"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." ~ Benjamin Disraeli

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." ~ Benjamin Disraeli 

Why I mentor others here at G+:

A while back, I was searching for my purpose in life. At the time, I was mentoring at an online art community. Over and over again, I would get comments from people such as, "I would love to be an artist, but I have no talent"; "I wish I were gifted, but clearly I wasn't meant to be an artist"… and there was real sadness and disappointment in their commentary. But I knew the truth, that where I started from gave no indication of "talent" in my early years, and that what I had gone through showed me clearly that art was an inherent part of our nature as human beings. Yet this concept was lost in current society and wasn't being nurtured. 

There is a lie being perpetuated in society that I call the "myth of talent".

The Myth of Talent

I have often had people, when I tell them I am an artist, look at me with a sort of awestruck reverence––that is completely misplaced. Everyone is an artist inside. Some have just worked at it harder than others and it shows. However, there isn't a single thing that an artist does that cannot be learned, practiced and achieved to great success by anyone (barring physical limitations). Being an artist has very little to do with "talent". Hard work and persistence is what makes the artist.

There is an ilk of people out there who just don't want to see others grow any bigger than themselves. In fact, they would rather make others feel quite less by perpetuating an idea that fosters the notion that "they can" and "you can't" with statements like "ability is in the DNA!" "it's from the 'supreme being'!" or other limiting concepts. Even the term "gifted" itself connotes that an individual's works are "given" to them and not a result of their own effort––their own labor, sweat and tears! 

Now, it is not that there aren't predispositions, but limiters do not have to be absolute. As well, others may believe these ideas about talent because, quite frankly, they can't do it––not right now at least––and so the idea sticks, because it is true right now. And, so, these other folks, who have been told they "can't do" (for seemingly immutable reasons) then spread the idea. It is like a contagion; like a disease. Ideas are the most dangerous things we create.

Now, back to why I mentor.

My heart ached for all the people who were being fed this lie. It wasn't until I was explaining to a friend what I was doing in that online art community that it suddenly dawned on me what my purpose in life was––that I didn't only want to help the people in this tiny community––I wanted to help everyone on this planet!

A little story:
––
An anthropologist in Africa had spent some time studying the habits and customs of this tribe. He'd always been surrounded by the children of the tribe, so to help pass the time before his plane was to take him away, he proposed a game for the children to play.

He put lots of candy and sweets in a basket with a beautiful ribbon attached, placed it under a solitary tree and called the kids together. He drew a line on the ground and explained that they should wait behind the line for his signal and that when he said "Go!" they should race over to the basket––the first to arrive there would win all the sweets. When he said "Go!", however, they all unexpectedly held each other's hands and ran off towards the tree as a group. Once there, they shared the sweets with each other and happily ate it in a circle together.

The anthropologist was very surprised. He asked them why they had all gone together, especially if the first one to arrive at the tree could have won everything in the basket. 

A young girl simply replied: "How can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?"
––

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." ~ Benjamin Disraeli 

It is sweet indeed to be able to say, "I am an artist" and know it, because you do it.
This is the basket of sweets that I revel in and receive the full pleasure of being able to share it with everyone.

What can you do?

The absolute best gift that you can give is to not let it stop at you. Any time you encounter someone who expresses the wish to be an artist, encourage them. Spread the the idea behind the myth of "talent". Let them know that they can do it … the door is closed for no one.
 ………….





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G+ Mentorship Program for Photographers 
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