Kayleigh Young Glass
My journey as a young(ish) female glassmaker based in the UK. Likely to include thoughts, projects, gallery/exhibition visits and mini rants.
Monday, November 11, 2024
First Christmas Fair
Sunday, January 8, 2023
2022 Newsletter draft that I never sent out
Professional practices
(From three years ago) "What you want to do is..." but do I?
My life seems to be plagued with "What you want to do is..." insert someone else's idea of success here. I have to confess when I hear those 6 words my eyes glaze over, I begin to examine my own thoughts and stop listening to the speaker. The speaker who is telling me what I "want" to do. Often the speaker knows little about me, often they are giving me their opinion on what they think I should do regarding my business. A business they are not a part of, in an industry they are not a part of.
A woman has never said that sentence to me (unless they were explaining how to use a computer program to me in which case I consider it perfectly acceptable) and a woman has rarely said to me "You don't want to do that" whilst I often hear this from men.
Even men I am close to use these words. An example that springs to mind is when I shaved part of my head (which happens regularly) my grandfather told me that I didn't want to do that again and that I had "spoilt myself" because I looked so nice before... With my normal shoulder-length hair. I was upset that my grandfather considered me to be less acceptable in some way with a hairstyle I preferred.
I have been told recently several times that "what I want to do" is to get on Amazon because that's where the real money is. No one has considered the fact that I can't make enough stock fast enough to compete in that market. Maybe in ten years time but certainly not in the near future.
The main reason I am offended by this choice of words is that people presume to know what it is that I want. When in fact they just want to tell me what they think I should do. They give me their opinion in the guise of helpful advice. It has never been requested and it probably never will be. The people I have actually asked for advice never used those words. Plus the people I have asked for advice are experts in their field and I usually a part of the same industry that I am.
So this was just a small rant about people giving me advice weather I want it or not.