Structuring the unstructured
There is always a fair amount of envy from my non-artist friends over my 'lack of a job'. There is a completely misplaced perception that 'artist's don't work very hard or much, and that they are undisciplined'. These same 'friends' kick and moan about how 'their job takes up too much of their time' and yet, it is not like they are doing anything with passion in their off hours!
What usually happens is when these friends have significant down time, 'unemployed for long periods of time', they have no clue as to how they must structure their time to be productive. One of the hardest things to do is self-direct your energies - and one of the easiest things to do is to hide behind your job, using it as the perpetual excuse and always griping 'if I didn't have to work I would be.......'
I have had two people tell me the same thing this week - they don't like to work very hard! Give me a break!! Either work harder and get to where you want to be, or stop expecting the world to deliver your life to you. It is this sense of entitlement that is the most galling. Especially as it is always this same type of person that wants to glob onto you when you have success (and they don't)! Take responsibility for your choice to not work hard and go find others that have the same outlook. Humans are self-selecting - I hang with other equally hard working and highly disciplined artists.
So, how has my life been this week - interesting and busy! I've only walked 20 miles, because the destination is closer to home. The rug is coming along nicely, and now requires two people to lift and move it. There will be photo's early next week. The daily structure is quite different now - I start around 10 in the morning and work through until 1- 2am. That gig in the Portland building was a cinch in comparison!
zen@ovoo.com
What usually happens is when these friends have significant down time, 'unemployed for long periods of time', they have no clue as to how they must structure their time to be productive. One of the hardest things to do is self-direct your energies - and one of the easiest things to do is to hide behind your job, using it as the perpetual excuse and always griping 'if I didn't have to work I would be.......'
I have had two people tell me the same thing this week - they don't like to work very hard! Give me a break!! Either work harder and get to where you want to be, or stop expecting the world to deliver your life to you. It is this sense of entitlement that is the most galling. Especially as it is always this same type of person that wants to glob onto you when you have success (and they don't)! Take responsibility for your choice to not work hard and go find others that have the same outlook. Humans are self-selecting - I hang with other equally hard working and highly disciplined artists.
So, how has my life been this week - interesting and busy! I've only walked 20 miles, because the destination is closer to home. The rug is coming along nicely, and now requires two people to lift and move it. There will be photo's early next week. The daily structure is quite different now - I start around 10 in the morning and work through until 1- 2am. That gig in the Portland building was a cinch in comparison!
zen@ovoo.com
3 Comments:
You can say that again!
Self structuring you time is so much harder than anyone thinks!
I remember when I was working how much cleaner the house was. Now then Ididn't have 4 kids in the house all day everyday, but I still had 2! I was much better at organizing my time because I had so little of it to get anything done.
Now I am finding it hard to find time to work on designing and knitting, and all the other things I have to do. Because I am home all the time and that structure is no longer imposed on me.
say it again, zen. you hit the nail on the head. not many people realize how an artist rarely is on "vacation" because we choose work that incorporates our passion. since the passion never leaves, even when we take a break from the working part, we've never really "clocked off". which is to say, who wants to live a life where you need dream of escaping it? hasn't it dawned on people yet that they get to make up the rules? there is no such thing as cheating except on yourself! oh, well. glad you got to ruffle some feathers in the portland building. keep up the good work!
-monika
Interesting insight.... hard work, self structure, motivation, creativity, work even harder, make your own vision... sounds like one of those market liberal, small businessy, pull it up by the boostrappy, 50's era republican messages! It's almost Texan! If I close my eyes, why, it could even be Reagan!
Less seriously, obviously there is a LOT of common ground to work with between the right and the left!
... if they ever stopped being mad at each other!
Uncle B
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