TRUST THE PROCESS

They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step????.

For the majority of us, passion is the driving force that motivates us to take that first step.

But here comes the big question, is passion enough to guarantee success?

While it is the fuel that keeps our engine (mind) running, especially in good times when everything seems to be going according to plan, it can also come in handy when the chiefs are down.

If you have been driven by passion while chasing a goal or following a new career path, then you can attest to the fact that it feels as good as when you are newly in love with someone??.

But something we are not often told is that PASSION IS HARD.

Of course, there will be times when everything seems rosy??, but then there are other days when you will desperately yearn for an ounce of motivation????, but it will be far-fetched??.

As an artist, I have experienced both days. But right now, I want to talk a little about the bad days because they reshaped my mind and thinking. Plus, it was in such moments that I developed massive strength to push forward and attain a greater and satisfactory result.

Believe me, there were times when it got so rough that I thought I was either losing my mind or that I was on the verge to do so. Nothing at that moment seemed to work…. not the music, not inspirational books, quotes, or messages.

There were also days I would start a drawing, and halfway in, the vibe is gone, and I rip the entire work to pieces??.

?Did I for a second pause to think it might have some spiritual undertone? Has one of my uncles in the village finally remembered me? Hell YES!..??

So what did I finally do, I threw in the towel??, but only temporarily.

For a few months, I neither lifted a pencil nor set up my easel.

My mind needed deep healing. And when it all started coming back to me as I soberly reflected one day, that I realized that the root of the problem came from the fact that I wanted to improve so badly because I was steadily comparing my progress with that of my friends whom I followed online. But knowing the cause of a problem only gets it half-solved.

I managed to set up the drawing board once more, but soon I found myself struggling to keep up with the motivation, the difference being that I chose not to give up. And it was at that moment that I stumbled upon these three keys; ??Patience, ??Practice, and ??Perseverance.

How did they help?

??Patience

When on the path and highly driven by passion, it is easy to fall into a trap, and yet, not recognize you are in one. We want things achieved at the speed of light and so we grow impatient every step of the way.

In that moment, some of us become highly competitive without realizing that (1) whether we like it or not, growth takes time. 2) everyone is on a different level of progress. So stay focused and exercise a little patience.

??Practice

As soon as I was able to calm those racing nerves of mine, my focus not only improved, but I started paying more attention to details, and that was when my work progressed from just a sketch to look more realistic.

??Perseverance

As my focus improved, I started putting in more hours. And while the progress was visible with each completed work, I wasn’t yet deeply satisfied as I kept feeling like I could do better. It took nearly a year before I was able to produce works that made me smile, and trust me, that feeling was ORGASMIC!!

So coming back to the bone of contention as to whether passion is enough to guarantee success, I’d say yes, and that is if you can remain patient, practice like your life depends on it, and persevere until you win.

Below are some of my works and the progress I made through the years.

Feel free to share your thoughts and experience in the comment section. Have a good day!

Marygold Okoye