The Extraordinary Can't Exist Without the Ordinary

Most photographers and writers I know live in the suburbs, despite what stereotypes would have you believe. Most do not live in studio apartments in New York, nor could they afford it if they wanted to.

They live what would probably be considered "boring" lives to an art student.

The most successful artists I know have routines and habits they rarely stray from. This affords them the time and headspace to create in extraordinary ways. In fact, if there's one habit I've seen most often in successful artists, it is the embrace of habits themselves.

If you can count on creating everyday for a set amount of hours, without it upending your world, it creates in a much more calm and contemplative place. Not to mention, the accumulation of work from a practice is much greater than the romanticized notion of the once-in-a-great-while writer and artists retreats (which are loved precisely because of their scheduled, non-disruptive nature).

You should be experiencing a retreat in small way daily. Make it a habit. Make it regular. Make it boring. Make it as ordinary as possible, so your creations can be extraordinary.