SCA friends, Ive just published the conclusion to my series of articles on what I look for in a Laurel. Enjoy, and I look forward to your comments! Final words I hope that this series of articles is helpful to you. I look forward to your feedback and am always glad to discuss these topics. I’d like to offer a last few words of advice. There is no magic formula Becoming a Laurel is not a matter of accomplishing certain tasks, teaching a certain number of classes, or entering a certain competition or display. While there are ways of increasing your visibility in the arts community, there are no prescribed hoops to jump through. For example take the Pentathlon – many artists have competed in the Pentathlon and not become Laurels, and many many more people (myself included) have become Laurels without competing in the Pentathlon. Every person’s path to mastery is unique. Don’t get hung up on what you “should” do, focus on your own next steps in your development. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong This is my personal motto. In Latin, it is “Non gaude geris, erras,” which translates more literally as “Something done without joy is something done in error.” Always remember that this is your hobby! You’re not getting paid in dollars to do this, so you should make sure that you are getting other value from your participation in the SCA. Continually check with yourself – are the activities and projects, commitments and service roles you are doing giving you satisfaction? This may be hard to keep in mind when you’re pulling an all-nighter before an A&S competition, but the principle remains sound over the long term. Whenever you make a plan or a commitment, make sure it’s something that you love to do, and not just something you feel like you are supposed to do. This is the key to avoiding burnout. Don’t work on becoming a Laurel, work on becoming someone worthy of being Laureled Many people who have desired to become a Laurel become disenchanted when it doesn’t happen when they think it should, or when their friends think it should. When this happens, often they come through this with the realization that official recognition is incidental to their own sense of mastery and maturity. If you can start with this understanding, you will be a happier and healthier person. There are so many factors that go into the Crown’s decision to Laurel someone… you might as well not fuss about something so completely out of your control. Instead, focus on what you can control – the kind of artist and the kind of leader you are becoming. Laurels are recognized by the Crown, not made. Work on being someone worthy of that recognition, and let the rest take care of itself. Become someone who has mastery in their art, who contributes to the community, who is a good leader, and who inspires through their work. People who do this, regardless of when they are recognized by the Crown, are the people I am proud to call my peers. “The thing I remember best about successful people I’ve met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they’re doing and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.” Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 16:56:23 +0000
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