Picture a “masterpiece” and many things come to mind.

A work of art, a piece of music, a book. Perfection.

It’s easy to focus on the finished product… the perfect painting, perfect song, perfect meal, perfect relationship… or the perfect life.

It’s not uncommon to want your life, your family, your relationship, your career, your home, even your butt to be perfect… a masterpiece.

It’s also not uncommon that we come to “expect” it or judge ourselves by someone else’s definition of it.

It’s even worse now with social media as we compare almost every aspect our lives (bodies, cars, workouts, meals, etc.) with others.

Just pop on Instagram or Facebook glimpses of people’s “perfect” masterpiece life.

And if we don’t reach this standard, achieve perfection, or it doesn’t look or happen like we expected… or god forbid… like someone else’s version (or at least the one they want you to see), we can feel like we aren’t enough, less than, even a failure.

This creating a “masterpiece” thing is tough.

It’s also total BS. 💩

Here are a few interesting things about masterpieces.

Very few things ever become a masterpiece.

Something is usually deemed a Masterpiece by someone else. The artist has no control over whether it is considered a masterpiece.

We usually don’t recognize something as a Masterpiece until after the artist is long gone.

For example… Did you know Van Gogh died without ever selling a single painting? Never. Zero sales while he was alive.

If we think of famous artists like Picasso, Matisse, or Van Gogh, we instantly think of and identify their works of art.

The problem is that we focus on the end result and often neglect what it took to create the masterpiece..

Masterpieces don’t simply appear in perfect form.

There is a lot behind the scenes that never makes the final canvas.

The point is, trying to make your life resemble a masterpiece or spending your life seeking perfection (especially as others define it) is not only UNREALISTIC….I believe it is the WRONG metric or goal to pursue at midlife.

Nah, I’ll pass. I don’t want my life to resemble a Masterpiece.

I want my life to resemble a palette.

I’ll tell you why

The palette is an integral but overlooked tool of a painter

The brush and canvas seem to get all of the recognition.

But it’s the palette where everything starts.

If it were’t for the palette, the masterpiece wouldn’t exist.

Palettes can be brilliant, colorful, messy, and full of character

… like life.

Palettes are where the artist adds, mixes and blends different elements to create something new, a color and texture that didn’t exist before.

… like life.

And if you look closely palettes are unique to each artist. They have a personality.

… like life.

So why do I want my life to resemble a palette?

Because instead of paint, I can choose to fill my palette with beauty, love, learning, happiness, passion, pain to create the life I want.

Because it is in my control to make it colorful, vibrant, or messy.

It’s not always pretty or orderly but it is necessary to create the masterpiece that my life will ultimately be when I look back upon it.

I don’t know if it will be perfect or considered a masterpiece by others or look how other believe it should look.. BUT IT’S MINE.

Are you chasing perfection, a certain outcome or result, or trying to create something according to someone else’s vision?

I suggest you stop chasing the masterpiece and begin to focus on your palette.

What does your palette look like?

How do you want to add to your palette to create a life that is YOUR modern day masterpiece?

Begin to value and embrace the beautiful, magnificent mess by which your life’s masterpiece is being created.

Bradley

Bradley Richardson, Coach | 5x Author | Speaker| Creator, Advanced Adulting

Let me hear from you. What did you think of this?

💥This post is based on one of the lessons from the Advanced Adulting Video Course RE: A Course on Midlife Reinvention & Rediscovery.

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