Slow Start, Good Finish

When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel particularly creative.  And yet, I have paintings to finish and new ideas to begin.  I procrastinated for about an hour before I realized that my first newsletter was being sent out this afternoon.  The thought was the spark I needed to move a bit faster (okay, just move).

I decided on the pieces I was going to work on and when those were done for the day, which idea I was going to begin.  I changed into my painting clothes, old jeans and paint covered t-shirt, and stood there.  More procrastinating.  I walked over to the bonsai which of course needed water.  So I watered them.  They can't water themselves.  I moved some furniture around to have better flow and/or more space for me to work in (I haven't moved into my new studio yet).  No big surprise, the new furniture placement didn't result in a better flow or more space. 

So, standing in front of my workbench, which needs to be cleaned by the way, I stared at the mess, the used mixing cups, bottles of paint, gloves, etc.  All the items on the workbench needed a home.  I wanted so badly to reorganize but by that point I was quite aware I was procrastinating.  Then I was hit by a series of thoughts.  Will the newsletter be popular?  How will I increase my mailing list?  Can I use it in future to help generate sales?  Off my mind went.  It was thinking about everything and anything EXCEPT painting.  I think if someone held up a shiny object I would have been entranced by it.

Eventually, I started working.  In a very, very short period of time the random thoughts were gone.  Or at least I wasn't aware of them.  I was methodical, precise, intentional and quick.  Task after task, painting after painting, I kept going.  I was an art machine. 

At the point I was working on applying a based coat for a new piece I decided to start today, I was working very fast speading the resin over the large canvas before the resin began to set up.  About half way through, I was became aware that although the radio was on, I didn't notice it.  The earlier thoughts and urge to procrastinate were completely gone.  I felt like I was an extension of the painting, or the painting was an extension of me.  I'm not sure which.  Oddly, and unfortunately, when I became aware that I was in the flow, I immediately fell out of it.  As much as I tried to jump back into the flow I could not.  In fact, the more I worked for it, the more elusive it was. 

The thing I am grateful for is that I did get into the flow today, at least once.  I'm hoping I can get back there tomorrow. 

Be Careful to Take Risks

This past week I was focusing on the latest suggestion from Bruce Mau's "Incomplete Manifesto for Growth" namely "Be careful to take risks. Time is genetic. Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow. The work you produce today will create your future." I think this applies to nearly every aspect of my life, not just the creative side.

I recently read that most people use the incorrect definition of a goal, something that will be or will be achieved in the future. It went on to say that that isn't a goal as so much a result. The future state is the result of the goals and work we do today. Today is built on what was accomplished yesterday. Tomorrow with start off where we left off today. Therefore, day in and day out, we work little by little and over time we begin to see results. The goals are actually those smaller targets that we can accomplish today. For example, I have a goal that I will paint for at least 2 hours today, and again tomorrow and the day after that. If I hit my daily goals, I will have the results of producing the number of paintings of quality I want by the end of the month.

I also noticed two things that when I focus more on what I am doing today and not on what I want 3 months from now. First, it is harder to procrastinate. I have 5 tasks to do today. I either do them or I don't. If I don't, they are on the list tomorrow. They don't go away and they are still needed to be done if the results are going to be realized. The second thing I noticed is those grand results I want for myself are not so big and overwhelming when I break them down into smaller attainable daily tasks. With not being so overwhelming, the risks associated with the daily tasks are also not as scary. They even seem trivial at times. So simply by breaking things down and focus on today, I am able to no procrastinate and push things forward while also taking a few risks along the way. Remember, no risk, no reward.

My conclusion is that I should look everyday in my tasks for something that is a bit risky and do it. Doing so day after day will yield much larger results and give an intense sense of accomplishment. Most of all, I'll get what I want.

This week I am looking at the 21st recommendation from the "Incomplete Manifesto for Growth" which states "Repeat yourself. If you like it, do it again. If you don’t like it, do it again."

Excuses, excuses

I woke up this morning not feeling very creative. I did however wake up with tons of excuses. I woke up late because it is Fall and the sun rises later. I didn't do my complete workout at the gym because it was getting late and I was a bit tired. Allergies you know. I didn't paint very long this morning because I just wasn't in the mood. On and on. All excuses. I didn't realize to this afternoon how many seemingly little things I rationalize away, all those things I don't do but should do to get the results I want and all those things I do do but should because they have results I don't want. What a trap I have created for myself.

I've been an artist long enough that there are days when I don't feel especially creative or in the mood. But not long after I begin my creative process, my mood changes and the creativity comes to me. It happens whether I want it to happen or not, as long as I do it. Creating almost always puts me into a good mood. So why do I allow myself to wiggly out of it? All those small reasons aren't reasons at all. Just excuses.

Here is another curious thing I notice today related to all of this. Three times a week I blog. I have it in my to do list. It happens even when I don't know what I am going to write about, which is often. Yet, there have been only a few days where I didn't blog. I determined that blog was important for me to do so I do it. But when it comes to my art, I haven't set aside time when creating is my priority. So it makes it easy to make excuses and not follow through. Yet this is what I want to do and I know that what I produce gets better and better each day. My best work is the work I start tomorrow. But, I don't give my work the priority and the energy that is needed to succeed. Paintings don't paint themselves. I paint them. So why do I allow myself to make excuses not to paint?

Many of my person and professional goals are dependent on me painting, producing paintings, producing good art and then selling it. Since this is at the core from which everything else is dependent, it is imperative that I give my art the respect, time and priority is deserves. Simply by creating an additional hour a day would have a order of magnitude difference in everything else that I do. I guess, no, I know that my challenge is to focus more, makes excuses less, and do those things that will have the greatest impact. In my case, that is painting. No more excuses.