Amateur vs. Pro

Tim Ferris likes to recommend a book of poems called “The Gift” by Hafiz. I ordered it and it arrived this morning. I opened a random page in the brief moment between activities and was not disappointed. Here is the poem I found: It’s called the “Vintage Man.”

The

Difference

Between a good artist

And a great one

Is:

The novice

Will often lay down their tool

Or brush

Then pick up an invisible club

On the mind’s table

And helplessly smash the easels and

Jade

Whereas the vintage person 

No longer hurts themselves or anyone

And keeps on

Sculpting

Light.

I don’t think this poem captures everything about the difference between good and great but there is a powerful nugget here. I love the way Hafiz describes the novice’s behavior. How often they stop what they are doing (presumably frustrated) and pick up an “invisible” club and “smashes the easel.” I think we can assume a not so healthy dose of self-flagellation too. The master though, for whatever reason, is spared these counterproductive escapades and just keeps on working.

Such a simple, real, powerful idea - beautifully put. No one achieves much without consistent applied effort and self-flagellation or external destructive outbursts are quite counterproductive!

It’s funny because I also envision the dedicated athlete who does flagellate and have outbursts (at least a little bit) seemingly contradicting the poems message. But I think they are successful in spite of the histrionics not because of them. And in spite of the distractions, they find a way to keep on plugging away. Incidentally that reminds me of the Stone Cutter’s Credo:

When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at her rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before. ~Jacob Riis

Another ode to consistent, somber, unflagging applied pressure. I think the poem, ultimately is an invitation to self reflection. Who do you want to be?