Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Focus or Fail!


Focus

What do carrier pigeons have to teach you about reaching your goals?  A lot, according to artist and writer Jack White in his fascinating post for Fine Art Views.  
White begins with John James Audubon who reports seeing the sun eclipsed by a flight of millions of pigeons and continues into the tales of heroic carrier pigeons and their amazing ability to find home under extreme conditions.  He uses the pigeons to teach several lessons important to artists, and anyone trying to create success in their professions.  
My favorite, perhaps because it hit home, is Focus or Fail! and here's what White says:
3. Carrier pigeons faced great danger with the enemy doing all in their power to kill them. Yet they ignored the fodder and fire to push on - always pressing forward and never looking back to where they left. The moment the pigeon carrying a vital message was released from its base, the bird became single focused. The one and only goal was to reach their home coop. I have found lack of focus to be the Achilles Heel of so many artists. Write this down, Focus or Fail.

The post is filled with interesting information and valuable lessons and well worth reading.

5 comments:

  1. love the story of the pigeons.. thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like how well he sustained the examples throughout the post. All good advice!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great insights! I need some focus today for sure!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks everyone ... obviously focus is a big issue for me since I had to make a piece of art for myself ... which sits in front of me all the time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Funny! We're in sink.Or is that focus?

    ReplyDelete