Lessons In Art & Life

Not like I am one to give advice, as I have made my share of mistakes in life.

And my biggest success - sonny boy!

But I am REALLY happy with where I am now.

A businessman friend asked me how I maintain focus.

I replied that I don't think focus exists. It is like motivation, an excuse made up NOT to do the thing instead of just sitting down and doing it.

So in case anyone is wondering how I achieve anything (mastering French & Japanese, blackbelt in karate, professor in Japan, BRP design winner, now art resident) here is my unasked for advice.

Do the thing. Do it now.

I lived in Japan 22 years, but also traveled around the world. I remember meeting an old school chum who had read my travel articles about Hawaii, Japan, and Mongolia. He said he'd love to travel to all the places I've been to one day.

I felt sad, looking at him. I was mid 30's at the time, still fit from karate, looking 10 years younger. My friend was the same age but had white hair and a beer belly from his job, 2 kids, 2 cars, a nice house, and a not so nice mortgage. We lost touch after that, and I hope he got some traveling done. But I remembered how hard it was climbing the Great Wall, learning SCUBA in the Red Sea, falling off horses in Mongolia, fending off scammers alone in Rome when young, and I can say that he was not in shape for it physically or family wise. Although family is important, you have to do things for yourself when you can, because the time you can't comes for all of us.

習理破

The above three Chinese characters are often seen in ateliers or dojos in Japan. They mean LEARN (習 SHU) UNDERSTAND (理 RI) and BREAK (破 HA), and I have seen alternate formations of this message. What it means is, to master an art, you first study it until you understand it thoroughly. Once you have done this, you must break the rules and find your own style.

I have studied and played many games, and used that to make Stormbringer Redux. Now, I am breaking out with NUNA, which is very different from other trad RPG games, and prioritizes community and culture over violence and riches. Giri-Ninjou, my RPG of duty and humanity in Edo Japan, will be even more ground-breaking.

Finish it first, fix it later.

Whatever thing you want to learn or make, be ready to suck at it, but just get it done. When I worked in a (disastrous and scammy) start up, they called it the MVP - Minimum Viable Product. NUNA Quickstart was my MVP.

Basically, companies make a product that works (or seems to) at minimum functionality, then go sell it to investors. Too many people I know doing painting or making games are waiting until they have a PERFECT product.

One, this is an impossibly high standard to set for yourself, and usually leads to burnout and abandonment of a creation. Second, while you are waiting on perfect (or avoiding finishing), 12 other people have put out 'good enough' products and are satisfied with that.

Which brings us to my next point...

If you make it, you are a pro.

Imposter syndrome is a HUGE impediment to any artistic pursuit. This is bad in writing especially, where people write books, put them up on KDP or other sites, then call themselves failures and not real writers because no one bought them or they never got a book deal.

Which is total self-defeating BS. If you write or paint or make an RPG, you are a writer, a painter, or an RPG designer.

The only difference is knowing the business, which is the flip side of any creative endeavour. Shakespeare never made up his stories, but instead copied plotlines from classical and contemporary sources. But he was a great promoter, always getting a noble patron to foot the bill for a production, and keeping his folios in print. That is why so much of his work survived, while others around him have disappeared.

Work on yourself, art will follow.

Last, you need to have stamina and a way to relax to succeed at anything. When the Daruma Buddha started teaching in China, his pupils became sick from sitting around meditating or reading too much. Buddha started them on an intense regimen of daily exercise and making healthy temple meals. These practices became the seeds of Shaolin Kungfu.

Just like Daruma, you need balance in your life, to strengthen mind and body for the challenges you set yourself, and the events that you have no control over. I used to do karate, but have switched to calisthenics, aikido, and taichi fan as my body (especially knees) loses some capability. I also learned Japanese hospital cooking to take care of sick inlaws when I lived there, so making healthy and inexpensive meals keeps me in shape to work on my creations and raise my son.

And that's what it is all about isn't it?