The wallpaper I used in this collage was so demanding (chandeliers, dots, etc) that my fellow artists were convinced it could not work. But then, what did I have to lose?
“If you always do what you always did, then you will always get what you always got.”
Perhaps you have heard this statement before? It is so simple, even a bit silly – yet obviously true and and full of wisdom. Hearing the words might make you wonder why it is so difficult to incorporate change into your growth process. The thing is that it is easy to get stuck, become complacent, fall into a safe routine. It is seductive, but it will be the death of your creativity.
No matter where you are in the journey of developing your skills, the point is to try new things: take lessons, listen to novel ideas, read the work of interesting authors, attend musical performances, and above all – take risks in your process. You have to be willing to risk everything, in order to have anything of extraordinary value.
If your goal for 2018 is to grow your creativity, resolve yourself to make changes. Embrace the idea of it. Recognize that safety is not your target. Growth will likely be a roller coaster of a ride, with ups and downs in the form of missteps and discoveries, despair and exhilaration. Along the way, you might want to keep in mind this quote from Albert Einstein “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.”
The Exhibitionist