Preparing for Launch

Eventually the serious creative must go all in with eyes wide open and hearts in hand, prepared for the worse.  We must bring the best of our private creations to the light of the public eye.

That means opening ourselves up to the world of criticism.  Going public ensures that.  No one is judged for doing nothing (at least at first).

Many run when criticism comes, when naysayers speak up and the murmurs start.  Expect it.  They will come.  They should come.  And when they do come, you will be in great company with hoards of other innovators! 

You are not alone.

But it will feel like it at times.  Push through.  Grit and determination are part of the self-realized life you seek.  Most don’t have the vulnerability required for this challenge, though.  Truthfully, this level of vulnerability has the potential to crush your soul.

But we usually forget that so does doing nothing.  If we don’t face the necessary challenges of our callings and faith with the dignity to try, we assure an outcome where we slowly degrade into subsisted existence. 

One in which we are not free. Not worth it.

The opportunity cost of doing anything is huge.  It is the difference between a life well-lived and a life not-lived.  We have to start (and keep) dreaming that life.  We literally have to start imaging it. What does a life well-lived look like today? What will define success? 

That is THE vital question relevant to this pursuit.  How and why everyone else may do it is interesting, but not pertinent to our story here.  How will we define success?  How will we know when we have real freedom?

Try imagining that being realized!  Like now.  Do it.  What could it look like?

The power of self-realization is not new. Watch the documentary called “The Secret.” It details this “magic” power of self-fulfilling prophecy and visioning your preferred future.  Using imagination to envision success works, but I still struggle to do it. You probably do too.

It is harder than one thinks.

Especially for artists. We are wonderful at self-sabotage.  We think it’s part of the process.  We become our own worst enemy, then actually rationlize that it somehow makes us better. 

It does not!  It actually keeps us from the very things we long to do.

In the end it is not about self-fulfillment, for the artist or anyone else for that matter.  It is about self-discovery. 
It is about remembering the gift put inside you (since before the world we would argue); it is not just for you.  Our fulfillment is found directly in proportion to this discovery.

Vocational discovery may even lead to a new career. This choice can not be made lightly.

It is not a move made out of convenience.  Though some have “fallen” into their gift by coincidence - many of us were not planning to discover our knack when we did, at least initially, they still discovered it. And that discovery requires, even today, that we keep developing the gift.

Gift development must include a plan to launch. That will mean saying “no” to many things, even good things.  This will require great attention. We will have to pass on directly helping with things we care deeply about. We must be very careful where we give our hearts.   

But remember, the gift will provide its own way to help.

Artists and creatives can illuminate problems they can not more directly help with.  Artists can call attention to causes and give voice to to the voiceless, inspiring countless energies towards help.  We can create work that directly inspires others to take action!     

You got this. What is illuminated will become a light.  Now let yours shine!