As A Creator, Your Goal Must Be To Create Timeless Art
What do The Beatles, Marcus Aurelius and Mozart have in common?
It's not the fact they're all men. It's not a quirky coincidence or the fact they all enjoyed a cold beer on a sunny day. (I'm sure they all did!)
No, what they all have in common is the popularity of their work today.
Marcus Aurelius, who wrote Meditations to remind himself to be a better person, is read by millions around the globe.
Sixty years after they first played in the Cavern Club, The Beatles are still regarded as the greatest rock band of all time. Their songs have lost none of their swagger in those years.
Three centuries after his death, we still marvel at the beauty of Mozart's symphonies.
You're unlikely to write a better song than Hey Jude, or write a more influential book than Meditations, but you should set the bar high nonetheless.
What's more satisfying, striving to create a timeless piece of work, or writing a Buzzfeed article entitled, Which Halsey Album Is The Soundtrack To Your Life?
Yes, that's a real article, no I don't know who Halsey is. Will anyone read this article in a year's time? Maybe, but I'd wager the views in 2022 amount to a big, fat, zero.
The internet is full of trash. Readers want class. Artistry. A piece of work which touches their soul, makes them sit back and think; "Shit, that was good."
That's the aim as a creator. To produce the best piece of work you can. It's that simple.
It may not last as long as Mozart's Music or Marcus's words, but if you don't put pen to paper you'll never know.