Every Carver reaches a point where they are unsure their direction. They become lost in the middle of the search for their desired goal and the call of real life responsibilities. It's a hard struggle for those of us whose creative pursuits are often unpaid.
It is a situation that affects many Carvers out there. Caught between two worlds. One of necessity and one of desire; many of them ask this question.
WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
The answer is neither simple nor is it complex. To find the answer you must cast aside all myth and doubt first.
The doubts are easily realized.
- I'm not good enough
- Nobody is interested
- If I was rich then I could do it; but I'm not, so I can't.
- My work isn't good enough
- If I had more time then...
- If I had...
- I just can't...
These are the common fears of any Carver, wound up in the insecurities of the creative soul that just happens to be a human being. They are a part of what make us what we are, but they don't have to be true.
If those are the doubts then what are the myths and what is the answer?
These are myths.
- You can't succeed at what you are doing.
- You won't succeed at what you are doing.
- You will never escape from what it is that you are trying to get away from (poverty, helplessness)
They exist only as such until someone proves them to true, but until they are proven they are entirely subjective to cause and circumstances.
In short: You are the one who determines whether they are fact or fiction.
So what is the answer? Where do I go from here?
You take note of this time in your life where you have asked this question. Think of it as the start of a new race. Keep track of where you were in every point of your life today. How much you made, where you lived, what you were driving who you were with, where you went.
These are important to note because if there are issues with anyone of these you'll need a clear reminder.
Once you have listed and categorized these starting points; you take off running. Not away from those things but toward that which you truly want.
If you want to be a successful author then you write more, dedicating wasteful time into productive output.
If you want to be a successful photographer you take more pictures and improve your craft. Learn to emulate the styles of others and popular photography trends. What ever it takes. Also learn to better conserve and manage your finances which is a key to helping you reach your goals.
It isn't just an issue of that you move forward but also in the method you choose to do so. Remember those doubts and myths. Come up with counters for them to convince yourself that they aren't true. Victory is in the mind before it is in action.
Carver's don't lack the tools to succeed. It all comes down to how we use them and how determined we are.
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