In battle and business, there are two main ways to attack, and from the outside they look the same: bravery and stupidity.  That's a topic for another whole blog.  What I want to talk about today is retreating bravely- and actually it mirrors attacking quite nicely.  

An intelligent and brave retreat is one that says we haven't lost the war, just a skirmish.  In an organized fashion, we draw back, keeping our wits about us and looking for the next opportunity.  

When soldiers panic, turn and flee for their lives, not only is a battle lost, but often a war.  This is because a panicked army is an army that cannot be reorganized into something powerful.  The communal memory of fear is extremely difficult to overcome.

In the last year as an artist and business man I've had a variety of attacks and retreats.  I've learned to attack all out.  Sometimes I still wonder where the line between stupid and brave was in the middle of those attacks.  So, when things didn't work out as hoped for, it was my opportunity to learn to retreat before all hope was lost.

I should mention a supporting cast of family that never cut my supply lines- always had my back, never considered me a failure for retreating.  Sometimes, to get to that ultimate goal, a real victory, we have to try many different things, probe, attack, probe, retreat.  So today I sit, having retreated once more, examining my next move. 

Finally, Epic Life Studios lives on!  There is an undercurrent of forward motion.  People are coming for coaching, plays and novels being written slowly but surely, and Megan does have painting work lining up.  So even though I did fill out a W-4, there's no shame in working for someone else, even if it isn't my dream or goal.  In the words of the infamous Terminator... never mind.  Too cliche.

Here's what I'm up to, what I'm realizing:  This week I've had the great pleasure of working on writing a bio page for a music producer's recording studio website.  I also enjoyed working with a professional singer/songwriter in a coaching capacity digging deeper into what it means to write authentic music and lyrics.  At the end of the session my coachee said "you're worth your money," which is the most gratifying thing I could possibly hear.  The work this week is scratching all my itches - except the itch to write some songs myself!

I love to sing and preform, alas, I've realized that nobody wants to hear me play my guitar except my 21-month old son.  He's very funny when he dances because he can't jump.  It looks like he has a good sense of rhythm though.

Fortunately I am also graced with the ability to do a little acting, at least on a community theater level.  Last weekend was the final weekend for "Frost/Nixon" at New World Arts and this probably means an end to my acting career for a while again.  I enjoyed the cast and staff very much.

I'm excited to work as a coach alongside many sorts of artists, and I'm realizing more and more that this is a good fit for me.  I have enough understanding of the businesses of music, visual art, and writing to truly be helpful.  Besides, there are some universal themes running through all the arts that make this even easier.

We're running a new ad campaign for Megan's murals.  That ad will go out in just a few days and we're excited to see what kind of response it brings us.  I hope you'll take the time at some point to check out all the work we've done on this site.  It's easy to contact us if you see something that interests you.

Dear friends of Epic Life Studios,

It has come to our attention that several of you are interested in learning more about life coaching- why and how it applies to artists working in any medium, visual, performing or writing, or art students.  We’ve decided to offer a training course on the topic.  The objective: understand how coaching can impact your own artistic growth and the growth of people that you are leading.  It will give you some basic tools and skills for beginning to use coaching techniques in your casual friendships, or teaching, mentoring or tutoring routines.  You’ll be ready to start your own artist’s or writer’s coaching group as well, if you so choose.  Even if you don’t want to do this, please read on to see how you can get free Starbucks when you pass this information on to a friend.

Trainers:         Adam Fleming, Lifeforming Leadership Coach, author/ sculptor.

                        Megan Fleming,  B.A. in Painting, Goshen College, muralist/ painter.

The class will be done entirely via telephone and internet so you can join us from the comfort of your home. 

While there is a cost associated with this course, we want to be up front in letting you know it is a prototypical session.  Therefore, we are willing to offer it as satisfaction-guaranteed-or-full-refund.  We do ask that you participate in the entire eight weeks, because coaching artists is an epic paradigm shift it does take some people a number of weeks to really catch on to the significance and power of what they are learning.  If, after completing the course, you consider it to have been a waste of time, simply let us know and we’ll refund your full tuition. 

The course will consist of eight sessions, one session each week.  You’ll also need to read materials for each class period ahead of time to participate in discussions.  Your time commitment will be approximately 3-4 hours per week (class time included.)

Early Registration Discount: By Feb. 21- 10% off - $135

Final Registration Deadline, Prototype Pricing:  Feb. 27 - $150

Bring a Friend or Enemy Discount: 20% off for each, maximum discount of 60% (take the course for as low as $60 by bringing friends)!  If you can’t take the course we’ll still send you a $10 Starbucks card for every person who registers and mentions your name, so please pass this on to any one who might be interested!!!

How to register and make a payment: Send us a check: Epic Life Studios, 1202 S. 8^th St, Goshen, IN 46526 or pay via Paypal through our website, www.epiclifestudios.com  Also, use our contact info below to let us know you are joining us and to give us your contact info- and let us know who invited you, if it wasn’t us.

Class start date: Tuesday, March 2, 8:30 PM Eastern.  Details to follow with registration packet.

Questions?  Contact: adam.fleming.wrcc@gmail.com or (574)238-7872

Basic Course Outline:

I.  Introduction

A. What is coaching and how can it benefit artists?

B.  Character Values for the Arts

Authenticity, Bravery, Cultivate Potential, Disciplined Lifestyle, Engage Fully.  (Down Time)

            C. the Artists’ Growth Cycle

II. Agendas within Aesthetic Values

A. What are your aesthetic values? Presentation of continua list

B. Validating others’ values

1. How to (Please!) Stop Killing Our Artists’ Conversations

III. Listening for what matters to an artist in mid-process

A. Process, holding patterns and fears

IV. Asking open questions.

V. Asking powerful questions.

VI. S.E.A., and E.L.S. RESOURCES for Evaluation

A.  Growth Cycle

B.  Aesthetic Values Continua

C.  Artists’ Wheel of Life

D.  Individual coaching

E.   Internships

F.   A.C.G.s

VII.  Getting to Growth Goals

A.  Jump that Growth Gap

B.  Forming SMART goals

VIII.  C.O.D.A. (the coaching approach to critiques)

Critique Only (when) Directly Asked

A.  Skills.  Artistic and Business

B.  Completion Phase

Everything comes to a head from time to time.  This week, our days are spent constructing a new class for Art Coaching.  Final Dress Rehearsal for "Frost/Nixon" tonight.  Come see the play if you're in Goshen.  Scouring the internet for places to send my new theater piece.  Making copies.  Finishing a rough draft of a novel.  Making brochures.  Coaching and being coached.  Spending time with kids in the snow.  Or "mhow" as our youngest puts it.  Checking in on potential painting customers and doing quotes.  Getting ready to do some recording that you'll be able to download off this site; an internet radio drama.

Today I feel brave.  Things are going to come together.  I'm living authentically.  I'm fully engaged.  I'm writing a big-picture blog like my friend Jonathan Reuel would write.  Sometimes I feel like this sort of commentary is meaningless, but today it makes sense.  When there's nothing specifically exciting happening, the big picture will have to do as far as creating excitement.  And I have that today.  In the middle of an Epic adventure sometimes the beginning becomes fuzzy.  (Why did we do this again?)  And the vision for how it will end becomes fuzzy.  (Where are we going again?)  But like manna from Heaven, I know at this moment that my needs are met and that's enough.