With the pressure to create, we know when things are good – it’s an instinct.
As time progresses, we start to settle. With each passing day, the timelines, work loads, pressures, and opinions pose the risk of taking over our instincts. Excuses tempt us to settle for less than our best. With each passing day we risk the drift of complacency taking over and we start to settle.
When we settle, a couple of things happen:
- We lose a small piece of our DNA.
- We sacrifice greatness for good or good enough.
- We misstep on expectations.
- We devalue the end user.
- We lose focus.
- We risk momentum being lost.
- We waste opportunity.
- We cheat ourselves and our friends.
Don’t Settle.
It’s not worth it.
If you can’t be proud of it, dig in and fix it.
We have the honor of being chosen to create and we disrespect that honor when we don’t give our absolute best.
I am a proponent for “shipping” as described by Seth Godin, but you should not ship raw material. There has to be enough of YOU in your art that you can be proud of it and feel like what is shipped is a good representation of who you are. It’s part of the paradox that makes us crazy artists. When is enough, enough? When we refuse to settle.
Your art is worth it.
We need it.
Don’t Settle.
By reminding myself that as I work even though others may not notice subtle parts of a piece, to take the quick route & finish with what they’ll see going on isn’t the best I can do.