Just so everyone knows, I don’t always feel great at anything I do. Especially, as a creative. When does the learning stop? When do you reach a point where you are confident you won’t make a mistake? Why are we afraid of mistakes?
Creativity is a journey and the journey leads to improvement. These days, compared to the 90’s void of social media, it’s even easier to get in a cycle of comparing oneself to others. We’re surrounded by a world of instant gratification and visual overload. And then there are viral videos and viral tweets, sometimes for things that seem so pedestrian or ordinary, and I am over here trying to just make an image or a painting wondering if anyone will like it.
One of my favorite books is, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson. A book I highly recommend for everyday life.
In the end, it’s impossible to make everyone happy and mistakes will happen. The only thing that is possible is to present your unique self as best you can to the world. Don’t get me wrong, in all of my imperfection, I fall victim to comparison. I just remember that I need to constantly keep learning, be open, and improve where I can. It also helps when I look at my truly bad photos from when I first started. The growth is right before me.
Comparison may not all be bad if it’s your own journey and the story of how far you’ve come.