No person is an island and that goes double for creatives. One of the things we always end up thinking was, “If only I was better at this, or better at that.” It’s frankly a little maddening and I am just as guilty as any other creative, but let’s go broader. I’ve joked a time or two with people complimenting my work, that you have no idea how many times I would have traded my art ability for the ability to fix my own car. And there have been moments of frustration, when that may have been the case, but that’s not really what I mean. I probably could spend the time and learn to be somewhat mechanical, but time is always in limited supply. For me to learn to fix my car, I would need to take time away from my areas of greater gifting. Far better for me to find the gifted mechanic, and pay him to do what he does best. That way I can spend my time doing what I do best, which will be infinitely more productive.
It’s the same in any area where we lack skill. You could probably learn to do what you want done, but at what expense. There’s got to be a better way, and there is. It’s called collaboration. Yes I know this is nothing new, so why do so few people do it? Basically what happens is a group of people come together and bring their best gifts to the table to do together what none of them could do alone. Think about it, this is how most great projects happen. No one is truly a one-man show, even one-man shows.
Collaboration helps to remove a lot of our limitations and allows us to break through to bigger and better things and by the way, it’s God’s design. If you look at 1 Corinthians 12, you will see the Bible comparing the church to a body in which each member has a part to play for the good of the whole. Our creative pursuits can work the same way.
Assignment: Look at your creative projects, dreams and/or ambitions. What are you lacking to finish them and bring them to reality? Write those things down. Then think about who you know who might be able to do the things you need done. Consider how you might set up a mutually beneficial collaboration.
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