My secret sauce when creating anything
Today, I want to tell you a story that was a great lesson I learnt when I was a kid (I still remember it so that’s how you know it was important :D )
I was something like 5 or 6, and as a homework, I had to reproduce a painting (I wanted to add something like « this was the good times", but my job right now is not that far away!!)
I remember it was a landscape of a sunset, with a lot of red and blue, I would probably recognize it if I saw it right now!
I remember doing it, not rely putting my mind on it, it was done, my homework were done, alright all good, I was going to sleep and go to school the next day.
My sister (she is 11 years older) came in my room and saw my art peace. Straight away she went : this is bad, you do it again ». I was like « wtf » I had done my homework I could not understand what was wrong, and even worst, I couldn’t go to bed!
But she took the time to show me what I should have done, she did her own version of the painting so I could see what technique she used. It was not something magical or mysterious : she was putting LOVE in this. She was actually caring about what she was doing, not just doing it for the sake of doing it. I tried and right away it looked SO DIFFERENT. I was blown away by the result, I had no idea I could do something that look this good and I finally had the best grade of all the class. She made me understand this day that it is not about being good at something : it’s about doing it with care and attention, and it does make so much more difference.
THERE IS NO POINT DOING THINGS JUST TO DO THEM
I think I am seing so many people thinking they are not good enough, they think they don’t have the skills to have good results, they think it’s all just like this and they will never be good at anything. But the truth is, they forget the main ingredient : it’s LOVE!
I know it sounds cheesy, but it is absolutely true (plus if you know what I am creating, you know I am not such « spark joy » kind of person :D )
If you miss to add this crucial ingredient, I think you can not excel in anything you are doing : if you cook, you have to cook with love, because if you don’t, something is going to end up burnt up for sure! But if you put all your attention in what you are doing, then even if it’s not perfect, you gave it all your love, and it shows, and trust me, people see this things.
It is exactly the same in every area, I will photograph people with love, I will treat my models with respect and treat them as my friends, I will have empathy for my client’s insecurities. And when I am doing my retouching, I am not just applying a mask or removing blemishes : I am doing everything with so much care so the result is the best I could have done. And when I deliver the pictures, I even say it out loud « I created this with love, and I hope you are going to love the result as much as I do! »
And to be honest with you, if I don’t do stuff with love, I don’t see the point of doing them at all :)
I would love to know if you think this is important. Do you already do it in some areas of your life?
