“After a few months’ practice, David lamented to his teacher, ‘But I can hear the music so much better in my head than I can get out of my fingers.’ To which the Master replied, ‘What makes you think that ever changes?’
That’s why they are called Masters. When he raised David’s discovery from an expression of self-doubt to a simple observation of reality, uncertainty became an asset. Lesson for the day: vision is always ahead of execution- and it should be.”
“Art and Fear” David Bayles & Ted Orland
Above was a small part of what I got a chance to read this afternoon. It was a great reminder for me.
My vision is never one cohesive whole, it’s little snapshots. It’s the piecing it all together into something cohesive and digestible. I think that’s what makes it mostly hard to bring my visions to reality. The other things are time and money. My visions can be quite extravagant and time consuming. So in my head, I see it but once it comes to doing the work it’s much larger than I anticipated.
“How am I going to do this?”
How we respond to this is what separates creators from others. It’s the question we ask as humans when we’re faced with uncertainty. Let’s bring the book back in. So in the book they eventually say, “Uncertainty is a virtue.” And isn’t that so true for artists. Because someone who isn’t inspired by any chance they get to create, would be overwhelmed when approached with this question but an artist pulls out their tool kit and starts knitting away.
I wanted to make sure I took the time to remind all the creators out there, that we are virtuous with our relationship with uncertainty and it’s a gift. Uncertainty, a lot of times, is considered by Joseph Campbell to be the call that if accepted takes you deeper into your hero’s journey.
I think it’s a good time to appreciate that gift you hold. It separates you from the rest.
Jayne.press 