Whatever You Do, It Is Never Enough

If I have a great game demo, is that enough to get me a job in the games industry?

Yes, possibly.

If I write a novel, is that enough to get me a publisher?

Yes, possibly.

If I get a degree at a college, is that enough to get me a job in the <insert industry>?

Yes, possibly.

If I create a blog and post every day, is that enough to make money online?

Yes, possibly.

If I have a great portfolio, is that enough to get me a job as a <insert job title>?

Yes, possibly.

Every one of these questions, no matter how diverse the subject, all have one thing in common, the question “Is it enough?”

When you ask an “is it enough?” question, you already know the answer.

Asking, “is it enough” immediately tells me that you are looking for the shortest path, the quick fix, the immediate gratification. It tells me that you would rather not do the work in the first place. It is a signalling mechanism that immediately lets me know you are an inherently lazy sunumabitch that I shouldn’t give a job to. “Is it enough” questions are asked by wannabes and hopefuls who rarely go beyond being just another run of the mill worker. You are ordinary and you are average and I can hire that on Craigslist.

If you ever even think of asking “is it enough” you’ll never follow your passion, you’ll never live your dreams, you’ll never achieve anything you truly desire.

To be truly successful requires you to work harder than anyone else around you, to be more creative than anyone else around you, to be more passionate than anyone else around you, to think bigger thoughts than anyone else around you.

If you need to seek out someone to tell you it is not enough, guess what, it is not.

If you need to seek out someone to tell you it is not enough, guess what, you have already failed.

“Is it enough?” is not a question you should be contemplating asking anyone. The question you should be turning over in your head and asking yourself is “what else can I do?”

Realise that you are never finished improving, you are never finished adding to your body of work, you are not done when you think to ask the question “is it enough” but when you can tell yourself “there is no more I can do.” The expression “resting on your laurels” means asking “is that enough?”

When you improve enough, when you have produced enough work, you will not have to ask “is it enough”, you will inherently know it is. Trust me. It is a Zen thing. Very inscrutable.

Now get out there and create until you know you have created enough.