Be at the Top of Your Game | FineArtViews Blog by Canvoo

This article is by Keith Bond, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

By the time you read this post, the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada will have begun. I love watching the Olympics. The Winter Games are my favorite. It is a wonderful thing to witness the entire world come together to join in the events.

The athletes who participate in the events are among the best in the world. They have devoted years of hard work and sacrifice to their game. They have drive and ambition. They have reached numerous goals which have brought them to this point. They have perseverance. They get back up after every fall. They push on. In the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, they tackle the next obstacle. They don�t quit. They never give up. They have a need to perform. They have a need to fulfill their purpose.

Not all athletes have the privilege of participating in the Olympics. It is a great honor, that isn�t taken lightly. They have earned the right to be there. There are many, many athletes around the world who are likewise phenomenal. Yet, for whatever reason, never reach the Olympics. That is okay, too. These athletes have the same drive and ambition. Many have still attained great things. It doesn�t matter for many of them that they were never in the spotlight. They play their game to the best of their ability. They enjoy their game. They are still never content with mediocrity.

Your story is very similar. As a visual artist, you possess many of the same traits as these world class athletes. You have drive and ambition. You have honed your skills for years. You continually strive to push yourself and reach those new milestones. You are never content with mediocrity. You have talent. You develop your skills. You push yourself on. You stumble from time to time, but you get back up and tackle the problems head on.

Whether or not you are at the top of your game yet, doesn�t matter. You will get there. You will reach the point where you have earned the privilege of being among the best of the best. Why? Because, it is simply who you are. You have a gift that is unique to only yourself. No one else in the world can create the artwork you create. No one else in the world can say what you have to say in the way you say it. Only you can create your art.

Some of you reading this may have recently taken a tumble. Perhaps you think to yourself, �I can�t do it. I can�t succeed.� On the contrary! You can. But you have to decide to do it. You need to find that drive from deep within.

Keep your goals in front of you. Know what you wish to achieve. Define success for yourself. Then do everything in your power to make it all happen. Work hard. Push on. You may never reach the artists� equivalent of the Olympics. That�s fine, as long as you know you have given everything you have to be the best you can be. You will have great satisfaction and enjoyment in your art if you always give it your best. You will always find a venue for your art. You will always have fans to cheer you on and support you in your art. Give them reason to continue cheering you on. Don�t settle for mediocrity. Be at the top of your game.

Best Wishes,

Keith Bond

PS. These Olympic Games take on special significance for me. I am half Canadian. It will be fun to see Canada host the games. But I will be torn between cheering for the U.S. team and the Canadian team. I suppose I will cheer for both. Can I have two favorites? I also enjoy cheering for the Swiss, German, and Austrian teams. I lived there for a few years when I was younger. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for those countries. But, I will cheer louder for my two North American teams!