Lessons in Sailing towards Artistic Success

An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one. ~Charles Horton Cooley

Indigenous people of the Pacific Islands were some of the earliest sailors, navigating the vast ocean waters thousands of years before the Vikings.

While sailing towards new destinations was very often necessitated by a lack of material resources or human conflict, it was also driven by an adventuresome and creative spirit. Who knew what lay beyond the horizon except those who dared to dream and to create the technology to sail there?

I believe that successful artists are a lot like those ancient sailors. And for those of us seeking artistic success they offer some inspirational lessons.

Lesson #1: Your Dreams Are Your Reality

Think about it: Who in their right mind would believe that they could take some wood and some cloth, fashion it in a particular way, ride that creation upon the ocean waves into an unknown horizon…and live to tell about it? Ancient Pacific sailors, of course. They believed it, they built it, they did it—and I’m pretty sure they told stories about it later.

Like those sailors, successful artists are ordinary people who are willing to not merely dream, but to believe their creative dreams can and will become reality.

Successful artists tenaciously believe in creative possibilities. They believe that what others call impossible is absolutely, unequivocally possible. And they don’t give up making their dream a reality until they’ve achieved it…or died trying.

And how is that ordinary? Because anyone can possess tenacious faith and anyone can persevere. These are not extraordinary traits. In fact, they’re quite common and, ultimately, universal. Since we’ve been walking upright, humans have tenaciously believed in possibility and persevered in the face of all kinds of extraordinary circumstances.

Take me for example. I’m an ordinary person. More to the point, I’m a rather ordinary writer. But I’m living my creative dreams. I’m creating a life in poetry.

When I’m tapping out a poem or teaching poetry to young people or standing on stage performing my poems to an enthusiastic audience, I’m living my dreams, and whenever I stop to think about it, I never fail to smile a little. Okay, maybe I smile a lot.

Some people in my life were skeptical and didn’t think it could be done. But I did. And while I don’t always love my life—I mean, I’ve got all the ordinary problems and worries of everyone else—living my dreams totally rocks!

Lesson #2: Hone Your Craft

Given the oftentimes treacherous ocean waters, no way could ancient sailors focus on where they’d eventually land. While in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I imagine they were too busy plying their talents and skills in order to stay alive than to worry much about what was beyond that next ocean wave.

Likewise, artists become successful by honing their skills and creating their art. Period.

Seem obvious? Well, if you’re an artist, then you probably know first-hand, just how hard it can be to simply focus on creating the art and not worry about where it’s going to take you, how you’re going to share it with other people, whether or not anyone will ever even notice, and on and on it goes.

Doubt, worry, and fear plague most artists. We are, after all, ordinary people.

But I know from experience that when I’m writing and truly engaged in creative thought, then I’m not worrying, I’m not doubting, and I’m certainly not afraid. I’m focused on the next word, the next image or phrase, the next stanza until I’ve written a draft of a poem. And then, I’m editing and pushing around, deleting, or swapping words.

So, when I’m writing, I’m focused on honing my skills and talents, not on whether or not I’ll be successful.

But in my youth, I worried and daydreamed more than I worked until I finally discovered the difference between talent and skill.

Talent is something you’re born with, and we all possess certain measures of talent. But skill is something you learn through consistent efforts towards mastery. And anyone can achieve mastery of their skills through consistent and diligent practice.

What I came to understand was that talent alone wasn’t enough and all my dreams of artistic success hinged on one simple thing: becoming the best writer I could be by honing my creative skills.

Lesson #3: Be Bold

Of course, some ancient sailors died in the open seas. That’s the thing about the extreme risks they took. Life and death depended not simply on talent, skill, and experience but upon those things they couldn’t control—the ocean, the weather, the winds. Still, through sheer audacity, many were rewarded with the sight of land.

Which brings me to my favorite trait of successful artists: They’re ridiculously audacious.

And what exactly is “audacity”? It’s merely boldness and daring—a disregard for “normal” restraints.

In almost every instance, audacity beats everything, even talent.

For instance, mediocre talent rises to the top of the cultural heap all the time. And for every “literary genius” who manages to make the history books, there’s probably a hundred more who were just as talented but languished.

More often than not, what separates those who are successful and those who languish is not skill, it’s not experience, and it isn’t even talent. It’s the audacity to take risks.

Successful artists, then, take risks and don’t limit themselves or their creative talent to “normal” cultural restraints.

Now, I’ll admit I’m somewhat timid when it comes to risk-taking. But in 2005, I quit my college teaching job, ditched a Ph.D. program that I felt I’d wasted years on, and declared that I would write and perform poetry full-time.

Crazy? Yes. A risk? A huge one. Audacious? So much so that it’s making me grin right now.

Lesson #4: It’s About Loving The Journey

Not knowing which shore they would land upon, ancient sailors had to focus, not on a particular destination, but on their skills, experience, and wits to navigate the waters. Not being able to control wind or sea, they were left with the boat, themselves, and the journey.

What’s really crazy about those ancient Pacific sailors? They didn’t sail the ocean looking for land only one time. They did it again, and again, and again.

And surely, they sailed not simply by necessity but also for the sheer pleasure of adventure. Surely, they loved sailing, loved the open sky and the quick winds as much as the lolling boat and lulling of stiller waters.

So, that’s another thing about successful artists: they love the creative process and their art.

While I’ve achieved some of my creative dreams, I don’t have this “artistic success” thing all figured out. I’m nurturing many dreams of success that haven’t materialized in my life…yet.

Right now in my life, I’m honing my craft, seeking out new opportunities, taking some risks in my career, and ultimately, focusing on the creative journey, rather than the destination because I truly believe that’s how I’ll achieve my dreams.

More significantly, I do it because I’m passionate about my art and I love the adventures and journeys it takes me on.

So, if you’re looking for artistic success, then be like an ancient Pacific sailor:

Focus on your craft, be bold, live your creative dream, and enjoy the journey.

I can’t promise you smooth sailing, but if your experience is anything like mine, then it’s gonna be one hell of an awesome ride.

What are your dreams of artistic success? How are you achieving them?

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Flickr photo courtesy of josedmart.