Here’s the problem when you have been doing what you do for a long time – it becomes mediocre. Mundane. Nothing interesting. I can tell you don’t care.
Here’s the opportunity if you do something for a long time and treat it like art – you can claim mastery. People knock down your door to get access. The craftsmanship shines through.
“We always pay dearly for chasing after what is cheap.” ~ Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
Can you really afford to just get the work done and merely do your job anymore? The world is relentlessly dividing into the simple service class and the affluent creative class. The former do a job and try to be pleasant. There is nothing special about their job. Another person can provide service in a likewise fashion.
However, the creative class is disparate in their rewards and recognition. They are continually pursuing excellence. They rise above the noise because we have been able to tune into their rise above the noise of the marketplace.
I don’t want to just provide service. That is boring and unremarkable. It is chasing after what is cheap. The penalty is both obscurity and dilution by the market.
What if you could transform what you do into art. Treat it with respect. Be fully engaged and think:
- How can I learn one new thing today?
- How can I share one new thing today?
- How can I wow a person in an unexpected way?
- What would a wild, untried concept look like?
- What if I change the game on my competition completely?
Artists are not merely people who paint on a canvas without a clear goal. Today’s economy demands the artistry which differentiates. We want to work with companies that see their work as art. We buy products that care about the nuances of design.
This requires being fully in the moment and caring. Every ounce of energy you have not just to fulfill something but to make it an experience is what separates you from the masses. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time.
Are you caught just going through the motions?