Sunday, March 24, 2013

Thoughts on Focus

Last week I returned from teaching at Beadfest Santa Fe. I soooooo enjoyed the company of students who learned about metal etching, Faux Bone and leather. As I was packing leather dyes, tools and hides, etching supplies, metal tools, finishing products, and inks and tools for Faux Bone I had a deep sense of satisfaction. It wasn't long ago that having to pack such a variety of materials would have brought me great distress.

You see, a year or so ago, I found myself bogged down by the question...what exactly is it that I do? Do I teach? Write? Design? Sell finished goods? Consult? Work with wire? Metal? Faux Bone? Leather? The questions kept pouring out and I beat myself up for having no focus.

My business school training kicked in and I decided to write myself a mission statement. I wish I had saved the lengthy paragraphs filled with shallow adjectives and lofty goals. We'd all get a laugh. But, through that process I decided that there was just too much going on. I needed to focus.

I stopped making anything, for well over a month, and accepted defeat for not being able to pick a focus. And then one night, I was having dinner with a friend and was asked, "what do you see yourself doing in 5 years." I verbally beat myself up some more for having no focus and went home vowing I would be able to answer that question.

The problem was that I couldn't imagine not doing all of these things. They all brought me great joy. Just because it made for an impossibly long and boring mission statement didn't mean it was wrong. In fact, I realized I had already started my mission statement the year before...

Create Recklessly

Those two words covered a lot of things for me. I was able to check off nearly everything on my list as fitting under these two words. All that was left was teaching, writing and consulting. I hoped I didn't do those things recklessly! I thought some more and the simplest answer seemed the most appropriate...

Teach Thoughtfully

And there it was, my mission statement. "Create Recklessly, Teach Thoughtfully." Whenever I venture down a new path I ask myself if it supports my mission statement. When I have deviated from the path and have taken on projects that were neither, I found them hard to finish, and in the end, felt like I didn't do my best. I am not proud of it, but I know myself better now.

What inspires and drives me can be stated clearly and simply in just four words. And I am okay with that.

If you had to pick four words as your "mission statement," what would yours be?


Melissa

PS - Off to Beadfest Spring in a few weeks, be sure to stop on by and say hi! And yes, I'll be packing allllll that stuff up again...plus supplies for the wire project pictured on the front of Spotlight on Wire!


16 comments:

  1. I enjoyed so much reading this. It is another time when I am reminded how alike you and Monica are.. I so wish you could have known her. I am so glad I have the honor of knowing you and watching your successes.. And of course I will always wonder what "creations" she would have done, with recklessness. xxo v

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    1. Vicki, I am so touched. I wish I had known her too...but I suspect in knowing you, I actually do know her! I'm glad we've been on this ride together. Miss you. oxo

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  2. I needed this post! I'm in a fallow period now, lying in wait for direction~~ bless you gal! I'm overwhelmed by the demands and expectations.....I know I KNOW that there is peace and focus ahead. Not there yet. You give me hope~

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    1. I've been there! Perhaps it is part of our creative process! : )

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  3. I always love to read what you're creating and thinking. You are inspiring me to always push the envelope with my jewelry and I appreciate it very much. My friend, Traci Otte, recently gave me your book Spotlight on Wire and I thought it was THE best present anyone has given me lately. I really like how each creation starts off sweet and simple and grows into something cool, advanced and more challenging. So thank you

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    1. Your blog rocks, by the way! I am in awe and so inspired by what you do... it is truly a testament to how the creative force is just that...a force! Glad you are enjoying the book. : )

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  4. I understand completely, if I had to give up the many different directions that my art wants to take I would be less satisfied. Each individually makes me happy and I am learning to combine more of them together into pieces that really show who I am as an artist. Focusing on one type would have left me as incomplete as an artist.

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    1. Exactly! Somewhere along the line we redefined creative focus as focusing on one material or one technique...so lets just rewrite the definition! thanks for stopping by!

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  5. I too often wonder where I am going in my creative life, I have several loves which I can't for the life of me walk away from Jewelry, fiber art and drawing. I tell myself if I was more focused on one of them I would do better, but I"m not sure that is the truth. Still I wander between them all and I am happy so I guess I am doing what is correct for me - but still I wonder. I say only time will tell. I am so glad I found your blog your creative outlook inspires me greatly.

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    1. Feeling like if I give up something, then I would be better at something else is exactly why I banned the saying "jack of all trades, master of none" from my life (I used to say it ALLL the time). Thanks for sharing. : )

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  6. Thanks for all your great advice. I am at a crossroads and having your help to focus and figure it out helps. Too often I whine about things to relieve my stress but it is a TERRIBLE habit that I need to get over! I have been rather paralyzed by my circumstances which is so ridiculous...I took some action today and it felt good. I just have to buck up, take control and own it!

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    1. Yay for action!!! : ) And trust me, I can be a whiner too!

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  7. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on focus! We all struggle with focus when we do so many different, hopefully creative, things. I can certainly attest to the fact that your mission - Create Recklessly, Teach Thoughtfully - fits you to a T. Just wish I were going to be in Philly again this year to take another class!

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    1. Ahhh, big hug, thanks. We'll miss you in Philly!

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  8. Ah...those are words of wisdom! They always come unexpectedly and from a deep place of truth! I think I am inspired to find my own wisdom from your words. Thank you for sharing your story and your creativity with all of us! Enjoy the day. Erin

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    1. That is so true...I actually had started writing a post about something completely different and this came out. ha ha...I probably needed to remind myself. : ) Enjoy your day!

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