Day 3: Present Focus — all work is aspirational
Reframe focus on the result not to effort
You’re reading the Ten Minute Visual Journal Method.
And this is Day 3, If you’re new to all this start at Day 1
If you’re still reading, I trust you’re following along with great enthusiasm, art you already finding yourself more interested in your days? Are you more interesting?
Yes! Yes you are!
Today we’re going to discuss the next question in the method,
“What are you working on?”
All work is aspirational.
Work is your sacrifice today for a brighter future. For that reason what you’re working on day to day is vastly interesting. Go into the minutia, did into the small details. What did the client say? What did you celebrate? Where did you fall short?
Draw that.
If you keep this habit for a long time you’ll get to look back at all the tiny building blocks that got you through the years. You’ll see the ways you chose to employ yourself. But this question doesn’t just apply to your occupation and your career.
Maybe you’re working on a relationship.
Maybe you’re working on building a skill.
Maybe you’re working on a side project. Or learning a new language or an escape plan.
Document that!
What you’re working on says a lot about where you’re going, bringing this to your awareness helps you chart the course.
How one drawing can multiply your energy
Okay here’s the power up.
When most people think about work they make a huge mistake. They only focus on the drudgery of the task rather than the outcome. Do people go to the gym for the pain or for the result?
Most people who struggle with the gym struggle because they focus on the work, the sweat, the grot. Instead of focusing on the fact that it’s going to make them feel great, look good, and have more energy.
We make this mistake about all kinds of work.
Urgh, I got to email editors.
Urgh, I got to finish these illustrations.
Urgh, I got to learn how to update my website.
So eventhough they are doing something that’s moving them towards their goal, they feel bad about it.
But not you, you know the secret.
Remember what I said at the beginning, All work is Aspirational. So why focus on the struggle, rather than the prize?
Here’s how one 2 minute drawing changes the way you think and feel about work. Instead of drawing the struggle, draw the prize!
In 2020, before I my wife was pregnant and I was just still figuring out how to become a picture-book illustrator, I drew a picture of myself in a bookshop with my wife and kid, all smiling, and a shelf full of my books. I experienced the feeling for years before it has happened in reality.
You’re going to work anyway. But you don’t have to fill yourself with a feeling of dread, instead you can fill yourself, with all the good feelings of the prize that you are working towards.
Learn to connect your actions to the feeling of that positive outcome, it will energise you.
So whenever you answer the question “what are you working on?”
Start by drawing that outcome, that victory, that prize.
Call it what you want, Imaging, Visualisation, Affirmation, Prayer, Magic or simply a Reframe.
One 3 minute drawing can transform how you feel about your whole day, every day!
Time to Draw!
How are we doing so far, right now this practice is already making you more interested, more interesting and feeling better about your work. I can’t wait to see this new version of you expressed over 4 panels.
And I’ll see you in Day 4
PS: The Check-ins
Each day we’ll explore one of the questions in a little more depth as we try to layer more and more potency into your ten minutes of practice. I’ll also send it to you once a day over the next 4 days.
Day 1: The Visual Journal Method
Day 2: Time as a Filter — learn to filter and pick your moments of interest.
Day 3: Present Focus — all work is aspirational
Day 4: Vision — vision drives reality
Day 5: Gratitude — your most creative state
Ten Minute Artist gives you a Gameplan to build a lifelong creative habit and attract your true fans - I’m also involved in these two other substacks:
Art Gym with Katie Stack is a monthly skill building workshop with a huge library
Art Quest with Jen Gubicza is and ongoing adventure party writing picturebooks together.