One of my lovely readers Susan Seale who writes the blog Make Me Musical, recently sent me this totally inspirational quote! Enjoy.
Doesn’t she look creative? Pinterest“What nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish someone had told this to me . . . is that 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 years you make stuff, and it’s 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. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. 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 it’s 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. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through” Ira Glass
If you would like to express your colourful good taste confidently, become a True Colour Expert.
Related post:
Who says You’re not Creative?
Happiness is. . . Having the Career that you Love
Happiness is. . . Being Uncomfortable
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Wonderful. I think often the more we know is a dangerous thing. We need to allow ourselves to play!
pve
I love this! Thanks for the inspiration, I needed to hear this today.
Lots of wisdom in these words…
Thanks for sharing them.
Jane (Artfully Graced)
You would not believe how this just spoke to me. It could not have come at a more PERFECT moment.
I am printing this and blowing it up.
Thanks for sharing, Maria. My swatches are on their way from Texas to you In Canada as I write this! 🙂
Perfect.
Oh good Lord I wish someone had told me this 20 years ago. I did give up. And yet any creative spark we may have, will always keep nagging us. It never goes away. So what to do? Dive in? Scarey stuff. But wow. Thanks Maria for the post. Gives one some soul searching to do.
What a great thought provoking quote. We work very hard in the creative world and sometimes we don't do as well as we wish. This quote reminds me of those moments.
Love it! Exactly what I needed to hear now!
True and uplifting 🙂
Relatable Style
Thank you for sharing this~ it is exactly what I have been struggling with and exactly the kick in the pants to keepp at it!
I like this post! Especially this line: "You've just gotta fight your way through". So true! Persistence pays off! Hang in there.
Everyone else has said what I feel about this wonderful quote so I'll just say thank you, this is definitely going up on the board…
Malcolm Gladwell in his terrific book, Outliers, says it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at your gift. Even Michael Jordan or Michaelangelo with their raw talent still has to practice, practice, practice. Practice really does make perfect. Thanks Maria.
great quote! there is nothing like experience, and then more experience, to hone your craft – there's just no substitute! linked to you today in a blogpost! have a great day, maria!
http://thedecorologist.com/wp/do-you-judge-your-decorator-by-her-fingernails
I struggle to define good taste, but I know it when I see it. The same is true with bad taste. I know there are aesthetics, but it is interesting to contemplate what makes something beautiful. I will certainly check out her blog!
Best,
Liz
When I started my home staging business almost 4 years ago, I said to myself, "I can't wait until I get a year under my belt – I'll be so much better and more confident." I said the same thing after the first year…..and after the second year……and I'm still saying it!
As a pianist and as I watch my daughter work to become more proficient at the viola, this certainly holds true musically. But ah, the rewards of long, hard work!
Fabulous! Thank you for sharing that!
Sandra Evertson
WOW!! This quote came at a perfect time for me since I just posted my first blog. One of the things that held me back from starting sooner was that I though each blog needed to be perfect…I take comfort in knowing that they will get better as I get more experienced with writing but I am not going to give up!
Amen. What an awesome quote and it's totally true!
xoxo
Lila Ferraro
Great post. And so so true. What a great bunch of words and thoughts to ponder thrpugh my day. Thank you!
Great inspiration! -Brenda-
Maria,
The true definition of patience is long, long, long suffering. Makes sense to me!
Bette
Great words… I am also the beginner.. and it’s such a overwhelming world out there… but I do love it… and I learn and learn everyday!
I adore Ira Glass. Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow!! I was convinced that the reason my stuff is bad is that I had BAD taste! Thanks for the inspiration to persevere!