GRIT with Andy McCane
This session focused on self-reflection, resilience, confidence-building, and storytelling as essential skills for artists. The key takeaway is that success, confidence, and resilience are all dynamic and can be cultivated through regular reflection and practice.
Grit, defined by perseverance and passion, enables long term success. The concept underlies a lot of soft skills that are necessary in the workplace and one’s personal life. Andy McCane’s background as an actor highly defines his explanations of Grit due to his experience of the theatre and film industry and how he carved out his own career without adhering to external expectations. The concept, like a well versed actor, reminds us that our goals and definitions of achievement are a constantly evolving set of values and goals.
Conversation on how resilience, rather than intelligence, is a stronger predictor of success is highly relevant to me due to my issues surrounding neurodiversity. I had only been diagnosed with combined AuDHD early this year (2024) and spent the majority of my schooling relying on pattern recognition and skating by on assignments (other than art) and still getting As and 9s so the getting diagnosed with these and coming across the concept of Grit really resonates with the work I’ve been putting in trying to work on my lazier behaviours and actively engaging with my education. This was also particularly relevant in the context of creative industries, where rejection and uncertainty are common. The idea that resilience is not fixed but can be practised and developed was reassuring, as it suggests that setbacks are not failures, but opportunities to grow.
The session also challenged traditional views on confidence, highlighting that it is not an inherent trait but something that fluctuates based on experience and environment. The exercises, such as listing strengths and using visualisation techniques, were practical ways to boost self-belief. The notion that our brains respond similarly in the neural pathways to imagined and real successes was a flashback to my A-Level and GCSE revision in Psychology and looking at the concept of visualisation and elasticity – it suggests that mental preparation and self-affirmation can directly influence our confidence levels.
The storytelling framework (HERE → THERE → BUT → SO) was another insightful tool, particularly for structuring reflective writing and presentations. By framing personal experiences as narratives, I can communicate challenges and growth more effectively. This will make it easier to shape my end of year presentation and report through the lens of my creativity. I’m already thinking to incorporate the influence of marine migration as a metaphor for people and change In my artwork. This approach will be super helpful in trying to catch up on coursework.
The final exercise, “I wonder what might happen if I…”, was an inspiring takeaway. It offers a way to approach learning and self-improvement with curiosity rather than pressure. This open-ended approach reduces the fear of failure and encourages continuous experimentation. I’ve begun thinking on when to start my shop within my academic years so I have the support of university staff to help should anything confuse me and it seems like the perfect time to start researching considering the fact that I’m gonna be in third year next year and will be super busy so I have begun researching since on the pros and cons of print-on-demand vs creating at home and what kind of services I can offer as a creative trying to fund my career as a Painter.
Overall, this session reinforced the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and adaptability. It was a reminder that success is not just about reaching a destination, but about developing the mindset and skills to navigate challenges along the way. Moving forward, I plan to incorporate regular self-reflection, resilience exercises, and storytelling techniques into my practice to enhance both my confidence and creative growth.
