When you’re trying to build something real, something that stands against the test of time — something you’ll be proud of — lower your expectations.
Everything is in our hands today, and because we can gratify most of our needs with some clicks — we underestimate the amount of work that’s required to build something meaningful.
Whether we’re working on improving a skill, building a business, or even making a name for ourselves — unless we’re obsessed with it, unless we’re willing to put our entire being into it — we shouldn’t bother.
We’re sold the outcome. Never the process. We’re conditioned to want things fast, and get them even faster. We build technologies to make our lives simpler, but in the long run, this simplicity distorts our thinking.
The process of materialization never looks nice. Bringing an idea into form is a complex and lengthy process. Most of the time, you’ll be ignored. People won’t take you seriously. You’ll doubt your ability. Reality will crush your expectations.
And either you’ll call that a failure, and give up. Or. It’ll make you even more obsessed than you were before.
As artists and entrepreneurs, we have something to offer to the world. This “something” is unique to us. But the world isn’t always ready to receive it, and it might be discouraging at first.
A solution to this problem is to learn to communicate our uniqueness in ways that others can relate to. We shouldn’t entitle ourselves with feelings of superiority, covering our laziness by saying people don’t get it.
When we choose to involve ourselves in worldly affairs, it becomes our responsibility to learn human beings’ “language”, and then communicate what we have to offer through this language.
It may take some time for the world to catch up with it, but eventually, if we’re sincere in our intention — we’ll get there.
If you’re at such a point in your life, one in which you feel like nothing you do works, hang in there. Release your expectations, stand taller and taller, keep showing up better and better.
Use your emotions as fuel to keep going. Ultimately, you’re not doing it for the money or the recognition — you’re doing it for yourself, because it’s challenge that excites you — and you won’t stop until you’ve made it happen.
