Have you ever had someone tell you that you are not good enough? Did you believe them?
This picture is of me working in my art studio, creating art for a solo exhibition, because I am a full-time artist, who makes a living from his art. This is not what my teacher predicted… Guess he’s not a psychic.
If I had believed my art teacher in school, when he was telling me that I wasn’t good enough, and that “You will never make it as an artist” I probably wouldn’t be writing any of this right now.
But, I didn’t believe him… Well, eventually.
It’s interesting how such an insignificant event, had such an impact on my career as an artist. I’m sure he doesn’t even remember saying it, but his words stayed with me longer than I’d like to admit.
Watch this video to hear the full story:
Now, I wouldn’t change a thing, because eventually my journey lead me to finding my own confidence, and there is no point in wishing that things had gone differently.
It would be a lie, if I didn’t admit, that every once in a while, I wonder where I would be, had I started my art career sooner… But, it is what it is, and I’m enjoying the ride thus far.
Why am I sharing this story?
I wanted to reach out to anyone out there that may be experiencing the same thing. Whether it be a creative field, a life goal, or a dream, Don’t ever believe anybody that tells you that you can’t do something.
It took me a few years to learn this for myself, but now that I have, I am unstoppable. I’ve learned that the only way you can ever truly fail at anything, is to give up. With my art career, I had given up, before I even started.
Because I lacked confidence in my ability to persevere, I took to heart the comments of naysayers in my family, and eventually my teacher.
Luckily, I put all that crap behind me and I know that the only thing that matters, is whether or not I believe I can do it.
So, if you believe you can do it, (no matter what it is) then you can… plain and simple.
Thank you for reading my rambles! Remember to stay endlessly inspired by the stuff of life.
-Rafi
