I wanted to share a lovely quote that I was introduced to on my Life Book 2015 class.
It is a quote by Ira Glass:
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, .. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple of years you make stuff, its just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit….We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met…”
I’m so grateful for this insight into the creative process. I too have a vicious inner critic that constantly compares my work to that of others. It’s draining and depressing when I get in that mode of feeling insufficient and inadequate. So I choose to follow this ethos and remember that mastery takes time and you have to make it happen. A solid commitment of making art three to four times a week is my answer to my inner artist’s insecurities.
Just for today, sit down and give yourself 15 minutes to just doodle. Draw anything your heart desires. Write in your journal. Brainstorm your next song or poem. Dance your dance. There is an artist in each of us, if we will just listen. I will celebrate my appreciation for beauty in all forms, even the ugly has its story. I commit to making the time for my inner artist and spirit to flourish; now will you?
Tracey Gramm – owner
