I could be the next Monet.
If you think about it, we have a lot in common. We both have two hands, two eyes, two ears... We even share an appreciation for lily pads. I meet all of the necessary criteria for being a world class artist, destined to go down in history. The only discrepancy? Commitment.
Claude Monet dedicated his life to his art. His work effortlessly captures every detail with seemingly no details at all. However, effortless is far from the truth. Each smudge and swirl of paint was placed purposefully and meticulously with a bigger picture in mind. Monet's dedication to his work extended beyond paint and canvas. He lovingly constructed a wonderful garden, choreographing every petal and leaf into a chorus of color to bring his ideal painting to life.
Sure, I took some art classes in high school. I asked for moderately high-end art supplies for Christmas. And I have certainly progressed from the crayon-smudged dinosaurs of my childhood. But I do not devote each day to diligently perfecting my painting techniques. That's it. That's the only reason I'm not Monet.
Art is but one example. Inside of my fingers are unwritten symphonies. I have stories in my head that could change the world. The next big idea to rival personal computers or smartphones is within my reach. I could even be a star basketball player (...maybe). However, all of this potential bubbling up inside of me remains dormant.
Some days I get so overwhelmed by all of the things I could do that I can't do much of anything at all. I live a life of passivity, reacting but never catalyzing. My looming potential is menacing, taunting me with all of the lives I am not living. I don't know what it is that I'm waiting for, exactly. Perhaps for some ethereal cue to descend from the heavens, brilliant and obvious.
I do not think particularly highly of myself. I am not more special or significant than the next person that could be Monet. Because that's the thing: literally anyone can do the things I'm describing.
Talent does not exist. Do not discredit the years of work someone has poured into their craft by complimenting their "talent". Behind each musician's perfect performance and each novelist's magnum opus are hours and hours of hard work and education. Behind each virtuoso are tears of frustration and hopelessness from simply not being good enough. Not having "talent" is not some convenient excuse to pin on everything that you're not very good at. The reason you suck at something isn't because you don't have "natural talent". It is because you haven't practiced enough.
Don't wait for your muse to find you. Euterpe isn't going to bless you with the melody of the gods if you sit and watch Netflix all day. Start chipping away at your medium of choice. Start today. And if you don't like your chosen life, choose another one. Fill your life with lifetimes of experiences.
We are no less human than Elon Musk or Paul McCartney. We are no less capable of changing the world, of producing beautiful and innovative content. So mind your potential, for it is a slippery, elusive thing. All we have on this earth is time. Pursue what you love, don't let your potential turn ember to ash.
