Stick to Your Guns

Don't compromise on your vision.

Tell the story you want to tell.

I recently visited Salvador Dalì's house on the peaceful bay at Port Lligat in Spain.

Dalì and his wife, Gala, originally lived in a tiny fisherman's hut with no power or water. He gradually bought the adjoining huts and built a new floor above for his studio. In the garden he built a terraced olive grove and a swimming pool in the shape of a penis, surrounded by statues of the Michelin Man. And he dotted several perfectly smooth white eggs on the roof, in the garden, and under the stairs.

Dalì saw eggs as a symbol of perfection, of the female, and of love and birth. He was also fascinated by the contrast between their hard exterior and soft interior.

In one performance, he and Gala broke out of an egg on the beach in front of the house, like the offspring of Leda, the swan of Greek mythology.

In the garden is a broken egg, with a hole at the bottom so visitors can crawl in and pretend to burst out of the shell.

As separate objects, Dalì's eggs aren't that special. But they're an integral part of the whole property – and of a vision Dalì refused to compromise.

If you're telling your story, stick to your vision. Don't compromise.