Ira Glass Wisdom on the Creative Process

THE GAP by Ira Glass from frohlocke on Vimeo.

Many of us, in some form or fashion, have to create for a living. Even if it's not for a living, most of us have some sort of creative outlet. It could be writing, painting, building something, decorating or even cooking. Even if you think you don't, you probably create something.

In that creative process, we know we have some talent but may not be doing it as well as we could. Our work may be rejected. It could always feel inadequate to us, though we may not be able to put a finger on why.

This video capturing audio from Ira Glass explains what this looks like. Many of us will quit or give up. We know we haven't quite made it and its easier to stop creating than to face that feeling of rejection or "not enough" another time. What's Glass' solution?

Work. Lots of work.

Only by doing something a lot - like over and over - can we break through "the gap" that he talks about in going from good to great. It takes a lot of work to improve. That's what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Work.

And time.

It doesn't happen overnight. Most "overnight success stories" fail to mention the years of failures and builds that laid the foundation for success. It takes a lot of work and effort to be great. It also takes the patience to trust the process and not get discouraged.

I think that's a problem of my generation.

Are we afraid of work and lazy? Hardly. I think our impatience is our biggest flaw. We want success now. Work may not always be the hardest part. Sometimes waiting is.

The best thing we can do while waiting?

The work.