What 'The Old Man' Hemingway Can Teach Us About Being an Artist
This is how to overcome creative struggles and master your craft with resilience and wisdom
Ernest Hemingway is rightly considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls are classics. However, The Old Man and the Sea may well be his ‘magnum opus.’
It follows Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman on an 84-day losing streak. Alone at sea, he hooks a massive marlin. For three days, the mighty fish is slowing Santiago and his boat down. Santiago endures injuries, hunger and exhaustion holding the line.
On the third day, Santiago harpoons and kills the marlin. But sharks devour it before Santiago reaches shore, leaving only the bones. Though Santiago returns empty-handed, he kept his dignity and determination.
In this week’s newsletter, let’s explore Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and see what we as artists can learn from Santiago’s journey into perseverance, mastery, focus, resilience, and his embrace of struggle.
1. Perseverance
The Old Man and the Sea holds many a lesson for us artists and creators.
Let’s start with perseverance through hardship. Santiago goes 84 days without catching a single fish, branded “the worst of lucks.” But he refuses defeat.
Each day he sails, casts his lines, and hopes. His ‘will’ never weakens.
Artists face similar struggles — rejection, failure, self-doubt.
A writer receives rejection letters.
A painter has slow sales.
An actor gets rejected by a casting director.
A musician plays to empty venues.
Like Santiago, artists must persist through these challenges. Setting small, achievable goals can maintain motivation.
The Lesson? Stay dedicated, even when success seems unlikely. Because you never know when your big break will come.
2. Mastering Your Craft
Santiago relies on his decades of fishing experience to survive his battle with the marlin. He strategically positions his ‘skiff’ to give him the best advantage. He reads the fish’s movements to know when it is tiring out.
Santiago’s technical excellence at his craft is what enables him to catch the marlin despite his old age and bad luck.
For artists, perfecting one’s craft should be the central focus — not wealth, fame, or recognition. It’s easy to get distracted by dreams of success. But true fulfillment comes from the incremental process of improving at a skill.
Like Santiago, artists should devote time each day to honing their technical abilities, even if no one is watching.
Think of superstar athletes like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Serena and Venus Williams. Or musicians like Keith Richards and Eddie Van Halen. What all these talented people have in common is that they constantly hone their craft, even when no one is watching. They are continuously learning new skills and refining old ones to improve each day.
The Lesson? Master the fundamentals, study the greats, and repeatedly practice difficult techniques. The joy emerges from the mastery of the craft itself.
3. Staying the Course
Santiago never loses focus on catching the marlin, no matter how hard it gets. He ignores the pain and exhaustion because landing the great fish gives meaning to his struggle. Keeping his sights on his main goal gives Santiago’s quest dignity.
Artists should also stay true to their creative vision without compromising. It’s tempting to change aspects of your work to make it more commercial or appealing to others. But artists need to have the courage to protect their original vision.
Rechecking the core reason you’re doing what you’re doing, your ‘Why,’ can provide direction when you face tough choices.
The Lesson? Sticking to your vision despite challenges gives your work honor. Remember your ‘Why.’
4. Resilience
Though Santiago suffers greatly physically, his spirit stays undefeated. He tells himself, “man is not made for defeat” and turns his bad luck into a chance to prove his dedication.
Artists also need mental toughness when facing criticism, stress, and distractions. Don’t let obstacles stop you. See them as opportunities to grow stronger. Like Santiago, artists must stay positive despite difficulties.
The Lesson? Keep creating, no matter what doubts, blocks, or naysayers you face. The act of making art gives purpose and meaning on its own.
5. Live in the Moment
Santiago knows that even if he catches the marlin, his prize won’t last forever. He focuses on the challenge of catching the great fish, not what comes after.
Artists should also appreciate the temporary nature of success and failure with their work. It’s easy to get attached to praise or criticism.
But staying grounded in the present moment lets you enjoy the process, not just the result. Keeping your mind focused on the here and now, fully immersed in creating, leads to more fulfillment.
Obsessing over what you “should” have done or what might happen next, only brings disappointment.
Like Santiago, savor each step of making art without taking success or failure too seriously.
The Lesson? The joy of art comes from the act of creating, not from fame or failure.
Embrace the Struggle
The Old Man and the Sea powerfully shows struggle and resilience. Through Santiago’s difficult quest, Hemingway shares deep wisdom on perseverance, mastering skills, retaining vision, building toughness, and living in the moment.
These shaped the simple force of his writing.
Like Santiago, Hemingway proves inner strength and dedication can overcome life’s harshest challenges. Through his work, Hemingway inspires fellow artists to elevate their craft and meet struggles head on with wisdom and resilience.
His writing shows the power of the human spirit enduring against all odds.
Now it’s our turn as artists to reflect this timeless wisdom in our own skills and creative integrity.
As we have seen through Santiago’s struggles and triumphs, The Old Man and the Sea provides lessons for artists seeking to elevate their craft. By learning from Hemingway’s wisdom on perseverance, focus, vision, mental grit, and presence, artists can overcome adversities and channel their learnings into their work.
Let’s now look at some actionable steps we can take to apply these lessons…
Mastering Your Craft: 10 Steps for Artists
Set small, achievable goals to maintain motivation through challenges
Dedicate time each day to honing your artistic craft and skills
Revisit your core creative vision often to stay grounded
Reframe setbacks and criticism as opportunities for growth
Focus on being fully present in the joy of the creative process
Keep creating, regardless of recognition or results
Maintain resilience in the face of temporary defeat
Stick to your creative integrity without compromise
Appreciate the fleeting nature of any success or failure
Have your art demonstrate the wisdom you’ve gained by persevering
Santiago’s struggle shows the grit and dedication artists need to master their craft. By learning from The Old Man and the Sea — sticking it out despite challenges, focusing on your skills, adapting, and embracing the creative journey — you can overcome anything.
Use the lessons from your own struggles to bring honesty to your work.
Let your human spirit stay determined.
Keep your artistic vision strong, and may your art reflect the hard-earned mastery of an ‘Old Man’ at sea who never lost hope.
That’s it for this issue of The Intentional Artist.
As always, if this resonated or was of help, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Artfully yours,
Chris
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Great analogy!