What mountain are you ready to start moving?

Yesterday, the morning started off ugly. I stood overwhelmed and decaffeinated, staring down a pile of laundry that had somehow tripled in size overnight. It was still in the process of reproducing. Growing like a pile of insatiable rabbits.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

When facing a mountain of clothes (or dishes or even emails) it’s easy to feel defeated before we even venture to begin.

This month, artists and students of art have bravely decided to sign-up and tackle the figure with me.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

At first, all of this learning can feel like a mountain, but with just one sketch or brushstroke, we’ve started the climb. And we’ll be there before we know it.

Art, like laundry, is a process of small steps. You can’t rush it. The trick isn’t to leap into mastery—it’s to break the mountain down into small stones (or folded tee-shirts). Overwhelm is easy. Instead, show up each day, make one drawing and then another, and suddenly and often without warning…progress.

This is how we build masterpieces. One study at a time.

Satisfaction doesn’t come from seeing the top of your mountain, because in the case of my pile of laundry, the top of it may never be visible. It’s knowing that every brushstroke, every matched pair of socks, is getting you closer to a beautiful painting, or at least some clean undies.

So, the next time you’re faced with something that appears insurmountable, remember to break it down. The summit isn’t discovered by tackling it all at once. Each small success builds on the last, creating a foundation for much larger leaps down the road. Savor it! You’re closer than you realize.

Can consistency become a creative superpower?

Have your breakthroughs come from small rituals?

What mountain are you ready to start moving?