There was a man on the streets of Hollywood Blvd. He occupied the same piece of pavement as he had for the past 12 years. A simple table displayed his supplies and an eye-catching sign that read ‘portraits represent the soul’. As passer-biers inquired about his price most were shocked, $95 dollars for a 15-minute portrait!? This was outrageous! Upon hearing the price a young businessman asked him, “how can you with a good conscious charge that much?”

The man replied, “the fifteen-minute portrait is 12 years of experience plus the 15 minutes it takes to draw you.”

When you first start creative endeavors, your work will not be of the same value as the work you produce in one, three, or six years later.

For example here is a portrait I drew when I was 13.

Contrast that to when I was 14.

When I was 15.

When I was 16.

Building a skill takes time. Let your practice and effort build to produce value.