RETURN TO FORM
You know who lives in my head rent free? Me. I’m always thinking, analyzing, overthinking and planning. How many art tutorials do I need to watch before I’m confident drawing anatomy? 144,564,897 (anything less would be madness). When will my idea be just right so that I can release that project? Will it ever be good enough? Sure, but the real question is: Will I be able to recognize how good it is without having to look in the rear view mirror?
Flashback to 2008-2013. I was making music regularly on my friend’s laptop and going to open mics. Rapping…finding my singing voice…actually putting songs out. That felt like my golden age, but was it really? Bruh, I was 20 something. I would argue I’m the best I’ve ever been creatively NOW, but it would be hard to make that case because I haven’t released anything since that time. Sometimes I listen to my recordings in the car and wonder why I don’t do it more often. I don’t wanna be the art version the guy that “could have gone to state”. Not for reputation’s sake…but for me. I want to look in the mirror and know I’m looking at someone doing his best today—surpassing the me of yesterday. I want to be proud of myself because I complete things. I want to do what I love simply because I love it.
Will it ever be good enough? Sure, but the real question is: Will I be able to recognize how good it is without having to look in the rear view mirror?
Seeing your goal through to completion takes focus, devotion and no small amount of bravery. You’re traversing new ground. That’s what creativity is about…when inspiration suddenly hits you like a lightning bolt hits Billy Batson—then SHAZAM! (obligatory comic reference) You’re doing the thing you’ve been imagining. I believe the people who inspire us are people like us who braved new frontiers like Capt. Kirk and slowly, but surely, paved roads where trees used to be…keeping cartographers busy. Good ideas aren’t for sitting. The only ones that gain anything from sitting on something ,ironically, are chickens (I make no apologies for this dad joke).
It’s time to return to form. I’m going to love my art, my voice and my creativity today. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Perfect isn’t the point right now. “So, V. Tyson, my analytical artistic acquaintance” I hear you asking, “What is the point?” I’m glad you asked :) The point of creating is to make something good that shows that God is good…to be content, to be thankful to God that you have today, and to cherish the moments you get to exist doing what you love. In a way that is sort of perfect.
