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The reason why most people fail instead of succeed is because they give up what they want the most for what they want that moment. ~ Anonymous
Last year I was a full time student at the London College of Communication. It was the first time that I had ever studied Photography in any formal sense and it marked a return to education after more than ten years in the corporate world.
A little less than mid way through the course I was feeling pretty frustrated with the slow pace of learning and the creative momentum with which I had entered the course was fading. I was in dangerous territory and it was at this point that a visiting speaker changed everything for me, including how I viewed myself and my work.
His name was David Graham. He is a portrait photographer and he had come in to show us some of his work that had been selected for the Taylor Wessing Prize exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
He had asked each of us to submit a portrait that he would critique in the lecture and he would then select ten of us to accompany him on a trip to the exhibition and to spend a day talking about photography. I had been desperate for this kind of small group interaction so I entered one of my fashion portraits.
He hated it and absolutely slated it in the class but it was an honest critique and I wasn’t too dismayed. As it turned out, in a fitting precursor to a lesson on the virtues of working hard, out of over a hundred students, only ten had bothered to submit images so, by virtue of doing the work rather than producing a good image, I was selected to go along on the trip.
That fieldtrip remains for me one of the stand out moments of the course and of my own growth as an artist. What David Graham said to all of us on that day was this “In order to succeed you need two things, enough talent and hard work. People overestimate how much talent you need. You all got accepted onto this course so you all have enough talent. But I don’t believe any of you are working hard enough. And whether you work hard or not will determine whether you are successful or not.”
This is nothing new. I had even read similar arguments in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers just a few months earlier. But this time it really hit me. Maybe it was just because I was almost being given permission to get on and work hard.
I no longer had to worry if I had enough talent. If you spend all of your time worrying about talent, you’ll never get around to the working hard part of the equation, the part that matters far more than the talent part.
I left that workshop and I worked my butt off for the rest of the course. I’ve continued to work hard ever since. And every time I get sidetracked with worry about whether I can do something, I just decide that I’ll start the hard work part of things and worry about the talent later.
Talent is the ability you were born with. It’s what makes it easy for you to play the piano, or speak in public, or make friends, or draw a rabbit.
Everyone has a talent. Most people have many talents. But unless your talent is exceptional (and probably even then) what really decides whether you succeed or not is skill. And skill is developed.
Skill is the mechanism of learning to do something over time, through practice.
Skill is like training for a marathon. It is training your muscles to do the work.
It is practicing so much that it becomes like second nature to you.
We greatly overestimate the importance of talent and we greatly underestimate the importance of skill.
No matter how talented a runner you are, you could not complete a marathon without training. So, just like David Graham gave me permission, I am officially giving you permission to go off and work hard.
You have enough talent. Stop worrying about that. Go and develop your skills. Your creativity is like a muscle that needs to stretch and work in order to develop strength and flexibility.
And if you won’t take my word for it, listen to this video of Will Smith talking about success and maybe he can convince you.
Here are my top tips for practicing your craft. Photography is what I know so I’m using that as an example but these are easily adapted to other creative disciplines:
— Set yourself a project. Maybe it’s a 365 or a 52 week project or maybe it’s something of your own creation, a project helps to provide structure to your practice. Repetition helps to provide you with a benchmark so a project such as returning to a particular spot over and over again at different times of the day and different times of the year, can help you to work on your understanding of light and composition.
— Detach yourself from the outcome. If you are always focused on the outcome you don’t take chances and you miss out on new avenues. To take the muscle metaphor further, this is like when you begin a new form of exercise. You don’t do it well to begin with, but you keep trying and little by little your muscles develop and you can do it with more grace and ease. Relax and allow the outcome to be a little ugly to begin with.
— Work backwards from where you want to be. This is a great exercise that my life coach taught me. Think about the photographer you want to be. What do you want to shoot? How do you want your images to look? What do you want them to say? Now, think of the skills required to produce those images.
If it seems a long way away from where you are now, don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed or despondent, just look at it dispassionately. Working backwards from your goal……what would it take to develop those skills?
Do you need to shoot lots and lots of different people?
Do you need to know the light conditions at a certain location like the back of your hand?
Do you need to be a Photoshop genius? Start taking the steps you can take today to train yourself in those skills.
And don’t think for a moment that inspiration is not a skill.
If you want to be able to come up with more creative shoots, start looking at as many images as you can. Look at pictures all day. Watch movies. Read books. Immerse yourself in unusual imagery and you will begin to find inspiration in your everyday life.
JK Rowling is one of my absolute heroes of creativity and I often look to her for how to bring together a number of inspirations in a unique way. She has produced a world that is both highly derivative and wildly creative at the same time. Reading her work, you can feel that it is soaked in the mythology, folklore, literature and legend she so clearly loves and yet she has made it entirely her own.
So go out and get to work on your creative practice. Treat it like you’re training for a marathon. Know that if you continue to put one foot in front of the other, you will eventually cover the 26.2 miles. And then come over to my Facebook Page and share your story so I can cheer you on![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”false” attached=”false” padding=”0″ visibility=”” animation=””][vc_column border_color=”” visibility=”” width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”” visibility=”” width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”” visibility=”” width=”1/3″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]