Crown and Throne

This particular post is going up on Saturday, which is a day of rest for me, but what I want to talk about has nothing to do with rest, but rather the forward momentum that prepares us to become the king or queen of our own dominion.

A crown is often given by blood, given to those who are part of a royal lineage. To be a master of your craft, I believe it takes earning that crown instead of simply receiving it.

A writer who’s starting out is not ever going to be someone on the same level as the greats a month into their career. There’s no way around it. You have to get to that point by practicing your craft over many, many moons. Not to say there aren’t outliers, but this is generally the case when it comes to crafting our art in its chosen form.

You have to make yourself learn the craft at various levels in such a way that you overcome your misunderstandings of what it takes to create a novel, a song, or a painted piece.

While it may not be a literal, visible crown you’re wearing once you decide to take the throne in your artistic life, having that crown—whether it’s a personal, certain horizon only you can see, or even a new trick you’re trying in a book—shows you are a master at something. At least a master on their way.

Now, perfection will never be achieved in this life.

That’s not what I’m trying to say here. But in having that crown, if you’re wearing it metaphorically, seeking mastery over your craft is what will help you earn it.

I wonder why I strongly have this idea of crowns on my mind right now.

It came to me as I was thinking about what it takes to master the craft.

Using a personal example, writing is the craft I’ve chosen to attempt mastery at.

And pragmatically speaking—for the sake of the craft itself—I believe writing in multiple avenues is the best way to master the craft and become a king or queen wordsmith.

Mastering the craft is likely an impossible task because there’s always something else you can do, always some new flourish you can add. But we do our best at what it is we’re gifted at, and make do with the levels we must ascend to get to the heights we desire reaching.

There’s always going to be a different road to take in a novel, or an article might go a way you never thought it’d go, and your outline might be more of a suggestion than a firm resolve to go in that direction. Writing is flexible in that way.

You might have a plan, and the points you touch on may not fit what you’re trying to say once the voice or fingers plant words on the screen. So you might change things up and move in a different direction altogether, and as long as you’re attempting to master your craft, you’re stepping toward that empty throne and filling it as the only man or woman for the station.

Such is the decision-making of a king or queen, right?

Having sovereignty over your own life and in your own dealings, whether in your professional life, your artistic life, or your relationships, helps you become the artist, man, or woman you were meant to be in this life.

I don’t believe in dimming ourselves to make other people comfortable, which is why ultimate mastery to the level of sovereignty will always reign supreme over dimming the light you carry within. Sometimes art and even business are lonely ventures, but we press on into the fray anyway.

And I certainly don’t believe this kingly and metaphorical understanding has any say in how proud you should be against others who are also in your craft. You should always stay humble, not seeking external validation, but understanding that the crown you’re looking for comes from within. When all people are supported, everyone receives their particular crown that fits them the best. These kingdoms I’m mentioning are individual to those who choose to fight for a shimmering tomorrow that gleams in the future light of achievement.

To be the ruler of your own kingdom means you have started your legacy, taken to the throne, and are ready to rule your life in the way you see fit.

A king alone has sovereignty over everything their eyes can see, and in this case, your eyes should see the life you want to build through your chosen craft.

It’s not about what you feel society is telling you to do, but rather, making a mark on this world and becoming the ruler you’re meant to be. You must reach outside of yourself and find the chosen horizon, your unique destination.

The way it ought to be.

And as I said before, it’s about finding the right crown for you, right?

I certainly think so, anyway.

Many people are afraid to even start trying something due to fear of failure, what other people think, or not understanding how to get started in the first place. But the real essence of risk is not that you have the ability to fail, but the notion that you can reach higher heights.

So why not move forward, take those risks, and become the king/queen of your dominion in the craft?

If there’s something you have to prove to yourself because of doubt, then maybe you aren’t ready to master your craft yet—because mastery means self-assurance in what you boldly see in the near-term and long-term. It might be a long distance away, but I believe it is worth it. So that initial doubt can wither away when you’re ready to choose mastery.

A king or queen is simply a ruler by default. They don’t have to prove it to anyone. Not to say they didn’t earn their crown, but making that decision to master your craft propels you into the role.

Just as a lion is not afraid of any other animal on the African savannas because it is simply the monarch of its chosen field, opinions on how you might fail mean little.

I truly believe failure is the catalyst for winning. The more you fail, the more you’ll learn to rise higher. You’ll learn what not to do, and you’ll be able to rule from the throne with absolute dominion. If you fail at one endeavor (a king or queen might lose to another kingdom, right?), that’s fine. We’ve all had a book, song, or attempt that didn’t work out like we thought it would.

Try another one.

The more you fail, the more likely you are to succeed in future endeavors, as I’ve learned myself.

To be a king/queen in your life means you must move forward at all costs with the proper forward momentum.

There is no room here for looking backward, for thinking, What if I can’t? and for not understanding the very life that has been entrusted to you.

There’s simply no way you can be a master at anything if you don’t take the steps necessary to give your craft its marching orders.

Keeping with this idea, your first novel may be considered your first conquest in the search to reach out and expand your dominion.

Your second novel will take that dominion and expand it to further horizons, and so on and so forth until you’ve built your kingdom.

Now, I will say a proper king/queen does not belittle those whom he/she must uplift, but rather, the worries of the laypeople are his or her very worries.

When a ruler goes to war, a good leader goes to war with and for their soldiers. They do not let them be and figure things out for themselves.

That doesn’t translate to personal craft in the best way, but what I’m trying to get at is that a true king/queen of their craft will not put down any of their creations, but rather see them as pieces that fit in certain positions of their artistic life on the battlefield called dominion. So in the same way, understand that your kingdom will also require sacrifice of you, putting the needs of your creations or your endeavors over selfish ambition. A genuine master knows their creations benefit others first, and then themselves and their sense of self-accomplishment.

Now, if someone else sees things differently and is only searching for self-fulfillment, that is acceptable too.

One major reason I want to succeed in my craft is so that I can help others understand that mastery is possible with some grit and not being afraid to take an empty throne guarded by public opinion. Do it anyway and do it in a way that you earn the crown.

I believe that is a horizon we should all strive for, and while I am not in competition with anyone, and I don’t care to vie with anyone, my stance is I want to uplift others as much as I can. If I’m able to seek mastery over my own kingdom, others can as well.

The empty thrones call to those who would wear the crown of a master.

And the best part is, everyone has that throne in their own life, if they’d only have the heart to take it.