Three secrets to success in any creative discipline
(Inspired by Anthony Thogmartin of Papadosio/Earthcry and various other sources I've picked up these tips from)
1. Get Excited (Work on your mindset!)
Create a personal ritual that pumps you up, gets you excited, *before* you start working on your art.
This will enable you to put the maximum mindful energy and focus into what you are doing.
It is important to remember WHY we create art personally. Each person may have their own reasons, but I think in general, we do it to relieve stress, express ourselves, and most importantly, just for FUN!
2. Get started (Lower your expectations!)
We sometimes are perfectionists with our art. We wait until "its ready" to share it with others, or we may be really hesitant to ever share it with anyone. We focus on the imperfections and rough edges.
A way to solve this is to lower or completely remove your expectations of your work/practice output.
Your first 100 pieces, or first few years, many things you create are going to suck. Don't worry about it.
If it can be categorized as practice vs "making a masterpiece"... you will find it easier to get started.
The act of doing, creating art, is more important than the end result
so 1) GET EXCITED, then 2) GET STARTED. Finally...
3. Keep Practicing (Discipline)
Doing the same thing over and over again will make you great at it. Build up your discipline. Set an easy to attain goal of working on something for 30 minutes a day minimum. Maintain consistency with that. Track your daily practice/habit streak on the calendar, and try not to break it.
When you do eventually break a streak, be forgiving of yourself.
Make micro-goals for yourself, like "finish one small project". Then escalate and grow those goals. One piece finished snowballs into "how many of these smaller pieces can I do in a day?"
Use a sketchbook, keep it around, draw and doodle ideas often, maybe every day.
Set a timer for one hour, 30 minutes, even 15 minutes and start and don't stop moving your pencil or brush until the timer goes off.
I like to make a bunch of rapid prototype sketches of the types of final results you are going for in your art. I really don't think about details, I scribble and draw really rough in sketchbooks. Most likely no one will ever see the 30+ versions of a finished piece of art that I did before the final version was made.