There's no easier way to say this, when you start out doing the thing you love, you suck at it. I used to be an 'amateur' designer flirting with my ideas and objects but never fully understanding them. I was deeply passionate and highly invested in the outcome of my creativity. I would judge myself, criticize myself and even beat myself up (for days on end) about how I was simply not good enough. I had grand visions of the things I wanted to make and I simply couldn't make them that well (I still can't). To me, my work was too simple/not simple enough, lacked fluidity/ then became too loose. Let's not forget the fear I felt in showing people my work or opening up myself to criticism. Who am I compared to all the other 'better' artists (film makers, writers etc.)
Let's pause here.
Zoop, zoop, zoop. And rewind the inner monologue, shall we?
J.K.Rowling wrote stories in coffee shops for six years before Harry Potter got published. Same goes for Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of eat pray love who was not published until her seventh year.
Morgan freeman's acting break happened at 51. He was doing theater and clerical work to support himself until then.
The architect B.V.Doshi was 91 when he won The Pritzker prize. He was building up to that recognition from when he started his career in college.
The film-maker Mira Nair spent many years making documentary films, then feature films before the audience took to liking her work.
The first draft of the movie super bad was so terrible that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg re-wrote it multiple times (for almost seven years) before it got made into a movie.
If any of the above had let their inner critic get the better of them and quit, things would be very different for them and the world.
'Everybody I know who does interesting creative work went through years where they had really good taste and they could tell that what they were making wasn't as good as they wanted it to be. They knew it fell short. Everybody goes through that.'
~ Ira glass (Read the whole article here)
Penny for your thoughts?
We can only grow, change and evolve into a better artist/creative if we stick around long enough to watch it happen. Don't abandon the adventure simply because you couldn't fly the spaceship on the first day (or year) There is only one true failure in a creative life – one where the pursuit is consciously abandoned. Everything else is a stepping stone.
In the words of Nike: Just do it.
In the words of every great creative person: Just do it everyday.
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