No one likes to fail. Recently, I tried to re-learn how to hula hoop.I have to admit, it was a disaster. Hula hooping only looks cool if you’re doing it well. Otherwise, you look more than a little silly. But as long as you’re trying NOT to look silly, you can never learn. It’s a catch 22. I learned something as the hoop dropped to the ground over and over.
You have to fail to learn.
Why is that? Why can’t we just be geniuses to begin with? You’re probably smiling knowingly, right? You’re thinking, well, of course it doesn’t work like that. Of course you have to fall off a bike a few times while you learn to ride, and you have to miss the basket a few times while you’re learning to shoot. Still, I’ll bet you dont like it any more than I do.
I’ve been working on learning how to draw. To be honest, I’ve been working on this project for quite a long time. Ever since around third grade, when I started to realize my drawings didn’t come out looking the way I saw them in my head. So why am I not a stellar artist by now? Well, I’ve been afraid to fail. I’ve only drawn the things I knew would come out okay. I took breaks every time drawing became hard. I told myself, “I can’t really draw.” these are all excuses. I can learn to draw, just like I can re-learn to hula hoop. But if I refuse to draw badly, if I am too afraid to push beyond my current skill, I will never get any better than I am now.
Which is worse: drawing badly as I learn to get better, or not drawing at all?
Though I’m often paralyzed by fear of failure, I don’t want this to be my story. In twenty years, I don’t want to say: I’ve always wanted to be able to draw, but I just couldn’t learn. Can’t, can’t, can’t. I despise the word. It stops me, and everyone else I know in their tracks.
Anything can be done, one tiny step at a time. Truly. Anything.
So, I found a book. Learning to Draw in 30 Days. I’m challenging myself to draw along with the book. If i miss a day, I’m picking up a day later. I’m going to give this my best shot. I’m going to go ahead and draw badly, knowing that I’ll keep getting better. I’ll post a few of my drawings here.
Anyone want to draw with me? I’d love to hear how it goes, if you do!
