Are you Satisfied with Average?

Key West Sunset

Water is so relaxing. Hearing it tumble over rocks, flow into rivers, trickle into brooks and streams is the best way I know to fall asleep. Its movements can also be hypnotizing as you watch the way it rumbles and rolls over hills or slowly meanders into low-lying crevices and gullies.

Water follows the path of least resistance. It doesn’t run up hill without a fight. We can learn a lot about life by watching this liquid essence travel. What keeps it going?

1.    A strong source

2.    A Constancy

3.    A Tenacity

4.    A Clarity

The same vital traits you and I need to keep pushing ahead. Without them we would sink to the lowest level and settle into the comfortable ruts of familiarity. With them we can rise to the highest level of our abilities.

Effort is nothing more than a methodical plodding toward your end goal. There is nothing magic about achievement. It is hard work made visible. Sometimes it’s luck; but without the talent and skill to back it up, overnight success may be exposed for what it is – a sham.

"Mount Rainier"

Where is your source, your fountain of inspiration? Where does your energy, your power and motivation come from? Only by understanding the source of your strength will you be able to access and use it. 

Some people call their source a muse. Others credit God or the gifts that they have been given. Whatever drives you, recognize where it comes from and learn how to harness its power in your life.

Review again water’s four traits above. Constancy is a given. Unless you keep on keeping on your skill will not be developed nor will it improve. Only through practice and effort can you achieve a professional level of perfection and polish. Skill is not a gift. It is learned through perspiration and hard work. The more you do something, the easier it becomes to repeat. Repetition expands success.

Tenacity means you don’t give up easily. Water always finds a way. So when your ego gets knocked down, get back up and try again. You are on a journey. Don't let others or your own defeat deter you from your goal.

Clarity is essential. A muddy or congested waterway eventually slows down. It may also widen or overflow its banks and lose its original path. If you can’t see your way clear to forge ahead, you’ll get bogged down or lost in overwhelming detail. You need a clear plan. You need oversight and a glimpse of the “big picture.” Once you know what you want and where you are going, the thrust of your passion and your desire will propel you forward. Let yourself go!

(Overlooking a water spillway)

Persistence Eventually Pays Off

"Hey, Coconut Mon" Currently on display at ACSWF Gallery at Coconut Point

Giving up is easy. Getting discouraged is human. Persistence is the gold that separates the “men from the boys” and what distinguishes the earnest from the whiners; the strong from the weak.

There’s a fine line between persistence and stubbornness. Have you ever known someone who never gives up, even when the odds are against it; even when others tell them there is little chance for success? Yet in spite of that, they continue to beat their head against a stone wall hoping that persistence equals skill and talent.

Sometimes there’s a break through, and against all odds they manage to succeed. Many a mediocre person rises to the top on sweat and tears alone while seemingly super skilled people slip into oblivion. Networking and marketing skills prove once again that “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” It’s not how talented and skilled you are, but how diligent and persistent you are.

(On display at ACSWF Gallery at Coconut Point)

It’s the way of the world. When remarkable talent receives recognition, we are pleased. We hate to see real talent go unnoticed. But sadly, sometimes even outstanding talent is hidden from view for lack of exposure. Competition has never been greater. Technology has accelerated the “learning curve” of yesteryear. Today’s entrepreneurs and artists are better equipped and more knowledgeable than ever before.

There’s a level of desperation in people on the social and business networks. One artist was so eager for a sale that she fell for one of the oldest cons on the books. She agreed to accept a personal check for payment of one of her artworks. When the check arrived, it was three times more than the asking price. She checked with her bank and they agreed to hold the check.

The artist then went to the police. She told them that during their exchanges, she had noticed that each time the buyer contacted her, they called from a different location. On the final call, the buyer had requested that she send them a check in the amount of the overage. Of course, she didn’t comply. The only thing she ended up losing was her self-esteem, but she felt humiliated and disappointed.

It’s a terrible experience to be scammed. I try to avoid it at all costs. I use only PayPal. If someone refuses to use it or loses interest in buying because of this requirement, that’s my tip-off that the buyer is illegitimate. 

Being a tenacious seller is important. Persistence usually does pay off. But in today’s world, it pays to work smart: if it feels or sounds “too good to be true,” it usually is.

(All paintings currently on display at the ACSWF Gallery in Coconut Point Mall.