Image from James Cameron’s 1989 science fiction epic, The Abyss, a film about exploring the unknown beneath the earth and within ourselves.
“The rule for all terrors is to head straight into them.” — Alan Watts
We all know that in order to do something new and exciting, or to find true fun and real meaning in whatever we’re doing, we’ve got to face our fears; fears of the unknown, fears of rejection and the greatest fear of all, that of failure. But if we don’t take that plunge, our lives are bland. Empty of challenge and devoid of curiosity, life loses its significance both inwardly and outwardly. Mankind’s creativity is what makes us so distinct a species.
“Change is not a threat, it’s an opportunity. Survival is not the goal, transformative success is.” — Seth Godin
But sometimes the problems we face, both in art and life, seem too grand, too complex and impossible to overcome. There are times when effort alone isn’t sufficient. We need mental fortitude and steadfastness. We have to keep trying and keep digging away at it, even when it appears futile to do so. Why? Because failure is the strongest step towards success. Each time we make mistakes, we discover another way of how NOT to do something. Failures reveal weaknesses in our game and expose (sometimes deep) inadequacies. Setbacks are nutrient-rich experiences; like seedlings, they serve a purpose only to be seen much later. We must be careful to attend to them with thoughtful analysis and reflection.
Setbacks are like tiny seedlings but ones that we don’t consciously plant. It’s easy to mistake them for weeds. So in all likelihood, we don’t notice them or the benefit that they will bring in the future. And if we ignore them, nothing valuable will sprout from those experiences.
Only by pushing beyond our current limits (risking failure) can we find alternative solutions and, more importantly, greater insight. Doubt and difficulty then, drive our spirit upwards and outwards. Then events turn and fortuitous accidents occur. We don’t get those things for free. Because when we continue our battle into the field of the unknown we trigger all sorts of forces into play, such as unexpected visions or chance interactions with significant individuals. Determination invites serendipity.
“We can not win unless we learn to lose.” — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
It ain’t just genetics. Perhaps the greatest basketball player ever, the 7’2″ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stills leads the NBA in all-time points scored (an astounding 38,387 points) and has had more individual and team success than any other player in league history.
No one likes to talk about hard work because it sounds boring. It lacks the sexy appeal of the individual who was born special — the “prodigy” — or the artist who was “only” creative because he was high on drugs or alcohol, the so-called price of greatness. In reality, none of those stereotypes have more than an ounce of truth in them. Substance abuse and extreme behavior destroys clarity and creativity while many who are gifted never develop their abilities beyond the ordinary.
“Do not envy those who seem to be naturally gifted; it is often a curse, as such types rarely learn the value of diligence and focus, and they pay for this later in life.” — Robert Greene
At the end there is only one commonality for excellence, that of tenacity and open-mindedness. All the greatest feats of humanity were accomplished in such manner. No one ever talks about the years of emotional struggle and hard work. I can only presume that editors think it doesn’t sell. But I do remember a billboard I once saw while I was living in Los Angeles, and although I don’t remember the featured athlete, I haven’t forgotten the quote:
“You train so hard, people think you’re lucky.”
The official trailer for the animated biopic, Loving Vincent. Each frame of the animation, incredibly, has been hand-painted by hundreds of artists creating in total over 56,000 individual oil paintings all done in the colorful and visceral style of Van Gogh’s artistry.
Hard work doesn’t have to feel awful. Once incorporated into our being as part of what defines us — discipline, dedication, fortitude and persistence — we begin to take pride in the blood, sweat and tears we put into our cause, whatever that may be. Our practice of mental and physical determination becomes our ritual. Excellence, then, translates into an approach to life that in turn becomes habitual. Continually putting in the hours, learning and unlearning, exploring new ways to expand and enrich our knowledge and abilities comes to define us as individuals who care about what they do. The ultimate destiny, mastery, is achieved in such manner.
“The artist is no other than he who unlearns what he has learned, in order to know himself; and the agony of the artist, far from being the result of the world’s failure to discover or appreciate him, arise from his own personal struggles to discover, to appreciate and finally to express himself.” — E.E. Cummings
The road to mastery, is a long and unpredictable one. That’s its nature, that’s the road that the gods of have built for us. We only have to choose to take the path or leave it. But once on it, we must endure; self doubt, financial struggle and ridicule must not be allowed to distract or divert us from our journey. We need to keep in mind the the power of repetition. Choose what you tell yourself; make it up if you have to.
Bart Simpson borrowed from Matt Groening’s hit TV series, The Simpsons.
“Perceptions can make us or destroy us.” – Billy Mills, Olympic Champion
Frequency is more powerful than sheer force. If we repeatedly tell/show those whom we love messages that convey kindness, respect and sharing as a means to greater happiness, the odds of sustaining meaningful relationships is greatly enhanced. Same too, applies to our relationship with ourselves and our work. Being an artist is hard enough; we needn’t add further strain and doubt on top. If required, we must alter our perceptions. Some of us (like myself personally) have to do that regularly having grown up in an environment of full of doubt, harsh criticism or bullying. Reality is what we make of it. There are theories abound that show that the link between the scientific and the spiritual/intuitive is not as distinct from each other as we’ve come to assume.
A Black Hole seen via x-ray, optical and radio light. Does this feel real to you? You can’t touch it or see it without the aid of modern technology. Looking out into space is a gentle reminder of how much we don’t know that’s right in front of us the whole time.
Therefore, we mustn’t be scared of the challenges ahead. We need to grab hold of our whole being and direct it towards the positive — focused on excellence, dignity and determination. With the world being so complex today, creative thinking is the best (maybe only) way to get ourselves out of our current predicaments. We have to explore, drive hard and aim for the stars. And, love what we do.
“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.” — Simon Sinek