3 Pillars to Thriving at Your Craft

Try as you might to seek it, there is no shortcut in life. Everything we create and build starts from a speck and builds upon itself, becoming a more whole structure. In an era where convenience is the ruling way of life and instant-gratification is the preference, it is easy to forget about the countless hours and many helping hands that go into creating the final product, but time and time again life makes it clear that there is no shortcut. Building an empire and achieving what we want has always included these three pillars: start, stick with it, and re-evaluate. They may seem simple in essence but pack a huge amount of growth and give way to tangible results.

Pillar #1 Start:

Start now. Yes, the grind is real. The extra hours put into crafting something for the first time can be grueling but it is something. Those who come to be at the top have had many hands and/or may have put forth a considerable amount of effort to arrive there. Whether it is our own effort or knowing how to hire the right people who put forth the right effort, building a solid structure requires an investment. That investment can be your time, physical, mental and emotional energy, or money. Without an investment there is no return. Write down what you want, sign up for a course or class, meet with an expert, tell someone who you feel will be supportive. Start now, not tomorrow. Even words on a paper is a start because it’s a tangible step closer to making your desire a reality. 

Reality check:

Sometimes I too—because I know you’ve done it too, look at people and think, wow, how easy they must have it. But that opinion never sits right with me. Yes, some people have been given a head start in life, but they tend to be the ones who have to and are willing to take on more responsibility early in life. Today, if I were to be given a company of 1000 employees I would be extremely overwhelmed, but if I worked to that level of accountability, I would walk into it with ease. To get to where you want to be, you have to start somewhere.

Pillar #2 Stick with it:

Sometimes we give up too soon, but if you diligently push through the struggle and awkward moments and you are determined to get the result you want, it can drive you to a new level of success. This goes for everything. Pablo Picasso took 40 years to learn how to do a 30-second sketch on a napkin. Willing to stick with an idea is a disciplinary requirement that builds momentum.

Acknowledge where you are standing to see how many steps it will take for you to get to your destination. In taking the time to structure and re-structure my business, my artworks, or my website I have learned the value of putting forth an investment of my time, energy, and effort to achieve a new level of growth. And there is always another level.

Every minute counts:

In return for completing works, I have received responses of wonderment as people note the resemblance and accuracy of details. They call me “talented" and I simile in appreciation at the compliment, but let’s be real, I put in an insane amount of time into what I do and into learning what I do. While I have not created a perfect practice of learning what I do, I tend to put all my time into finished products. It took me years to realize that my procrastination was a result of my lack of preparation in return for invested determination in only finished products. Procrastination or not, the much needed hours always find a way to be put in. He who is willing to put in the hours or hire others to put in the hours yields results.

Pillar #3 Re-evaluate, and do it again:

The number of times that I have redone a person's face, erasing then starting from scratch have been countless. I and those who love their craft are willing to get it wrong to get it right. Now, I don’t love criticism, but I would be a fool not to take free feedback. The sooner I apply the advice of others and merge it with my own ideas, the better I get. 

Failure only happens when you give up entirely. In my first blog post, I spoke on how I had decided to officially pursue my path. “Officially" because I had tried before. However, the more I put it off, the more it demanded my attention. I acknowledged that the first time I tried I had not tried nearly a fraction as much as I could have. This time around the fire has been lit.

Here’s some truth:

The possibilities are endless. Have you tried them all?

There is no shortcut, but there are consistent pillars that every successful person has applied to thrive at their craft. So start, stick with it and to it like glue, and re-evaluate your results. The problem is not in trying; it is in giving up. And giving up just doesn’t make for a very interesting story so keep on with it.

Get the tools many have used to overcome fear, limiting beliefs, and blockages and create the life they desire by scheduling a sample coaching session with me at www.shantiacrowley.com/life-coaching, or continue to get a stream of inspiring creative entrepreneurial content from these blogs. As always, remember you are the creator of your reality. Transform your life from the inside out.