We asked some folks we admire to share one piece of conventional advice they disagree with.

Melanie Erixon | Freelance Art Exhibition Curator & Resident Curator at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq, Malta

I am a free-lance curator, and also the resident curator at my brainchild exhibition space, named il-Kamra ta’ Fuq (the room upstairs). My freelance curation and il-Kamra ta’ Fuq as an ongoing art gallery, run under the umbrella of Art Sweven. And we do have a strange and fun story. Read more>>

Mo Goodfellow | Dancer, Educator, Creative

“Never give up” or really any sort of common platitude that deals in absolutes like “never” or “always.” The world is full of grey areas and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you will be able to navigate difficult spaces with grace and peace of mind. There is nothing wrong with moving on from a pursuit that is no longer serving you or calling to you. The world isn’t necessarily built for people who earn a living as a creative, and in my experience there are many periods of transition that can be murky, confusing, and even chaotic. If you resist them, grey areas can feel frustrating and overwhelming, especially if you are in pursuit of an idealized notion of success or accomplishment. Perseverance through difficulty is an extremely valuable skill but it is equally valuable to know when to listen to your intuition or environment and shift your intentions toward what is calling you. Change is a good thing and learning how to navigate periods of transition can present you with opportunities to learn, grow, and expand your field of possibilities. Read more>>

Shirley Guo | Production Designer & Concept Artist

I don’t disagree but I misunderstood this advice for the longest time. “Follow your dreams”. I initially thought it meant having to stick through one big dream, well planned out and purposeful. It became a looming identity crisis in my early 20’s while I was still trying to figure it out – what do I want to show to the world? What does it say about me? Is it original? There was a point where it felt like an unbearable weight that I couldn’t handle – maybe I am not meant for this career/industry, I am not good enough, my dreams are unattainable. That one big dream shattered, but out came a myriad of dream shards, constantly breaking into pieces and morphing with each other. It feels liberating to be surrounded by dreams, a testament of my ever evolving self. I’ve come to embrace the seemingly unattainable dreams because just having them is a damn beautiful feeling. The longing is enough to keep me going. Read more>>

Sun-Ho Pak | Filmmaker/content-creator, mental health advocate, artpreneur” & Founder of tech startup”

Not one piece of advice in particular, but from my experience conventional advice is for those who find comfort in convention. I think there is a dichotomy in society where we admire the achievements of “rule-breakers” but find ourselves shunning others or ourselves for breaking rules. Of course, many rules are in place for a reason to provide structure and order, but the human potential and need to explore and create is beyond limits; thus, rule-breaking is not only a fact of life but a necessity for discovering what makes us human. The very nature of advice shows us a deeper truth to our existence, as it is based on a lived experience (collectively or individually), but they are not absolutes and typically taking advice about one thing gives us more information about how we all have our own experience in finding meaning in our existence. Additionally, advice presents another truth of the universe – paradox. Ie. for every “practice makes perfect” there is a “nobody’s perfect”. For those who strive to carve a clearly defined path and push convention, it is my opinion that such a mindset is motivated largely by fear of the unknown, and an aversion to face or repeat any consequences or failures. For myself, I certainly see the value in all knowledge discovered and attained before me, but for as much order there is in the universe, the depth of mystery in this life is endless, and conscious humans have the immense power to create and change realities within a universe of orderly chaos and chaotic order. Every human carries a vast world of perspective, experiences, and uniqueness, and I view advice as a window into how every person experiences the world, which in turn enriches my own. Read more>>