P U B L I S H E R ’ S
L E T T E R
REFOCUSING PRIORITIES
L
ike any entrepreneur, my “to do” list tends to run my life. Some days it’s long, other days less so, but there are always projects that get kicked down the road. And though most organizational gurus would suggest I rethink how I’m organizing my time, it seems like there are days, sometimes weeks, when that list is controlling me. My merry-go-round tends to run around 75 mph; I don’t dare jump off or major disruption might take place. But jump off I did for a Christmas break, then for a couple of weeks under the weather, sleeping most of the time. Typically, after a vacation or some time away, I tell my assistant, Ali, that I’m going to work less, focus more, and do more of the things I want to do. A week later, we’re back up to 75 mph and those goals get pushed aside. Each time, I tell myself, this time will be different. I’ll change. But it really was different this time. Whether we are ill with COVID, the flu, or just a bug, our minds immediately go to the worst-case scenario, because we have all lost friends fast and unexpectedly. One can’t help wondering, “Maybe it will be me this time.” And that’s exactly where my mind went during my little sleeping break. Now, instead of returning to 75 mph, I’m forcing myself to make the changes I’ve
always wanted to make. Though it requires replacing myself and hiring a couple of people to take on some of my workload, it will be different this time. There is too much still to do, and the things I’ve wanted to do just never seem to get done. Therefore, my intent is to focus on what I call legacy projects — the big dreams that will make a difference. In my case it’s mostly about art, about books that need to be written, museums to be created, newly relocated paintings to be investigated, events to be invented, paintings I’ve dreamed of making that need to be started and completed, and so much more. Most importantly, it’s not about my personal legacy. Rather, it’s about ensuring I’m doing my part to pave the way for a future in which others discover and embrace art. What about you? What are the big dreams that would need doing if you only had a year left? What do you keep putting off? What would you regret not doing when you close your eyes that last time? None of us can predict where this world is going and what we will face. But we can identify those legacy projects, something we can do to change the (art) world. Of course, there is never going to be enough time. It’s really all about how we manage the time we have.
Painted by DANIEL E. GREENE (1934–2020) Publisher B. Eric Rhoads 2005, oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in.
B. ERIC RHOADS Chairman/Publisher bericrhoads@gmail.com facebook.com/eric.rhoads @ericrhoads
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