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During a weekend getaway in Vermont with a friend, we came upon a sign along the road that read, The Art of Humor. We were in the mood for an adventure so we decided to follow the arrow that was guiding us. We were thrilled when we came upon an art gallery filled with cartoon art work by Skip Morrow. Skip’s art work was great fun and we were especially pleased that Skip himself was in the gallery that day. Now I have a natural curiosity about how people end up doing the work that they do (call it the career counselor in me!) and I especially enjoy learning about ways in which artists work to make a living off of their creations (pay attention all students with an interest in the arts!). It was obvious that Skip was not a ‘struggling artist’ and I asked him about the events that led him to making a living through his art work. He told me about his early drawings and the path that led to his success. Upon learning about my work as a career counselor, he led me directly to one of many paintings on display. This particular painting was called The Secret to Success and it portrayed a circus high flying act. As I studied the cartoon closely, I noticed four male figures. The first man rode a unicycle on a high wire and the other three men were balanced, one on top of the next, on his head. While they smiled broadly as they balanced in mid air, their casts, bruises, and missing teeth told a different story. As we looked at the painting, Skip explained that he had been inspired to create this work following a trip to the circus. He marveled at the grace and ease with which the high wire act performed their death defying feats. As he watched them, he couldn’t help but wonder how many falls and injuries it had taken to get them to the level of skill he observed. He told me that he believes it takes hard work, many failures (complete with physical or, more likely, emotional bruises), and lessons learned through these experiences to reach a certain level of skill and success in any profession.
You might someone who’s successful and think, “Wow, if only I could be that successful!” Yet, are you willing to do the work and learn the lessons that come with taking risks, and getting those bumps and bruises, in order to get to that level of success? This reminds me of an article I once read about successful business owners. The article said that successful entrepreneurs tend to see failure as a positive and not a negative. Yes, just like in the painting, failure can represent the important lessons that we learn, and the skills and knowledge gained, as we put ourselves out there in new ways. Viewed in this light, a failure is then reframed as an opportunity to gain wisdom…as a process of discovery. In school we’re taught that grades of A’s and B’s are good while F’s are to be avoided. We’re taught to shoot for ‘success’ yet not necessarily to see the ‘value’ that can come through ‘failure’ or the likelihood that there will be indeed be failures along the road to success. The notion of viewing a failure as an opportunity may be difficult to grasp. Yet, I believe that this shift in the way we view success and failure can positively influence how we approach our daily work and our lives in general.
So how about taking some time out to think about the good that comes with ‘failures’ and the power of humor in helping us keep the ups and downs of work and life in perspective. Why not take a quick time out of your day to visit Skip’s website and get in a chuckle or two. Go to www.theartofhumor.com and while you’re at the site, be sure to catch a glimpse of The Secret to Success. To view a copy of this print, click on the ‘art of humor galleries’ link form the site’s homepage and scroll down the collection of prints to the left. Down towards the bottom of the collection, you’ll see a copy of The Secret to Success. May it inspire you to take a light hearted view as you experience and reflect on the lessons that this day and every day offers you!
By Susan Posluszny, OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning LLC