To Artists Who’ve Quit

I’ve added up the failings. Last year I quit 11 projects. So as much as this is for you — it’s also for me.

I personally know:

• Gifted writers who’ve quit writing.
• Imaginative painters who’ve quit painting.
• Boundary-pushing musicians who’ve quit making music.
• Captivating photographers who’ve quit shooting.
• Compelling storytellers who’ve quit telling stories.

They sit on their hands, and they sit on their gifts. Now the world’s artifacts suffer. Our planet isn’t as beautiful or as interesting as it could be.

Some of them traded in their gifts for something that resembles security.
Some of them are too distracted by Facebook-arguments or Instagram-envy or Twitter-attention.

• Some of them have been beat up by the art world and think they’re too wounded to return.
• Some of them got sick of bleeding for their art just to hear crickets.
• Some of them were too proud to be hobbyists for a few years, so they gave up altogether.
• Some of them bought into the lie that what they have to say is worthless.

I hope you aren’t like them. If you are, it’s not too late. Run back to the studio, piano, desk, canvas, stage, camera, computer. Run back to your work.

But if we’re being honest, every single one of us is like them sometimes. Every month, I go through my very own wilderness and consider quitting everything.

Most of the time I quit. But not forever. I always find myself back at this tiny desk — bleeding all over everything.