Michelangelo

Michelangelo spent 5 years painting the Sistine Chapel.

And yet here I am running with a new idea every 5 minutes. Five years is a long time to dedicate to one painting. Granted, painting the ceiling of a Chapel is a much bigger project, but still. That was 5 years of dedication to one practice, which really inspires me to slow down and show up every day to my own practice.

Often times I get so caught up with comparing myself to other great successful artists and their own achievements that I forget to take a step back and be grateful for where I am today. It’s not fair for me to compare my own progress to someone else’s journey. Everyone’s growth looks different, but everyone also has to start somewhere. Oftentimes (especially with social media) we only see the success and don’t see the many failures, late nights, or hard work behind it.

One thing I’ve learned about being an artist is it requires a lot of patience and diligence.

It requires a lot of practice, not skill. Yet oftentimes we get those confused.

If I want to grow into a great artist, like Michelangelo, then I need to be willing to show up and do the work. Put in the time, put in the effort, and focus on my own progress. But I also need to trust the process and not rush the process to get there.

Michelangelo inspires me to be better, but the leopard inspires me to be present and reminds me that I’m right where I need to be. I know my art will flourish someday but for now, I’m grateful for how far along it’s already grown. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were great artists.

I hope this inspires you as well to be patient, be present, and be kind to yourself so that you may also be great at whatever it is you can do. Trust the process, don’t rush the process.