Persist with Confidence in Your Group
Bruce Eric Kaplan, long-time cartoonist
with The New Yorker magazine, said in an NPR interview that
he loved to draw little people as a child and always dreamed
of being a cartoonist. In pursuit of that dream, he joined
a creative artists group in New York in his late twenties.
To remain a part of this group, he was required to make
creative commitments, produce each week and support others
to reach their dreams. His commitment was to draw 10 cartoon
frames. Since he was already creating them, he decided to
send them to his dream magazine- The New Yorker. He sent
cartoon frames in each week for two and one-half years despite
the fact that they were returned each time in his self-addressed
envelope with an unsigned, impersonal rejection card.
Instead of judging himself as untalented or giving up,
Bruce unwavered in his persistence. In fact, he started
sending notes each week with expletives interspersed saying
that any other ‘bleeping’ magazine in the world
would be printing these great cartoons. The support and
encouragement of his group reassured and buoyed his confidence
through rejection.
One day Bruce returned to his apartment and saw a Fed Ex
envelope from The New Yorker. He recounted how he started
crying from relief just knowing someone was at the magazine
was actually reading his cartoons. There was a message inside
giving him a number to call. The editor who answered laughed
when he told Bruce they were reading his cartoons all along
and were just waiting for him to be ready!
Since 1991, Bruce Kaplan’s cartoons have appeared
in the New Yorker every single week. Bruce had perfected
his art over that two and one-half years and with the support
of his creative group, he was able to persist with confidence.
Click
The New Yorker Magazine to see their
cartoon bank
Life Upgrade Tip
- Are you prepared to take the time to master your craft?
- Do you have a group to encourage and buoy your confidence?
- Do you have a pattern of ‘toughing it out’
alone?
- Do you persist with confidence toward a BIG DREAM?
- Have you ever set your dreams aside?
- How important is it to you to embrace and live your
dream?
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