Why People Need to Hear Your Creative Voice

Artists often underestimate the impact their art can have on the world. We look at great artists—writers like Ernest Hemingway and William Shakespeare, painters like Vincent van Gogh and Michelangelo, and musicians like Beethoven and Elvis Presley, and we say to ourselves, "my work will never go down in history, I will never be like any of the greats." Or "my words will not have an impact like theirs' did."

I'm not saying you or I are going to ever be as famous as the people listed above. Our chances of that are very, very slim, but what I do want to point out is that no one, not a single person whose name we know today ever thought they would go down in history either.

When these, now famous, names started writing or painting or playing music, they were a lot like we are now. Maybe they were outcasts or felt like they didn't fit in. Maybe people made fun of them for having such a big passion for the things they did, or criticized them for chasing their dream.

When they started off, they weren't good at their art. Sure, some of them seemed to be born with a certain talent, but talent only took them so far. They had to work really hard and I'm sure they hit bumps in the road and that there were times when they wanted to quit. Then one day they got their "big break" but was that really what happened? It seems like all of these people worked their fingers to the bone not only to create their work, but to share it.

We only see the bigger part of these stories. We see the people who won the awards and the people in the history books, but what about who they were before? What about the versions they didn't let us see? And I know all of these people are dead, most were dead long before TVs and iPhones were invented, but when you think about them not as artists but as people, it changes your whole perspective on what they did, on their work, and on the legacies they left behind.

These people did not become famous over night. Their work did not change lives, inspire people, or become some of the most famous art in history in a couple of hours. They started by affecting one person. One. Single. Soul at a time. It might have been a stranger or a family member or a friend, but that's how their work spread to thousands, and later millions and billions of people. That's how their journey began and that is how ours will begin as well.

Being an artist does not mean making history, inspiring great movements, making millions, or leaving a legacy. Being an artist means sharing your work and what you're passionate about with other people and hoping that some part of your story encourages or sticks with them. These moments are rare, but they still happen and are the moments that writers, artists, and musicians never forget. When you meet someone someday and they say, "your work has changed my life. Thank you so much," and they hug you with tears in their eyes and you start to bawl because you remember all of the times you wanted to quit. In that moment, you thank God that you didn't quit, and that person you inspired thanks Him too.

Just because you may not go down in history does not mean your work doesn't matter. If there's a chance that your work could effect someone in a positive way, if you love what you're doing, then those are the reasons you should continue to do it and share it with other people. Every creative voice counts because every voice is unique. Different types of work connect with different people and that is why diversity is so important in creativity. We each express ourselves in different ways and not everyone we meet will connect with our words or pictures or lyrics.

Artists today need to realize that they are the future. One hundred years from now, some of us could be the ones in the history books. That should never be our goal, but it is surreal to think about. The artistic greats of the future are developing the stories, the music, the plays, the art at this moment that's going to influence artists for generations to come. We are the future. Our voices are the future. What we have to say could completely change someone's life. I know it sounds far-fetched, but your voice is important. It's unique and like Ernest Hemingway's books and Elvis's music, it could inspire someone. It could inspire them to empower other people with their art.

We are the artists of the future. It's time we start to recognize the impact we can have in this day and age and use that knowledge to be a positive role model in other peoples' lives. People need encouragement and sometimes a small nudge to get them going. Art isn't about becoming famous or going down in history. Art was never about that. Art is about connecting with one person and seeing what happens next.

Thank you for reading this blog post! It was a hard one to write, but I'm very happy with it. What is your goal as a creator? I know it's a deep question, but it's important to think about. What direction do you want to go? If you feel comfortable, I'd love to hear your goals in the comments. Good luck!

It's been a pleasure writing for you and until next time—stay weird and stay writing. - Lexi