In May of 2015, Pablo Picasso’s painting Les femmes d’Alger sold at auction for $179.4 million. Until recently it was the highest price ever paid for a painting.
Guess how much time Picasso spent painting this work of art?
Oh… about a day.
In his lifetime, it’s estimated that Picasso created roughly 50,000 works of art. That’s nearly 2 pieces every day!
It’s easy to assume Picasso’s greatness came as a result of raw talent, a natural gift, or his unique style. But the reality is that the reason Picasso is probably one of 5 famous painters you can name off the top of your head, and the reason his paintings sell for millions, is because he was relentlessly dedicated to his craft.
He created every single day. And a lot of his creations didn’t look anything like the abstract stuff you probably think of when you hear the name “Picasso.” For example:
What made Picasso special was his tens of thousands of paintings.
He painted when he felt inspired. He painted when he felt hungry. He painted when he was sick, when he was angry, when he was depressed, and probably when he didn't feel like painting.
As he painted and created and hustled he found what made him unique. He found his groove and his style.
He created his legacy.
This is not much different from love.
I love thinking of love as art.
You get better with practice.
You have to invest, grind away, and do the work on the days you feel like it, and especially on the days you don't.
The only way to find your unique relationship style, your strengths in partnership, and discover what little things hold the highest value for you is to love every single day.
You don’t create a $180 million marriage overnight.
It’s 50,000 foot massages while listening to her tell you how her day went.
It’s 50,000 sincere compliments.
It’s 50,000 apologies and 50,000 hours of self-reflection.
It’s 50,000 attempts to shut your mouth and listen instead of explaining or providing excuses.
It’s 50,000 deep breaths before giving him the benefit of the doubt.
It’s 50,000 requests for help and saying “thank you” when she helps.
It's 50,000 attempts to show up at your best.
Every day you’re creating your legacy. Every day you get to decide whether or not you will put in the work to become a master, or whether you’ll be just like everyone else.
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” ― Picasso
What will you choose today?
