Somewhere in the storage world or interpretations someone decided that “pride” was a bad thing. The Buddha however did not teach that. He in fact taught that if one works hard towards a task or goal they should indeed be happy and proud of their efforts regardless of the outcomes. The key here is that we must “work” for those things that make us proud or happy.
You can overcome all of these challenges by focusing on the work. I know, this is the least exciting advice in the world. But this really works. Keep yourself to a very high standard. Ask yourself: “Am I proud of the work I’m delivering?” Whether that’s in your creative or professional work, don’t settle for “meh” work. It doesn’t have to be the best in the world. It just has to be your best. That will do two things for you.
It will help you to improve. And it will help you to value your own work.
The other day, I was looking at my writings and art and asked myself the same question. I wasn’t really proud of the works I had done many years ago because I was just trying to get by and make it easy enough to stay on track for the long haul. So I dedicated two full days to updating my stories, correcting errors and swapping out images. That took a lot of time, but it was very satisfying work because I got to practice all of my creative skills. On top of that, when I look at my site, I think it looks way better. Something I’m happy to leave behind when I stop (when that day comes).
Whatever you do, avoid becoming complacent. When that happens, we always look for the easy way out. And that’s when we fall for hacks and shortcuts. Those things will only do the opposite: They set you back. Instead, do the real thing. Focus on your skills, get better at what you do, and deliver work you’re proud of. The rewards will follow automatically.
Peace and Love, Jim
