As artists we choose a path that is not walkable by everyone: the road to success is steep and windy, littered with obstacles and setbacks, and very often it will kick your ass to the ground in the process!
If you’re in this for the money, the “fame”, or for other ego feeding crap than I strongly suggest for you to turn around and run away as fast as you can. I believe that any dream we have can come true but If you aren’t motivated by love and pure passion for your craft, then you’re not going to last long!
It takes balls and a ridiculous work ethic to do what we do. We work for ourselves, we make our own future, we do what we want. If shit goes wrong 99% of the fault is our own. It is because we didn’t work hard enough or we didn’t believe enough. Every single day we exposed ourselves to the world and to the judgment of others – our photographs, films, paintings and songs are our creations and once we push that upload button they are out there, ready to be torn apart, or even worst, completely ignored.
In an era where way too often the number of “likes” we get on a picture or a post is the correspondent numeric value we give to ourselves, it is very easy to lose track of what really matters, and what really matters is the work.
We aren’t just photographers, filmmakers, musicians, actors, dancers, designers or painters… We are artists. We are visionaries, we are storytellers and above all we are Dreamers (at least I am!) This is why we put up with all the bullshit that comes with the journey – because in the end our work, our art and our love for it, is the only thing that matters. It’s what we live for!
For some people the greatest challenge is to find what it is they are passionate about. Listen to your gut and your curiosity and even if it may take a while to find, eventually it will all come to you (and that’s when the fun begins!)
Why do we do what we do? It is almost impossible for me to tell you WHY I’m passionate about storytelling. My soul knows why but I can’t necessarily put that in words. We shouldn’t waste too much time thinking about why you do what you do, or why we want to be who we want to be, the why isn’t important. For most people their passion isn’t a why: it’s an instinct. A thing they have so deep within, it’s tagged on their soul.
This is just how I see it: we all seek and need validation at times. Sure, it feels good to have people see your stuff, tell you how good of a job you are doing and appreciate the effort that you put in but don’t let that be your drive. If you wouldn’t be a photographer unless other people saw your images, if you wouldn’t be a dancer unless other people saw your choreography, then you are in a bad place to begin with. The key to good art comes from the heart. You have to want to do photography even if you are the only person who ever sees the picture! You have to want to make music even if you are the only person who ever hears the song! You have to want to be a filmmaker even if you are the only person who ever sees your movie! Good art is intrinsic and absolutely not motivated externally! Basically what I am saying is: Fuck the recognition, fuck the money! Those things will come anyway if your work is good and it comes from passion and you keep going no matter what other think or say!
Thoughts that I repeat myself every morning before getting up: Don’t overanalyze what you are doing, if it feels right than just go for it! Take risks and don’t be afraid to fail. Do not conform, Vanilla is the shitties flavor. There is no such thing as failure, every failure is just an opportunity to grow and do better! Don’t let your fears hold you back. Don’t let anybody tell you what to do. Listen to your gut at all times. Don’t let rejection bring you down. Work harder than you ever have before. Take care of your soul. Be willing to make sacrifices. Let your imagination run wild and don’t give yourself limits by being realistic. Break the rules. Believe in yourself. Compete only with your best self. Always be good to people. Embrace changes. Outlive the struggle… the payback is closer than you think. Let the haters hate and for god’s sake don’t take yourself too seriously, we aren’t saving the world…quite yet!
If you have a dream then go get it!!