That Thing Where I Draw: We Do Hard Things

A few months ago, I wrote a post about how I don't like the word "talent". It's a post about how I learned that I shouldn't quit something just because I'm not good at it right away, or because it's too hard. Natalie told me she had framed the saying "We Do Hard Things". I loved the idea: we don't quit when something gets hard -- hard things are what we do!

I wanted a picture like that in my house, but I didn't want just the words. It was five months before I figured out what I did want:


"We shouldn't be here at all, if we'd known more about it before we started. But I suppose it's often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo... I used to think that they were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for... But that's not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually...

"But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten."

8 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

Great picture and what you say is true. My favourite mantra is "I'm not ready to give up yet." I can go for a long time putting off giving up for just a bit later!

Natalie Whipple said...

Awesome:) It's a lesson I have to constantly remind myself of. Even with that phrase right above my desk, I still whine about writing sometimes, hehe.

Joshua McCune said...

Yeah, but those were 2 lucky-ass hobbits ;) -- as long as we don't turn into Gollum along the way, though, the journey well may be worth it.

Victoria Dixon said...

Thanks for this, Adam. I needed the message today.

The road goes ever on and on....

Lyla said...

Love the movie, love the quote--reminds me of Alex and Brett Harris' book. Everyone needs to hear that sometimes!

Myrna Foster said...

Gotta love Sam. I hated that they had him leave Frodo in the movie.

Adam Heine said...

Natalie: It took me like a month to draw this. I felt like such a hypocrite every time I put it off.

Elana Johnson said...

Ahhh! Love this post. I'm just two months too late.