Sandra Cisneros

Steady Effort as the Art of Achievement

Finally, Cisneros’s image reminds us that achievement is iterative and open to revision. Painters often scrape away paint, adjust proportions, and correct earlier decisions; this does not negate progress but refines it. Likewise, changing careers, reworking a manuscript, or learning from failure are akin to reworking a section of the canvas. What matters is not flawless execution at every moment, but the willingness to keep applying thoughtful strokes until a meaningful portrait emerges. [...]