Even the genius Goethe struggled with writing his masterpieces. His signature work "Faust" took 60 years to write. Over 30 years passed before the opening of Act V was finished. Goethe says: "Be cautious with masterpieces." "The more talented a person is, the more they keep trying, the more they suffer over a masterpiece. I too have suffered." As long as a masterpiece lingers in your mind, the ease of daily life disappears. If you fail to grasp the whole, all your efforts come to nothing. First, start with small things. (p. 48) |
| From "Goethe, An Answer to Youth," by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, ed. Tekina Osamu, trans. Lee Hyukjae (Yein / Pluto Book) |
The great man of letters and sage of his age, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He advises us to start right now. "Use your time faithfully. If you seek to understand something, do not look far off." Goethe tells us to beware of "the masterpiece." He likely means to beware of clinging to "something grand" or "something impressive," endlessly thinking while failing to take even one step forward. "If all you do is think about what you should do and how you should do it, ten years will slip by without you having done a thing." Do not seek far away. Start with the "small thing," "right now." It is Goethe's counsel to us — we who always have plenty of thoughts and plans but fall short on execution.  |
