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YOUR EXCELLENCE: YOUR WORK
by Dr. Arthur Chang
"Art is the art of concealing art." I loved this oft-repeated wisdom by my high school art teacher. Only much later did I realize it was her version of Ovid's saying, "Art lies in concealing art."
Great work seems to conceal the insurmountable effort that goes into it. Art, then, does conceal the astounding amount of work that makes it appear as if it was effortlessly done. The truth is no one gets to this divine stage of expression without long, rigorous efforts. Think of gymnasts eligible for the Olympics-how easy they make their incredible performances seem.
"The absent-minded maestro was racing up New York's Seventh Avenue to a rehearsal, when a stranger stopped him. "Pardon me," he said, "can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?"
"Yes," answered the maestro breathlessly. "Practice!"
Process, practice, and work are magical. Many are the great miracles which are derived through long enduring efforts. Touched by the spark of the imagination, with good work, we are able to achieve the genius within us. The privilege of a lifetime is not in merely being who we are, but in working at who we are. To feel the value of working toward excellence, we only need to think of the countless, beloved ones who have lost the ability to do for themselves. Many have become dependent on others even for the most basic of functions of life. No one wishes for such a life. Work is a blessing. Hard work at what we love is miraculous.
Work is one of the greatest gifts of freedom life offers us. Steve Jobs says, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."
If you do not feel the true value of work, finding a way to infuse it with love will bring about the magic or miracle that lets you achieve great work and an excellence that seems to come with ease and with the assurance you did not settle for less than your best.
Blessing:
May your work push you past the seemingly impossible goals you have set for yourself. May you, despite your hard work, achieve your desire with a feeling of ease and grace of which it may be said, "Art is the art of concealing art."
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