We’re a fickle people, we humans. We like new things, shiny things, things that make us feel thinner, sexier or (best of all) more important and influential in our small corner of planet earth. We rush from idea to idea, looking for that elusive one thing that will give us the edge in living our best life now (always now, now, NOW!). In fact, our entire economy turns on this idea of consuming shiny things. All Madison Avenue has to do is tell us that what they have to offer is just what we’re looking for. They have the answer. And we believe them; at least for awhile.
But what happens when the shine wears off, as it inevitably will? What’s left and what…matters? It’s a serious question because the shine will wear off. Guaranteed. It always does. It’s planned obsolescence. We all know this. What matters, what really makes or breaks us, is what we do when it does.
Now apply that to ideas and maybe even writing at the same time. The idea is great. “I want to write a book” or “I want to write a screenplay” or whatever your creative outlet is. The idea starts out nice and shiny and new. We hold it in our hands and caress it. But then real life settles in. Having to take the kids to school settles in. Working all day then coming home to piles of dishes settles in. And the shine wears off. Then what?
What will you do? What will you choose? Who will you…be? Will you be the person who starts things and finishes them? Or will you being the person who begins, but never finishes? Will you be the kind of person who follows through, or just another one of the crowd who talks a good game, but never crosses the finish line?
The shine will wear off. Accept it now. It will save you a lot of heartache later. But realize that the shine isn’t the point. Patina is; the weathering of the thing (whatever it is) is what matters. It comes with time. It comes with effort, usually lonely effort because the craft of creating usually involves long stretches of solitude. But it’s worth it. I’ve seen it. I know it’s true.
So, when the shine wears off, that’s the time to kick it into gear because that’s when you’re really just getting started.