(artwork by Caytie Frampton – @caytiediddesigns)

My sister Caytie is an artist.  She always has been. 

She is super talented and proficient in drawing, and sketching, and hand-lettering, and doodling, – and painting.

Or, so I thought. 

Two months ago she sent me a text.  “I’ve been doing some painting……”  

What? I thought she had always been doing some painting.  I even have paintings she’s watercolored in the past. 

Turns out that sometime in that past, she decided she was not a watercolorist.

When I asked more questions she said “I’ve always wanted to be a painter.  I finally found a good teacher and a style that I love.” 

She is addicted. She has been practicing being a painter – almost daily – since.  

Today I got to spend a few minutes in her ‘studio’ and see with my own eyes the fruits of her practice.  

I asked her if I could keep one of the still life renderings that caught my eye.  It was perfect.  She said “Sure!” and then offered this disclaimer, “Just know I will get better than this – so this will always be an ‘early’ piece.”

James Clear says,

“In the beginning, your skills are raw, your knowledge is sparse, and you lack experience. At best, you will be able to produce work that is ‘just okay.’ And even then, you’ll only manage to reach ‘just okay’ by giving your best effort.

Nobody wants to produce something that is ‘just okay.’ You’ll feel like it’s beneath your standards. You’ll worry about what others think of you. You’ll wonder whether you would be better off taking a different path. But it is impossible to reach that stage unless you are willing to work through your current stage.

And so, one of the main obstacles between who you are and who you could be is courage. The courage to keep trying even if you’re not yet as good as you hope. The courage to keep trying despite your fears of what others may think. The courage to keep trying without knowing how the future will unfold.

Your great work is on the other side of your early work. The only way to be exceptional later on is to have the courage to be ‘just okay’ right now. This is how it is for everyone.”

No matter how much I disagree with her, to Caytie, the piece I took home today is “just okay”.  

She is exercising the courage – every day – to get to the other side.

I can’t wait to hear about how you’re exercising your own courage.  Even without knowing how your future will unfold.   And if you need help with getting past the “just okay” phase, I’d love to be a supporter on your journey. 

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