What Works?

Here's to remembering what works! Looking through my old pieces, I find things I tried that didn't work, and things that did. Something about feels compelled to go back and beat the submission out of things that don't work for me (I'm looking at you, colored pencil!) and ignore the other good stuff. Sometimes what works intersects with what people like and I'm in good shape. What if I applied this to other areas of my life? When I remember to, life is good. And I find what works is less work.

Chasm

What happens and how do you handle it when you are between levels of excellence? My work has evolved over time, but just like myself I'm often not dead set on the direction. It's hard to keep working and exist in the chasm between "don't waste your talent" and "not professional enough". Will part of you always feel like a kid showing drawings to your grandparents? I go back and forth between wanting to be hidden and wanting to be admired.