The old man whispered : "No one ever returned from the Titan's lair..."
Have you ever heard of someone telling you : “ Nahh mate, I’m not ready yet, I still need to work on ..blablabla” ?
This is the same reason people don’t travel abroad because they don’t speak english. Or don’t draw because they’re bad at drawing.
All my (short life) I heard these words. When I had to choose a highschool specialty, in sports, when I had to study drawing and look for a job. I was never good enough. My anatomy always was off, same as my composition skills, perspective, etc. It is frustrating but we feel, they’re our teachers and mentors or seniors, so they must be right. I’m not cooked enough, I need to work more on my skills. And no need to waste time looking for a job anyway, I won’t get it.
Time passes and we’re still not there. Frustration comes in. Fear. Your goal gets further and further and it’s like you’ll never reach it. Your anatomy sure got a bit better.. But after peeking at Artstation or Deviant art a bit, it grabs you back to reality : I’m not ready yet.
The Impostor Syndrome
Here is the danger. When enough people tell you something, it sinks in.
After a few years of studying it striked like a rock : the impostor syndrome, the feeling that you are not good enough. So you work harder and harder as if one day, all of this will pay off. For the day you will be ready, you will find a job easily, you will get your objective like a breeze. Neo in the matrix. You spend hundreds, thousands of hours working, but never send your portfolio. Or, when sent, it is often rejected. Like a sign you are not prepared.
But when you dig, deep down, you discover that you believe the judgement of others, and your quest to perfection is endless. Never will you get there. It’s not like you will be stagnant no ! But you will feel that way and while the world will endorse you : you won’t see it. Liars ! They just want you to feel better about your art ! Can’t they see it ? How bad it is ? For sure they can !
They can’t.
And the sooner you realize it, the sooner you’ll be free. Art is not that black and white operation. It is not logical, it is felt. And feelings are personal. So believe us when we tell you this is good. Believe us when we tell you you can get there. But you have to realize that for you to get there, is to accept one’s imperfections, you are not prepared, it’s true, but who is ? Are young parents prepared to have children ? Are we prepared for that first long travel around the world ? Or the first time you spoke to that man or woman ?
Your art is not about your own perception only. It is mostly based on the public appreciation of it. Never will you be truly prepared, or ready to send that portfolio, to ask for that job. But you can learn on the spot. That’s how we learn everything. I bet none of you guys trained to walk and run in your mother’s womb (ok maybe some moms will say otherwise, sorry). Most of us we crawled like poor jelly worms on the ground. We learned that way and ultimately we learned to walk, run, jump and do all kind of things. Never did I take a course “How to walk like the Cutest Baby”.
So what are you waiting for with your art ? There is no such thing to be prepared. Make your portfolio, look for employers, be active, and track that position down. Take action. Be the Hero of your story, because you are.
I’ll tell you something you might already know : The worst thing that can happen is the employer ( or whatever goal you aim for) rejects you. Will you be dead ? I doubt it. Crippled ? Have you ever heard of an interviewee being chased by the interviewer to cut his limbs ? I didn’t. The worst thing coming with that if you dare ask for feedbacks as well is an actual answer. Why you failed.
You can ask me : “So I will send a folio to them, fail and get reviews and feedbacks ? Is that the worst thing ?” Yep. Pretty much it. Not all the time but a few times out the whole bunch for sure. And in the pack someone might even offer you a job.
And then you will have reached your goal, or you will have a direct plan on how to achieve it, making you gain time over your competition. Neat eh ?
So think about it. What is the worst thing that can happen which is preventing me to reach my goals ?
Don’t wait to be ready.
I have been away since a few weeks ! My apologies, I am actually learning a lot at work and on personal projects (And fixed my computer as well). My posts on Steemit should come back on a more regular basis though =)
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