Work to Inspire; Not Impress
To some extent, everyone wants to look good when it comes to being noticed by others. We may have something that we try to show or make noticeable to other people when we interact. This can be displayed by showing something that we’re proud of – talking about a moment we’re proud of, wearing something expensive, focus on being an interesting person, or simply just looking like we’re happy and have less problems than we do.
People don’t need to be impressed and you don’t need to impress other people. It’s not going to build up a proper self-esteem anyways. As this may seem obvious, we may not be aware of how effected we are by the opinions of other people. When we work to impress others, we then become dependent upon their opinions. The value of someone’s opinion is not only temporary; it’s also not what determines what is important.
The world needs more people to inspire them. What better way to inspire someone than being independent of the public’s opinion and doing something entirely unique? This isn’t a call to be reckless and abandon social responsibility; it’s a call to create, be you, and live without a sense of conformity. Society needs freethinkers to help advance the confines in which we often live in.
When you inspire, you put the attention off of yourself and onto the bigger picture. People will rarely be inspired by how good you look or what kind of car you drive. Those things can certainly impress them, but inspiration runs deeper. Inspiration focuses on what could be of the future. Being impressed is a temporary satisfaction with the present or past.
There’s nothing wrong with being impressed with what’s been done - however, what keeps us moving forward is inspiration; a desire to grow, to create, to produce, to make something new. Inspiration is what keeps us moving forward and drives us further into development.
When we think about our impact in the world, it would be better to encourage others to do something better. I love photography and music. If I teach someone what I’ve learned, I will want those learning to use whatever techniques they can to become advance. It would be selfish to think that any talent, idea, ability, and creation should solely be my own without anyone else having access to understanding.
We all work together to make this world work. No one is an island by himself or herself; pride keeps us in isolation. We’re meant to share ideas, love, and life. Once we begin commoditizing our work and get concerned over money, we’ve lost sight of what’s most important - advancing development.
Some believe that if they don’t protect their work, someone will steal it. It really doesn’t matter because those who steal cannot be successful. Success is not relative in terms of money, but in terms of real value. Even if art is stolen, thieves cannot truly re-create what they’ve tried to copy.
There is a sense being inauthentic that lies in the work of a copycat. Copycats are nothing to fear, life plays itself out, as it should. Be confident and pleased with the art you create – not for the sake of money but for the sake of creating
I never put a logo on any of my photographs. It’s useless to try and protect all of my work. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if someone steals a photograph; it’s not something I can stop, even if I put a logo onto it. I’m here to create, not get concerned with how much money I make from abilities that’s been gifted to me without cost. Focus on inspiring other to be as best as they can be - deepen the mystery of art, not make a priority in the amount of publicity or money you gain.
For further related reading, please read Contributing to Humanity, Not Competing for Profit.
