How long must it take to succeed at something, and why?
I just got back from dinner with Christine Farber, who sponsored my presentation here yesterday; who decided that a process involving art would be a good thing to expose professional psychologists to. Actually she was keeping me company at dinner, and it was the first hour I had her alone since getting here. The conversation meandered through success, happiness, achievement and seeking depth of human contact. I mentioned that the subject had arisen here that it could take between five and eight more years for me to get anywhere as a photographer.
The question she asked was: and why would that be?
There is actually no reason. All it takes is one point of human contact; the illumination of one synapse in the collective soul. I suggest we stop telling one another how hard it’s gonna be and start making it easier for one another. (To do that we would only need to ditch those inner authoritarian voices of parents and teachers who told us the same thing, and be ourselves.)
I am certain we don’t admit how much we can do for one another, and if we do, we spent a lot of time and energy not doing it. We don’t usually recognize how much we can do for ourselves, either, but let’s talk about helping one another from the point of advantage we have. I recognize I live in a world where I will take the first opportunity to do what I can, for anyone I can. I recognize that most of what I have accomplished has come from a combination of preparing and practicing and developing — and then there is a point of collaboration. Someone helps me. Sometimes I reach for the person; sometimes they just see an opening and are helpful. Sometimes someone just gives you a chance.