What can Picasso teach us about Self-Worth?
I recently read a short story about the world renowned artist, Pablo Picasso. It seems that Picasso was prone to scribbling pencil images on pieces of scrap paper or even napkins, and as his fame increased, and the public clamored for his art, even these pencil drawings became coveted collector items.
One day, Picasso happened to be at an art sale featuring his work. One of the items on display was a piece of this scrap paper with his pencil drawing. The asking price for this piece of paper was $1000. One of the attendees felt the item was overpriced and admonished Picasso over asking such an exorbitant price for this obvious scrap. “How long could it have taken you to draw this image?” the person asked. Reading Picasso’s reply stopped me in my tracks… “MY WHOLE LIFE” he replied.
Picasso had no blind spots or self-limiting beliefs regarding his self-worth.
He knew he was unique. He also knew that no one could reproduce the same beauty on a piece of scrap paper because it wasn’t just a pencil scribbling; it was much more than that. It was his view of the world…a unique perspective that took a lifetime to create.
What an epiphany for those of us who, like Picasso, spend our entire lives developing our unique combination of talent and perspective, but unlike Picasso, fail to recognize these qualities for what they are. Picasso’s talent is undeniable and his art is coveted by collectors, but it is his perception of the world that makes his art irreplaceable and unique.
Each and every one of us has our own uniqueness; a talent and perspective, a gift, if you will, that separates us from the crowd. These God-given distinctions are as singular as our DNA, and yet we harbor self-limiting beliefs and unrecognized blind spots that prevent from seeing their uniqueness and value, and by doing so we diminish our self-worth. And those of us, many with these exceptional qualities, who fail to recognize our self-worth, simply fade into the faceless crowd of the many when our rightful place is among the distinct few.
Consider how our lives would change if we could remove these barriers to self-actualization? What if we could become what we are fully capable of being… what we are meant to be, by discovering our uniqueness, value, and self-worth?
What blind spots have you developed to your own self-worth? What self- limiting beliefs do you have that prevent you from taking your rightful place among the distinct few?
More importantly, have you considered how to overcome these destructive barriers.
Ask a close friend, a mentor, or a professional coach to help you recognize and overcome these destructive barriers. You owe it to your unique self.