“What is to come will be created in you”
A Meditation on the Interconnectedness of “Being Good Enough”, "Doing Better” and "Trying Our Best"
The other day I was looking at the post of one of my favourite artists Joseph Nane Kwame Awuah-Darko, who wrote something I’ve been meditating on a lot:
“Social media isn’t real, so here are some things you wouldn’t know about me:
I had a major mental breakdown the day after I was recognised on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
For most of 2019, I was homeless and dropped out of college.
Some days I still can’t process that I’m a published author.
I cry at least twice a day and don’t even realise it anymore.
No matter how much healing I do, I’m still a work in progress.
I hope this makes people realise that showing up for yourself the best way you can is all that matters. Because that’s all we can do — our best.”
Joseph, to me, is a great example of an artist balancing “being good enough” with striving to “be better” and “doing his best”.
“Good enough” vs “Doing better”
“You are more than good enough. You are deserving.”
“Your worthiness is not determined by external validation. You are good enough.”
“You don’t need to prove your worthiness. You are already good enough.”
“Stop seeking validation from others. You are already good enough.”
“Being good enough is not about meeting other people’s expectations. It’s about embracing who you are.”
All of those affirmations reflect the psychological principle of “Good Enough,” a concept rooted in British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott’s work that challenges perfectionism, advocating for a balanced, compassionate approach to oneself and others. Psychologists and therapists apply Winnicott’s “good enough” concept across a range of areas: from self-image to relationships, career, and creativity.
It encourages people to embrace imperfections, understanding that “good enough” does not imply settling or lack of ambition but rather a realistic acknowledgement that we are sufficient as we are. Accepting ourselves as “good enough” creates space for self-kindness, genuine connection, and lasting mental well-being.
On the other hand, Self-Actualization, a concept from humanistic psychology, most famously articulated by Abraham Maslow, is the process of realising and striving toward one’s unique potential. Maslow placed self-actualisation at the peak of his hierarchy of needs, describing it as the drive to become the most that one can be. Rather than merely surviving or achieving material success, self-actualisation involves a sense of purpose, creativity, and personal growth. It’s about going beyond “good enough” and cultivating a life that aligns deeply with one’s values and passions.
“What a man can be, he must be.
— Abraham Maslow
This process, Maslow noted, is ongoing and unique for each individual, rooted in discovering and expressing one’s true self.
Similarly, the Growth Mindset, popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, suggests that the belief in one’s ability to improve is essential for doing better.
If you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character— well, then you’d better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn’t do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics.
[…]
I’ve seen so many people with this one consuming goal of proving themselves— in the classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships. Every situation calls for a confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character. Every situation is evaluated: Will I succeed or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or a loser?
—Carol Dweck
These things are culturally desirable. We value intelligence, personality, and character. It’s normal to want this. But in Mindset, Dweck writes:
This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.
[…]
Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better?
Those with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities for growth, viewing setbacks as part of the learning process rather than as failures. This mindset fosters resilience and adaptability, which are key to self-improvement. It’s about focusing on effort and progress, rather than fixed outcomes, and believing that abilities can be developed over time through dedication and learning.
Together, these concepts encourage us to pursue improvement not from a place of inadequacy, but from a desire to fulfill our potential.
“There is a language we all understand”
For me, Joseph Kwame, encapsulates the concept of “being good enough”, “doing better” and “trying his best” in his life and art. Living with bipolar disorder, he found a unique way to manage his mental health, using spreadsheets to chart his moods—a practice that evolved into his art. Each colour in his spreadsheet represents an emotional state, from deep red for depressive lows to pastel blue for highs. “I’m a visual learner, and I thought: ‘Why don’t I use colour as a language?’” Joseph explains. Out of these meticulous records, he created a series of abstract oil paintings—portraits of his days—which debuted in his first solo UK exhibition, How’s Your Day Going?
He describes this practice as both addictive and cathartic, explaining how he charts his emotions hour by hour. In it, the artist reveals the beauty of his process: “It’s beautiful to see how, even though I have given these strict schematic colour assignments to my moods, emotions aren’t sanitised. They are messy, and they flow into each other.”
In his book Dear Artists, Joseph expresses a powerful desire to make art that speaks to the shared human experience, not just isolated struggles. He writes,
“To be an artist is to love,
not to paint a perfect picture but to hold a mirror to the world and say,
‘Look. We are all here together.’”
— Joseph Nane Kwame Awuah-Darko
Through his colour-coded emotions and abstract paintings, Joseph captures the nuance of his internal landscape and makes it accessible to others. His work demonstrates Carl Jung’s insight: “What is to come will be created in you.” Joseph embodies this, transforming his own complex emotions into something tangible that resonates universally.
Born in London to Ghanaian parents and raised in Ghana, Joseph’s cultural heritage has shaped his worldview and his art. His journey into visual storytelling is deeply influenced by the vibrant tapestries of African artistry. In Dear Artists, he captures this spirit:
“We are not alone, though we feel it at times, though the silence feels infinite. We are the artists, the ones who make a mark in a language no one speaks but everyone understands.”
This sentiment has guided his work, which he views as a lifeline, a means of processing the intense highs and lows that come with bipolar disorder.
“Art is not a retreat; it’s a rebellion against silence, a way of saying, ‘I am here, I feel this, and I know you feel it too.’”
Through each piece, Joseph continues to make visible the struggles many face in silence.
“Every tear, every tremor, every battle with myself—they’re all part of my art, and they’re part of me,” he says, holding space for those who feel they must face their struggles alone.
One anecdote that captures the emotional intensity of Joseph’s life and art is his crying. This ritual, which he openly shares, is not only a release but a form of creative clarity. “Crying is my way of resetting, of peeling back the layers I accumulate each day,” he explains. “It’s my way of keeping the weight off my shoulders, so I can continue creating.” His tears are a sign of strength, an acknowledgement of both pain and resilience, teaching others to recognise the beauty of such fragile, unguarded moments. As Carl Jung once said, “There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection to balance it.” Joseph embodies this balance, allowing both his joy and suffering to coalesce in his art.
Perhaps one of the most poignant chapters of Joseph’s journey came when he was invited to exhibit his work in London—a pivotal opportunity, yet one that he had to forfeit due to a visa denial. The sting of that moment remains vivid for him: “Imagine creating work meant to bridge continents, to speak to strangers thousands of miles away—and then being told you can’t even be there for it,” he recalls. The irony is almost poetic, as Joseph’s art embodies connection, yet in this moment, he faced an imposed separation. But instead of letting disappointment harden him, he channeled the experience into a broader message about the barriers artists often face—be they physical, psychological, or cultural.
In Dear Artists, he writes, “I hope this makes people realize that showing up, even when we feel we’re not enough, is what makes us more than enough.”
Ultimately, Joseph Nane Kwame Awuah-Darko’s work is a manifestation of the power of showing up authentically and the courage behind it. His art reminds that, as Jung observed, what lies ahead is created within us—by showing up, by embracing our shadows, and by daring to be honest, we create something that is “good enough” and, perhaps, better than we ever imagined.
“The courage to create is the courage to expose yourself—to be unguarded, to show the parts of yourself that you would rather keep hidden.”
Through his colours, lines, and words, Joseph opens a door into a world of shared human experience, reminding us that even in our struggles, we are bound by an invisible thread of empathy and understanding.
“There is a language we all understand, a thread running through all art that binds us beyond borders, beyond words.”
