Live hard.

I draw hard. I paint hard. I illustrate hard. I write hard. I talk hard. I make music hard. I work hard. I love hard. In other words: I live hard. For me there’s no other way. The psyche of an artist. I'm one step removed from Vincent van Gogh. That one step is that I still retain both my ears. It’s all a deliberate choice. Complete with pros and cons. When I had removed that last obstacle in my life some years ago, an ancient old piece of conditioning that had long since outlived its expiration date, I made that choice. Because I felt unleashed. Kicked off the remaining shackles. With a complete liberation as a result. The new and improved me. Or better yet, the me that was always supposed to be but was hidden away in my dungeons. This is when my aviation art motto ‘follow your passion’ was born.

It’s not without risk. Living hard that way may mean that you have to suffer some devastating damage along the way that initially seems to be impossible to recover from. However, when you dare to take that risk, be fearless and relentless about it, fully commit to it, and it pans out, the rewards are invaluable. They make it all worthwhile. However, before taking that risky path, you have to thoroughly know yourself. In all your naked beautiful and ugly glory. Confront yourself. Make peace with all your virtues and vices. Accept the mistakes you have made in your past actions in life. Embrace them. And learn from them. Reaching the point of honestly loving yourself. This is not ego, this is the real you. That true self, with its authentic inner strength, will ensure that whatever risk will pop up, you will survive it.

Because by living hard that way, you are living truth. And the truth will always prevail.