creates a skewed version of what success looks like. I've been chasing this entrepreneur artist gig for a long time now -- seven years to be exact. If there's one thing I can tell you, it's that there have been way more failures then there have been accomplishments. The past four months especially have really tested my dedication. To be quite honest, I've been so focused and dedicated to my craft (as well as stubborn) that I've been hard to be around and I've unintentionally alienated a lot of people as a result of this. It's also really made me question my ability to go the distance in the art world. In an attempt to be as transparent as possible, and hopefully inspire those that are also on their grind and may find themselves struggling, here's a list of the less than glamorous things happening in my professional world that "successful" people don't show on social media: Numerous shady people have come into my life and taken without ever giving anything in return, countless deals have gone sideways, I've been turned down by every major gallery that I've applied to in 2016, and a general dark cloud of negativity has been hanging over my professional life. Success isn't linear, it's a roller coaster ride. I salute everyone out there that has "made it," but I salute those who have not yet made it but refuse to give up even more so. The world may not be ready for you just yet, but eventually, if you push hard enough, something will give. Much love to everyone that has supported me on this journey. Cheers! 🍻