The Journalist questions why

 I was going to write some fancy paper that takes each questions from the blog “what’s perfect when your learning?” However, I am not a fancy person. I am a down-to-earth kind of person who “likes things simply.” I will first remind you of some of “The critic questions.” I am just not cut out for this, it didn’t work so why keep trying, I failed because I am not good enough. I keep messing up, so I am wasting my time. I don’t like what I create because “its not perfect.” I keep wasting my time and money. I could probably go on for awhile listening every questions and frankly its probably impossible to list everything. 

From the start, learning and trying is a marathon and has a lot of “ups and down.” Each task takes time and patients. As my projects have evolved over the years I have come to face different challenges. I remember complaining about how I don’t like “fine detail work.” Ironically I have made my projects more complex and of course smaller. I have come to appreciate and learn how relative the word “perfection,” can be. Because you have to place value on the other attributes involved in the craft. With wood working I have found there is three categories. One is the tools and equipment you have at your disposal. 

When I started out of course my tools were limited. However, the did not stop me from making “something perfect.” I believe the project I created when I first started was perfect. I believe the step above perfect is “perfectly perfect,” and when I reach that point “what else would be there to challenge me.” Yes, my projects were on the simpler side. I know and will acknowledge that a person with better tools and experience would possible criticize the work to make it not perfect and I am a fool to think so. However, I am a firm believer in the qualify of my crafted projects I have made. To the current experience, skill level, and available equipment quality. I am a believer in and work to challenge my skills. If a person wants to criticize my work, its obvious there focused on the wrong potential and values. Which is there problem not mine. 

The second category is skill and experience. Which comes through time, trial and error, and challenging yourself. The third is design. Over the years, I have challenged myself with different designs and different complexities. I have found each design has its own share of challenges and variations to a “plan” to achieve a successful outcome. 

When asking “why” should break down each section into “something reasonable.” You have one tool, and you work and try different things to learn how it works. With each project I would find “a question,” that I could use to challenge myself and improve my skills and abilities. 

From my first projects I found what needed to be fix first. Let's correct that, Fix usually applies to something is broken or wrong. However in learning a new craft let change the focus to a positive challenge. Instead ask what needed.. No the positive way is how and what to work on for improvement. My first improvement challenge, I determined needed to be figured out was “obtaining the appropriate background depth.” I remember trying different ideas with the tools that I had. If I was not finding the right answer I continued to try and learn. Over time there were a lot of questions. I answered the questions by researching ideas and tools. Of course, I believe and found value in investing my money and time into more and better tools. This is also in correlation to my skills evolution.

I don’t …. I messed up …. I failed… The end of these usually is not a full thought. Or it does not include a reason. Some lines that have caught me was “I don’t like it, I messed up, I failed.” However, I was missing I don’t like it because it’s not what I had imagined it should be. I messed up because I underestimated the bit, I chose which caused me to cut the wrong spot. I failed because I haven’t touched the project I started six months ago. These are just some. Now if we investigate the why behind these. Not liking your work is a loaded question, because how can you not like something when you’re not sure what the finished project should look like. I have had many projects that in the moment the wood “had a mind of its own,” or it wasn’t drawn correctly.

 As I look at the work, I narrow down what part I don’t like and why. I have had projects where I am looking at it and say, “that was not drawn right.” Then I will consider my options and go for it. I have had two different variations that came from the same idea drawing. I have had projects where I thought I had translated my idea into a solid execution plan. However, in the moments of making it “I was wrong.” I have had wood pieces break for multiple reasons from “wrong angle,” to “cutting to deep.” In the moment when the “oops,” happens I have thought multiple times “the project was destroyed.” Never-the-less just by giving it “another look,” being patient with my work and the desire to continue something is always possible. A new look and beautiful work has a potential to reveal itself. Ya, “I might have messed up,” but that doesn’t mean there is no value in the final project. That doesn't mean the entire project is a waist when one part doesn’t work out. Yes, you might have to start over get the look from your first imagination. If there is still valuable material anything is possible, you may just need to take a break and relook when your fresh again.

Failure is only because you stopped. I have had project which I’ve mentions before that yes would be technically a failure. However, I developed skills and experience to continue on with other ideas and projects. I have resorted back to trying ideas again. The blog with that story is under “My nervous bravery.” To be honest some projects are still on the back burning to figure out. Like making a wood pen by hand. But they are not put out to pasture. I am staying focused on passion and desire I want to make in the moment. I have been inspired by see old work.

 Motivation is a tricky thing to manage, especially when the end is hard to see. I have found and mentioned this before two of the biggest things I value is “my time,” and “my creative freedom.” People call me crazy for not valuing money. I answer that with “money is not my focus.” Time is a tricky thing to manage and value. I hear it all the time “ow I wish I had,” when people find out that it took me anywhere from 3 hours to 25 hours to complete a project. But what they don’t realize is that 25 hours is broken up over multiple weeks. I have found in my personal life that priority management for the everyday is key. Where I want to have time for blank. So what do you need to do or change to “make it possible.” I have found that I am more productive with my daily "have to activies." Anything is possible if your willing to make the time for it. The other hand is that you have to ask yourself “what else would I do instead of.” From doom scrolling on social media or YouTube, playing video games or whatever else that might be brain melting and “non-productive.” I will admit that I do my fair share of “non-productive activities.” This is an investment in your future of adventures, challenges, and such. Yes, spending money can be difficult and is hard to come by especially in today economy. It’s the same or similar question regarding your time investment. Work and find a balance of enjoyment and function. Giving yourself a way to try, enjoy, grow in mental strength and continue on the marathon of using your imagination to achieve endless possibilities.