Life as Art

I've been writing a lot about The Way of the Artist in this series. I sum it up in the three "not so simple" steps:

1. Dream big
2. Do the work
3. Share it

My point is that as the dream transitions to reality and people are touched by it, inspiration happens. The artist is inspired and so are those who enjoy the work.

We can think of any project as art in this way. Maybe it's something we'd normally consider art, like a painting or a song, but it doesn't have to be limited to those things. 

My wife helps run a homeless shelter in our community. She could talk about the initial vision, the work it takes to make it real and how the end result is shared with those in need. I call that art too. People are inspired to take part in it.

But what if we go beyond projects and look at our lives as art? Or if not our entire lives, how about roles we play such as teacher, father or husband? I think there is great value in reflecting on ourselves and our actions in this way.

• What was the initial vision that got us in this role? Was it our vision, someone else's or a combination of many? The power of the final work starts in the uniqueness of this original vision, so it's worth exploring.
• What work did we do to make that vision a reality? How close have we come?
• How are the results of this vision and work being shared? It might be shared with only a few people, but my guess is there's a way in which it can inspire.

Of course, when our lives is the work, we almost always talking about a work in progress. It is a special type of art that's never done. It's like a song that changes as many people play it or a long-running play that develops over the years.

There's always a chance to get closer to the vision (or maybe alter the vision). There's a chance to share it with more people or share it in a better way. 

I encourage everyone to think about life this way, some aspect of it, some ongoing work you're involved in. Look long and hard at it. Connect with the original dream and do what it takes to make it real. Tell the story and stay inspired to inspire others.

_________________

I'm doing a challenge this month to post on one of my blogs every day. It's in preparation for my conference session, The Way of the Google Drive. Be sure to follow me on Twitter or on either blog to keep up with the "thoughts and tools to inspire". 

Click here to see all the posts from Teaching Like an Artist with the tag The Way of the Google Drive.