Esplanade, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
Over the years I learned an important lesson when it comes to business that I’d like to share, especially with creatives: If anybody can do it everybody will do it, eventually. That means if something is easy to do and doesn’t require much effort it can and will quickly be replicated by someone else. This is certainly not a revolutionary insight. There is plenty of advice out there urging artists to be unique and authentic. But how to accomplish that? By being you. Anything you do must relate back to who you are. Do not try to artificially invent yourself or spend a tremendous amount of time coming up with a really clever idea. Chances are that by the time you’re ready someone else has already done it, and done it better, because it was in their blood.
On the other hand there is a constant lure of quick fame and money (though it’s diminished a bit in this economy). It may be tempting to execute on an idea without further refinement hoping to instantly turn it into a revenue creating business. The problem is that the resulting product(s), at that point, often lack character or personal trademark, something that connects them in a personal manner with their creator. The result is often a constant fear that someone will “steal” the idea or copy the product. Again, if it is easy to do then others will do it eventually, it’s common human behavior. We imitate the moment we are born. This is how we learn, this is how we acquire skills. But here is the important part: while we learn and grow we have to come into our own. We have to expand on the knowledge we’ve acquired by injecting our unique personal traits, anything that makes us ‘us’ – the way we hold the brush, the way we see and photograph our environment, the way we hear sounds and melodies, the way we talk, walk, feel, perceive and judge.
We could distill the preceding paragraphs into “be your personal best at what you do”. And while doing so do not compare yourself to others unnecessarily (it’s fine to admire but it should be left at that). There is a surprisingly fitting text in the bible:
“But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.” (Galatians 6:4)
How important and valuable are our own refined skills, how much of a difference does it make when we do things according to who we are? There is yet another interesting passage in the bible:
“Have you beheld a man skillful in his work? Before kings is where he will station himself; he will not station himself before commonplace men” (Proverbs 22:29)
Admittedly we may not literally offer our work to kings and nobles but we do want to put out work before people that admire it for it’s inherent quality and craftsmanship just like kings of old desired to have the best work in their palaces; skillful work will earn its rewards and recognition.
However, becoming skilled takes time. A German saying goes “gut Ding will Weile haben” meaning “a good thing takes time” (English equivalent: Rome wasn’t built in a day). Quality cannot be rushed. But it also cannot be easily replicated or copied. I find that quality and passion always show, even in products that at first may not reveal all the blood and sweat invested in them. They tend to emanate the personality of their creator. They also seem to attract a loyal following for years to come. And they certainly deter potential copycats. Again, people who copy other people’s work do so when it’s easy to do and promises instant gratification. Once the market has been flooded with similar products sales quickly trail off and the replicators move on to the next thing. Therefore be your personal best at what you do and you will succeed and not be bogged down with anxiety. Put your work on a solid foundation and inject it with your personality, let your well honed skills shine and you will accomplish impressive things that not only you enjoy but others appreciate, value and cherish.
