The Key To Mastering Any Skill

I have had Octavia E. Butler’s short story “Positive Obsession” (read it here) recommended to me multiple times in the past couple of weeks. I wish I had run into it a long time ago, but I think we ran into each other recently for a reason. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I started getting serious in high school and even more so in college. At this point, I needed a new term, because serious just wasn’t cutting it. I had become obsessed with getting better as an Illustrator.

Butler writes “An obsession, according to my old Random House dictio- nary, is “the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.” Obsession can be a useful tool if it’s positive obsession. Using it is like aiming carefully in archery”.

The key to mastery is being obsessed…in a positive way. When you find something you love so much you get excited thinking about it, that means you’re on the right track. When you become obsessed, you don’t care what others think. You just create for yourself. You accept the fact that these things take time and a lot of deliberate practice.

There is a toxic side to being obsessed. When you push yourself beyond your limits. You have to recognize when you need to take a break or if you’re just making excuses. There is a pattern I have noticed among those we give the title ‘creative genius’. They all say that you can’t wait around for inspiration. That is what amateurs do. Masters of their craft know they have to work through those “uninspired” periods. If you actually sat around waiting for inspiration, you would never get anything done.

Besides, we all know the key to making great things is just starting. Creativity requires momentum. Once you push it, it does the rest of the heavy lifting. You have to make some garbage to get to the diamonds. Taika Waititi says 90% of art is garbage. To be honest, he is sorta right. But, that 90% is necessary to get the 10% of great art.

I think I have found the perfect balance. I am just enjoying the journey and seeing improvements in every piece I make. I simply can not stop thinking about drawing and all of the potential that lies ahead. I hope I can ride this wave for as long as possible.

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