“Forget what others can’t see… Keep rising” – Lynika
Have you had someone tell you that what you have going is a nice little case of ‘Hobby’ when in fact you’re working at your craft/business with all the oomph and resource you can muster?
I’ve had a number of folk ask how to keep their faith when another or ‘others’ (sometimes those closest to them) simply don’t recognise or respect the effort and dedication they put in day in and day out as credible.
Often it’s the result of nay-sayers looking through a sole filter of monetary visibility and exchange.
In other words; if there’s not a wage-worth of cash coming in as a result of your efforts, then it can’t be taken as a business, just a ‘hobby’ and you really aren’t contributing in any grown-up, ‘realistic’ way.
Sometimes the negative feedback is a result of the ‘onlooker’ being unable to grasp the depth of work and effort you’re putting in simply because they cannot physically ‘see’ it.
With certain types of work, particularly with artists, (of all genres) the effort behind the product or performance doesn’t show up regularly or quickly in physically viewable ways.
I read a quote a number of years ago on observing the creative, it went something like this: “Trying to watch the creative at work, is like trying to view an invisible horse eat invisible hay”
You simply can’t ‘view’ the alchemy and effort that’s taking place inside the creative mind at any given time.
And if your work isn’t in the arts but never-the-less your efforts and the business you’re growing has been diced, sliced and served back to you on a judgement platter with a side serving of scoff, this inaccurate labelling affects you too.
Building a business takes blood, sweat and tears that mostly take place behind closed doors, and the results can’t be sized up accurately with anyone else’s yardstick.
Just because something isn’t measurable or hauling in thick cash bundles just yet, it doesn’t mean it’s okay for anyone else to minimise it or your efforts as some little ‘hobby.’
This sort of judgement is not only discouraging it can be disorienting. It takes enormous amounts of courage to believe in a thing that others can’t see…
It takes even greater character and fortitude to keep building and working on it, despite nay-sayers and a less than immediate return cash flow.
It’s easy to be the one pointing the finger, this much is clear.
Virginia Satir was right; “We mustn’t allow other peoples limited perceptions to define us”
You’re the one in the ring showing up round after round and no matter what comes at you in that ring, you need to also be calling to yourself from the sidelines like a coach.
Don’t allow anything or anyone that doesn’t support or grow you, to distort the truth, shake you up, or mess with your head.
Pick yourself up and remember the truth…
You’re a freaking legend and what you bring to the table is not here to ‘qualify’ by first checking the boxes in someone else’s ledger.
Against the odds of a world that has been conditioned to believe that money and proof of productivity are necessary to make a thing of value, you rose like a phoenix with your ideas, dreams and goals and showed up.
Forget what others can’t see and keep rising.
You’re a visionary. This world needs what you bring. Keep going.
Yes! This! Thank you for this. It was a very well-timed read for me.
And I love your turns of phrase!
“has been diced, sliced and served back to you on a judgement platter with a side serving of scoff” — so good.
Thanks Lynika! I know a lot of people will feel encouraged and inspired to charge full steam ahead after reading this.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting Selise. You and your feedback are a beautiful blessing. Many thanks – Lynika x