09/13/2018
I remember it like it was yesterday. My uncle, a high-level corporate executive at the time, told me,
“Frank, you are an excellent writer. You really have a gift.”
No words have meant as much to me as an artist. They painted pictures of future success I could see, feel, and experience like it was not only possible, it was possible right now. Fear was irrelevant. Failure seemed impossible. These words, uttered in a moment of emotional intensity, burned into my memory and still drive me forward today.
Can you remember a moment like this in your artistic development? If not, let me offer one to consider. If anyone has ever liked your work and told you so, that’s a moment you can cling to. If you’ve received lots of views and comments on a blog post or a book, call that a win. Write it down if you’re afraid you’ll forget. Take time to recall the sights, the sounds, your feelings, and any other sense you can apply to that moment. Those ingredients will serve as mental glue to keep this memory from slipping away into the abyss of criticism we all face. And most importantly, it will give you perspective when you feel like calling your work garbage.
Share your moment here! I’d love to celebrate with you.