Often times, I find myself staring at a paper covered with words, doodles, ideas… and a lot of blank space. My brain starts to hurt as I get very frustrated with myself, and I come to the conclusion that I should just quit, because nothing I ever create is good enough anyway.
Good enough. What does that even mean?
I am an artist. I take photographs, I draw, I paint, and I write music. Nearly everything I start never gets finished, and I didn’t realize how much it bothered me until recently. The other day, I was flipping through one of my notebooks as I noticed almost everything I started was no more than just the beginning of an idea, the beginning of a piece of art. And now that I think about it, these unfinished products are unhealthy for my well-being.
A lot of people are obsessed with the image of perfection—and why wouldn’t we be? Perfection is rooted in us. Our country revolves around perfect grades, the perfect body, the perfect job, and the perfect family. As artists, it takes courage to create something that falls short of perfection. So, we quit and try again. It’s not that we want to please the recipients of our products, no. It’s just that often times, it’s really hard to create something that doesn’t fit the criteria of our own ideas of perfection.
Art is a form of communication. When a piece of art isn’t completed, neither is the idea that sparked the art. When something is finished, ideas are communicated, and the finished product shapes you into the person you really are. Plus, actually finishing something feels so good.
The hit song, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones, began as a night time thought of guitarist Keith Richards. Once the song was put together, Richards immediately hated the song and thought it sounded too “folksy.” It almost wasn’t released because it fell short of his ideals. Thankfully, his band forced him into the recording studio. If Richards’s idea of dissatisfaction itself hadn’t been turned into a song, the Rolling Stones probably wouldn’t be the band they are today. Mick Jagger stated that the song is what turned them into more than just a band. It made them the Rolling Stones.
A lot of the thoughts I try to turn into songs are often left un-communicated. This is because they are either too private or awkward to simply talk about with somebody. They are often mentioned in my journal, but never elaborated. Art is a tool that allows a person to elaborate on their ideas and share them with the world.
So, the next time you pick up a pen and paper, make a note to ensure that you create a finished product, even if you can’t get no satisfaction.
