Stop Translating Yourself
The Work That Does Nothing
Most creative work that has the most interesting and engaged reception, was made with a certain amount of anxiety. I thought, oh, this is no good, this is bad , or the exact polar opposite, where I didn't think about it at all, and it just flowed through me. In any case, the important work of my life was either really easy to make or really difficult.
The work that never went anywhere, work with zero commercial or outside interest that, quite honestly, didn't interest me beyond a mechanical process, was work I intended to make money from, or work I wanted attention for. In non-photographic terms, they were visual sketches wanting to be the masterpiece.
All artists must be able to make that kind of work. It’s good practice for the occasional amazing idea to slip through.
Successful creative people stick to what works for them and don't apologize for it. I have been struggling with that my entire life. I've always been trying to have the way my brain works somehow translate into the way everyone else's brain works, and it never works. I create interpretations of my ideas.
Having to run all my thoughts through a translator labeled What I Think People Want to Hear is not going to be productive. What I think people want to hear and what people actually want to hear are two different things. People want to hear is what I have to say, not what I think they think I have to say. That's a very important distinction.
If your actual ideas don't float their boat, don’t sweat it. Those who genuinely like me, really like me. I don't have to twist myself into knots figuring out what they want. They want is what I'm bringing to the table . That's why it feels easy. Give it a try and have a great day.
