“When things get tough [in life], make good art.”
~ Advice from Neil Gaiman
Doctoring is my profession. The job requires writing notes, billing patients, dealing with insurance companies, and the list goes on. At some point, I began to loose sight of the things that I enjoyed about doctoring.
When I discovered storytelling as a performance art, I became passionate about this art form. This was as far from my profession of doctoring as I could get, or so I thought. Today, I teach a class called “Storytelling as Healing” at Florida Gulf Coast University. My passion for storytelling as an art of connection and healing has infused enjoyment into my practice of medicine. Art brought me back from burning out.
It’s worth repeating the words of Neil Gaiman, “When things get tough, make good art.” In his speech at the University of Arts to the graduating class of 2012, bestselling-author Neil Gaiman gives his advice on how to make a career in the arts. Above all, he stresses:
Enjoy the work.
Whether it is my work as a physician or the work of storytelling performance, sometimes the “work” can wear me down. Work is hard. Sheer willpower can only last so long. Money, awards, and prizes motivate me forward. Deadlines keep me on track. However, when I forget what I enjoy about what I do, resistance creeps in. Procrastination sets in. Depression and burn out are on the horizon. This piece of advice brings me back to why I do what I do: “Enjoy the work.”
In the creative work of crafting stories for performance, the video below reminds me to not get caught up in “the work” that I am creating. Rather, I am reminded of the enjoyment that I get from the process.
“Make fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make Good Art.” ~ Neil Gaiman
Watch the Commencement Speech by Neil Gaiman for inspiration to make good art
Books by Neil Gaiman
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