The struggle of producing work happens due to the idea that it needs to be good. Not all works need to start out well.
In fact, most works start out terrible. Very few works start good, and it’s those works we compare ourselves to. We compare their best to our worst; and it only spells envy.
Another setback is the idea that all progress must be better. Today’s writing was good. Tomorrow’s writing must be better. But when tomorrow arrives, and the writing is not better, disappointment creeps in. We start doubting our abilities and our confidence wanes. Maybe I’m not as good as I thought?
So, trust needs to be placed not in the outcomes, but in the pursuit of those outcomes.
Tomorrow’s writing may not be good, but next week’s might be the best yet. But next week’s writing won’t arrive if I don’t complete tomorrow’s writing.
The spirit of many artists died because they chose not to persist. But those that persist reach levels we only ever dreamed of. Such artists become the very people we compare ourselves to. We compare their best to our worst, not realizing that their best stemmed from moving on from their worst.
Our egos are fragile, but our persistence is impeccable.
Here’s my inspiration for the day.