Everyone who did something great, something beyond… What they did was wrong. What they did didn’t fit in with what people expected or what people were looking for. It was a failure from many perspectives. Many innovations take a long time to get acceptance because they are so easily seen as failures.
They are failures. Absolutely. They fail by the standards that are set.
With art and entertainment, the existing standards are already outdated.
What perspective are we taking towards what we’re creating?
If we do anything outside of the bounds of what’s normal, even better than what’s normal, it can easily be seen as a failure.
We are also tempted to think fitting-in is a success. Our internal protectors and vultures want us to stay small – to fit in and not make waves. That’s not our job. That’s not our calling. We are demanded to stay innovative.
For an exercise, I think of one of my favorite works of entertainment in the world. Then, think of 5 ways it was a total flop. It’s easy. It’s just as easy for us to get down on our own work.