Chris,
The way to cast that spirit of insecurity out, is to be proud of what you have achieved, glory in the grace you have acquired, as it is the gift of your hard work, and realize that we all started at the same place you did long ago. You have taken on no easy task.
Because we have more years doesn't make us better than you. Actually it makes you the very same as us, maybe just at an earlier place in time and space. It only means that we might have a little more exerience. That is what you can gain now, and are in the process of doing. And any way to speed that up is to your benifit.
You know though, you are exactly right about the business part (whole new ball game) of the trade and just as important when you are attempting to make a living of engraving. Tools are such a small part of it all, but at the same time essential. You can get tools easy nowadays. You cannot get experience without a lot of time, even years sometimes.
But don't lock yourself in my friend. Get out there! Expose your work wherever you can. Go to local shows, hand out thousands of cards, and shake people's hands. The public is more forgiving than you might think, and you will get a good reception, which goes a long way to diminishing that insecurity. Never pass up an opportunity to show people how you do what you do. Just don't limit yourself to doing one kind of engraving. Be a master of it all, and you will stay busy enough to make a go of it. You can switch totally to your greatest love later if you wish, ornamental engraving. I had to put it on the back burner more often than not, but I still found time to do it all along the way. It was all a part of my conglomerate work load.
As long as you keep going back to the well to get renewed, you will be okay. you get my drift.
I do admit though, that it always pays to remain humble in all things. I see genuiness in that, and that is probably the most important thing of all. That deep sincerity will pay you back one day, and the trail you walked and left behind will be straight and true..............but then, that is your destiny, and your trail is what it is all about anyway, is it not?
Be proud that you can create things that speak to other men's spirits in other times, as that inspires them to do great things too. It is not important to go at it to be a 'Master", but rather go at it to be the best you can be at any given point in time with what you have, because you are already that master, and time will reveal that. All you need is experience, and do not dissapoint that greatness that is within.
Ron S
The way to cast that spirit of insecurity out, is to be proud of what you have achieved, glory in the grace you have acquired, as it is the gift of your hard work, and realize that we all started at the same place you did long ago. You have taken on no easy task.
Because we have more years doesn't make us better than you. Actually it makes you the very same as us, maybe just at an earlier place in time and space. It only means that we might have a little more exerience. That is what you can gain now, and are in the process of doing. And any way to speed that up is to your benifit.
You know though, you are exactly right about the business part (whole new ball game) of the trade and just as important when you are attempting to make a living of engraving. Tools are such a small part of it all, but at the same time essential. You can get tools easy nowadays. You cannot get experience without a lot of time, even years sometimes.
But don't lock yourself in my friend. Get out there! Expose your work wherever you can. Go to local shows, hand out thousands of cards, and shake people's hands. The public is more forgiving than you might think, and you will get a good reception, which goes a long way to diminishing that insecurity. Never pass up an opportunity to show people how you do what you do. Just don't limit yourself to doing one kind of engraving. Be a master of it all, and you will stay busy enough to make a go of it. You can switch totally to your greatest love later if you wish, ornamental engraving. I had to put it on the back burner more often than not, but I still found time to do it all along the way. It was all a part of my conglomerate work load.
As long as you keep going back to the well to get renewed, you will be okay. you get my drift.
I do admit though, that it always pays to remain humble in all things. I see genuiness in that, and that is probably the most important thing of all. That deep sincerity will pay you back one day, and the trail you walked and left behind will be straight and true..............but then, that is your destiny, and your trail is what it is all about anyway, is it not?
Be proud that you can create things that speak to other men's spirits in other times, as that inspires them to do great things too. It is not important to go at it to be a 'Master", but rather go at it to be the best you can be at any given point in time with what you have, because you are already that master, and time will reveal that. All you need is experience, and do not dissapoint that greatness that is within.
Ron S
