The Ego.
When the student is ready. The teacher will appear.
Many of us perceive criticism as an attack, believing that anything opposing our established beliefs is against us. This mindset allows our ego to block new information that could help us grow. Where did our curious inner child go? The one who saw magic in the world and understood nothing. What happened to our desire to be students? We were so eager to become adults, and now look at us. In growing up, we lost our creative spark. We became bound by rules, others' expectations, chasing money, and selling our time and creative desires to fulfill others' wants. We hope that someone valuing our work will validate our muddied creative selves, but it only gives a fleeting dopamine hit that leaves us unfulfilled, creating something that doesn’t satisfy our inner selves.
For years, amateur artists, tinkerers, builders, and others chase hobbies and passions to share a part of themselves with the world. Sharing our work is scary and vulnerable; we crave recognition and acceptance. Whether building a race car or painting a portrait, we want to create, show our work, and reveal our true selves to the world. When we set expectations and put ourselves in a creative box, we stop chasing our passions and start seeking approval from others, further stifling our creativity. This is even more pronounced when money is involved and our livelihood depends on it. Our work becomes about meeting others’ demands rather than fulfilling our desires.
When you get paid for what you once loved, the stress of failure, money, and the next commission piece makes you chase approval even more because your life depends on it. Your ego takes over; pride in your work and the ability to provide from it becomes paramount. Your self-esteem is tied to your work being validated by someone paying for it. While your ego is fed, your creativity wastes away. Your passion turns to ash, and the excitement of showing the world something you love becomes an anxiety-ridden mess. You hope for sales, clicks, shares, comments, and praise.
When was the last time you focused on what you loved? When was the last time you created to make your inner child smile? When was the last time you felt alive? Be a student. Continue to learn. Let others teach you without killing what makes your passion exciting. Destroy your ego. Let go of your pride. Do something new that scares you simply because you can. Fuck your ego.
