Things may not be perfect, that’s how it is. You may not have all the tools of the trade or the best work conditions. You know you want to start something but you don’t have everything you need. In reality you don’t need everything or anything to pursue your dreams. The main thing you gonna need is the burning desire to engage in what your heart desires to accomplish. Go for it now and let the pieces fall in place.

When I started tattooing I don’t have the basic equipment that what most people think is what makes a tattoo artist. I started with a gang member handing me a jail house gun. It was made out of a toy car motor, a guitar string, a spoon, and a ball point pen. I knew I wanted to tattoo so I made it work. I practiced and studied and worked at it. Eventually I saved up enough money for my first tattoo kit and kept on working at it. It’s wasn’t perfect I would go to people homes and work out of my group-home. I knew I needed a place to work out of. So I jump threw some hoops and half asked did what was told to me and got an apartment. Still and all my landlord wasn’t happy with me using my apartment as a tattoo studio. So I started working at a shop. The rest is a love story. But if would had refuse to work with a jail-house tat gun I would have never met my beautiful wife and left tattoo like a boss.

My start wasn’t perfect. I didn’t have the tat pens like these kids now a days. There was no temu to get my tattoo equipment shipped from china. I had to go to china town like everybody else. I didn’t have it easy and it damn sure wasn’t perfect. I struggled but it was worth it. I ate shit and didn’t die, it made me hateful but look how stronger I become. I learn the hard way, time and pressure makes diamonds. Even now, I don’t have the best laptop or kick ass wifi. I’am making it work with what I have. It’s not perfect but I am still going. It’s not a matter of living the dream but following your dreams. Starting from scratch and working at your dream everyday. Starting is the most important step you can take. It’s taking that leap, and starting your journey toward what soon will become your passion.

After you take that first step. you will see thing start to fall in place. Little by little you will see growth. As you pour your heart and soul into project after project. You will yourself have more and more of what you thought you needed from the start. Growth is a process, you don’t start out as an adult. You have to grow to adulthood, day by day, year by year, until you are grown. Same thing with your desires, you see them grow day by day, year by year until you can say you are a professional. You have to grow with your craft and study it and work at it. In the beginning it won’t be prefect, it may never been 100% to your satisfaction. But you can say you started it and made something from it. I like the field of dreams module, “build it and they will come.” Start it and you will grow at it.

It won’t be easy. In Buddhism there is a phase “never give up.” If you start something see it threw till your done. Don’t give up on your dreams just because it’s not perfect. Keep at it, work at it, and grow with it. Enjoy the process and kick some ass. Good luck and never give up, especially on your dreams.