How a Shark in Formaldehyde Can Help You Win at Life
Lessons from taxidermy on how to live a fulfilling life
In 1991, the artist Damien Hirst created a piece of art. It was essentially a massive pickled shark in a tank. The giant fish had been preserved in formaldehyde, allowing onlookers to see it from all angles, up close and personal. It was both terrifying and amazing. Go on, take a look.
The art caused a bit of an uproar. In part because it made people question if it was actually a piece of art or some kind of bizarre taxidermy. As with most modern art, armchair critics suggested that as ‘anyone could do it,’ then it couldn’t be art. They were technically correct; anyone could have done it.
Unlike the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel, the work didn’t require the artist to have a lot of technical knowledge. It required little expertise in understanding lighting or color, and there was no attempt to ‘capture the essence of the shark.
Hirst’s work was notable for another reason.
Anyone could have done it, but they didn’t.
This is a powerful lesson on our attitude to life. It is more than the cliché of “don’t listen to the haters.” Instead, it’s a call to action.
Your ideas can be simple, complex, or downright insane (see above). Still, you have to take action to fulfill your dreams rather than excessively intellectualize on their merit. You can apply this to several areas, whether it’s gaining a fulfilling personal life or developing a successful career.
While hundreds of people may have had similar ideas, Hirst actually did it. Now get out of your own way, commit, and go pickle your shark.
