I had just been laid off. I was seeking advice and some reassurance. So I contacted a local, successful artist to meet with him.
I have always loved the cartoon style. This successful illustrator came from that background, but his style evolved to a more realistic approach. He gave me advice on observation and how to make my artwork look better. I was shocked and angry. Here I had just come from a great job as a book designer at a succesful company. Didn’t he know I was successful too? (keep in mind the company was struggling enough to lay me off. How successful was that?) My pride got in the way and I wasn’t taking any of this! I thanked him and left. But on the inside, I was fuming!
Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
Proverbs 13:10
I missed out on a good opportunity and a potential friendship that day because of my fragile pride. It was rather foolish. I’d like to say pride is never an issue anymore. But no, pride can creep in at any time. We are surrounded by it, and our human nature tends to gravitate towards it.
I resolve to listen more before being ready for an argument. I resolve to seek other opinions that aren’t necessarily like mine. Let’s reach out to others that may have advice that runs counter to our opinions.
