Your Ladder
I recently visited an art gallery located in the Mailbox in Birmingham & came across a beautiful six-foot-tall bronzed sculpture with a ladder being at the centre focus; a woman balanced precariously at the top, passionately reaching out into nothingness and at the foot of the ladder a man, seemingly attempting to hold the ladder steady for her…
The piece: aptly named ‘Reach’ really resonated with me.
Let’s say the sculpture is a metaphor for aiming high and reaching for your goals, which is what the artist actually intended and what many of us would interpret it as being, though art is very often subjective, allowing the viewer to interpret as they wish and what’s more how you may view a piece of art on one occasion, may not be viewed in the same way by yourself one year, one month, or even one day later, allowing you to really use art as a way of translating your current emotions, feelings, challenges and goals into something tangible, real and personal to you.
Therefore, going back to this particular piece, the ladder which is unsteady- let’s say representing life’s challenges, being steadied by the man, could translate to that one person in your life who has supported you, who is ‘your rock’; a friend, partner, family member, mentor, even someone you don’t personally know but who happens to be an inspiration to you.
Going one step further, the person steadying your ladder could even represent an organisation, group of people over a period of time, a book you’ve read, a film you’ve watched or a workshop you’ve attended that has really helped support and motivate you.
Taking the time to reflect upon your journey once in a while; the good the bad and the ugly is a great way of fuelling your next steps and smashing those next goals – you have done it before and you can do it again.
In addition, recognising the tools you accessed and the techniques you applied to assist you in achieving your goals is also a really smart form of reflection.
Reflect- Recognise- Re-apply
I found myself staring at this sculpture for quite some time, getting lost in the possibilities of what it represented for me.
If this is not something you have thought about before in depth, or for a while then perhaps it is time to reflect upon who and what in your life has and is -that constant support of your ladder.
To explore this further contact me for a free discovery call: fiona@rsvipnetwork.co.uk
Fiona Duncan-Steer
www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk