Eight months ago I had an idea for a men's necklace. The inspiration struck, I excitedly drew it in my sketchbook, and there it stayed. Every time I flipped through the pages and saw the drawing, I loved it. But I was afraid to do anything more than look at it. I had the materials on hand. I also had the tools. My fear of failure was holding me back. I was afraid that my abilities were not good enough to produce the desired results. So I did not even try.
"The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one."
- Elbert Hubbard, Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
I came to a realization a few weeks ago that if I made a mistake on this necklace, I could just start over. And I could make it better the next time.
Why did it take so long for this consciousness to sink in? Perhaps because of my strong desire to succeed. I am creating something personal, something by hand. My work is an extension of me and I want the best possible results.
"Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it at the bud. Creativity is not something we can turn on and off like a faucet. It is an experience and expression in our lives that must be nurtured. This nurturing process means that creativity is at once a skill, an art, and a life-style."
- Alex Osborn, Creativity Theorist
To succeed as an artist, I must be willing to accept failure. It is a normal part of the process.
To successfully create I will:
- Be comfortable making mistakes.
- Learn from these mistakes.
- Ask myself how I can improve next time.
- See how far I can take ideas; push the boundaries.
- Never stop learning.
- Always have fun.
