– How do you perceive your work when the outcomes appear flawed?

Throughout the past 40 years, I have tirelessly studied psychology and human behaviour, both in my work and as an interest, an obsession perhaps.

I’ve learned a tremendous amount about what matters to me in my life, and what doesn’t. How to enjoy life, but also to seek fulfilment.

On a recent visit to an Art exhibition, I was to receive a lesson from a surprise source. I wasn’t sure what to expect from seeing the artist Frank Auerbach’s work, (my partner is an artist and wanted to go) but loved his work. Specifically, his ‘charcoal heads’ captivated me. They appeared to me to have a deep intensity.

Reading about the artist’s work, his approach was to relentlessly draw, erase and rework over and over. As a result, the artist would damage the paper or materials but preferred to repair his work rather than discard it and start again.

It made me evaluate my own work and life. Do I have a tendency to be too quick to move on? Do I perceive experiences that don’t work as failures or as valuable learning opportunities that teach me what doesn’t work?

What do you take from your experiences that appear to be flawed?