Few things are more gratifying that seeing the fruits of our labor and being pleased with them. However, much of what we do is temporarily invisible, only to take shape later on. This can be daunting and often leads to giving up too soon.
When our work is stretched over time, learning to visualize the certainty of achievement, practice patience, and complete related, short-term goals where the before-and-after is readily apparent are essential.
In the Middle Ages, architects and craftsmen of the Gothic cathedrals only dreamed of what their finished masterpiece would look like, yet each day they concentrated on doing well the task at hand.
Just as we watch the passage of time with the change of the seasons, so is it natural for us to look for evidence of change in all we do.
Tapping into the human need for novelty and a desire to see immediate satisfactory results, advertisers have repeatedly employed before-and-after imagery. Witness the tabloids with the before-and-after woman who has lost 100 pounds or TV makeover shows featuring the before-and-after person (Extreme Makeover), home (Extreme Makeover Home Edition), or car (Pimp My Ride). Inflated predictions of facile success lure millions into the belief that happiness-bringing change is as simple as spending money and buying a new product. In truth, enduring change is not peripheral. It is intrinsic and happens in time through directed work and renewed commitment.
Without a doubt, the holistic power of the before-and-after to renew has been enjoyed by humanity long before Madison Avenue distilled it into toxicity. In fact, it is an integral part of life. Recognition of the before-and-after often provides the gentle nudge that gives us courage to continue.
When we look at what has been accomplished rather than fixating on what still needs to be done, we can take heart in our small successes and re-dedicate ourselves to our present work.
George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, an Armenian-Greek mystic of the 19th century, writes of the importance of “shocks” – an infusion of energy – to bring about change. Using the imagery of the diatonic major scale, he believed that with regard to any endeavor, there exist natural intervals in which extra effort is required for ascent and eventual success. In the case of the scale, this occurs between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth (tonic) degrees.
During my years as a piano teacher, I asked each of my students to compile a repertoire book, comprised of songs old and new – from the simple to the more advanced. As they added to it each month, they saw visual evidence of the progress they were making. This before-and-after aid gave them a deserved sense of achievement and lifted their confidence to persevere in tackling the next difficult piece.
On August 23rd, the annual Chubby’s Revival Contest took place in Scotts Valley, California, where, in front of Chubby’s Diner, was parked an impressive collection of handsomely restored antique vehicles, some with before-and-after pictures. Now that’s a project that can show obvious visible results, but it takes time and a few extra shocks to get there.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
This is so true. So often one is discouraged by the absence of immediately visible results. It is only through faith in the invisible that imparts the courage to continue trying and working.