Expand Your Limits

One of the things we played with as kids was trying to figure out where our limits are. Once we figured out where those limits are, we tried to push them. By doing so we were able to expand what we could do, physically and mentally. By continuously pushing our limits we got better, we got stronger, and we got better skilled. Heck, we even got later bedtimes by continuously pushing the issue.

We need to constantly be doing this even as an adult. We can't do that if we constantly play within our limits. You need to figure out where your limits are and then push past them. If you can only do so much detail occasionally try a little bit more. If you can only create in one kind of medium, try a different one. If you can only do painting it may be interesting to see how you can do in ink.

You as an artist should always be trying to figure out how to do new and interesting things. You should be trying to push yourself. You should not be a static individual; you should always be a little bit more on the dynamic side. You should always be trying to figure out new skills. The only way you're going to learn is if you push yourself and you try something new. I don't care if it's doing something as simple as doing, say, two paintings day instead of just one; trying that extra challenge, doubling your output just to see if you can do it with the same quality, can help establish a limit or help show you that you gotten better can be fun to do every so often. 

You need to challenge yourself just to see what you can do, and then push through it. Once you determine what your limits you can then move past them. Don't let difficult challenges throw you; harder challenges just mean that you need to push yourself harder.

You're going to find out what you can pull ioff or you're going to find out that there are just things that you can't do. Either way, you're going to find out something new about yourself. Don't be embarrassed if you find a limit you can't cross; it just means you should try harder in other directions. You're only human; you will find that you have limits. Nonetheless, don't let them stop you; you should always be pushing yourself to find those limits and then push past them. 

That's the only way you will get better and find out just what you can do. So don't see limits as absolute; see them as challenges instead and see what happens.