Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“One must be pitiless about this matter of “mood.” In a sense, the writing will create the mood. … I have forced myself to begin writing when I’ve been utterly exhausted, when I’ve felt my soul as thin as a playing card, when nothing has seemed worth enduring for another five minutes … and somehowContinue reading “Moved To Act”

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” -Richard P. Feynman For anything you’re thinking about doing, ask yourself “why” over and over and over again. Until you drill down enough and get at the real reason you wanna do the thing. (Five or sixContinue reading “Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?”

We’re four days into the new year and maybe some of you feel bad because you broke one or all of your daily resolutions. Before punting on 2022, why not take a different approach? Take the pressure off. Call January your “test drive month.” Just like you wouldn’t buy a new car before taking itContinue reading “Test Drive Month”

“I’m not doing dialogue because I like doing dialogue. The characters are telling you the story. I’m not telling you the story, they’re going to do it. If I do it right, you will get the whole story.” -George V. Higgins Some of the best writing advice I’ve heard, especially for playwrights, is this…know yourContinue reading “Just Get ‘Em Talking”

“I think of the trees and how simply they let go, let fall the riches of a season, how without grief (it seems) they can let go and go deep into their roots for renewal and sleep…Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long,Continue reading “Let Go To Go Forward”

“I’m going to count to ten. I’m here, you’re there…You know what to do…Welcome…Welcome back.” –Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight by John Kolvenbach Dear Friend and Vs. Ally, I hope you had a great Holiday and this letter finds you well.  I know we’re all still dealing with this pandemic, but we will get through it and come out strongerContinue reading “Vs. 2021 Year End Letter and Fundraising Appeal”

“We have a strategic plan — it’s called doing things.” -Herb Kelleher, founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. ‘” -Muhammad Ali Ever look back at on all the things you usedContinue reading “Do Hard Things”

“Think of many things; do only one.” -Portuguese proverb A New Year’s resolution that might actually stick… Do fewer things. Focus like a laser beam on those few things. How to choose? Remember to ask yourself (daily) this magic focusing question. P.S. – Can you name the 80’s film in the above pic?

“Perfect love casts out fear.” -John 4:18 “There is no deed in this life so impossible that you cannot do it. Your whole life should be lived as a heroic deed.” -Leo Tolstoy “The world wants to know if you have cojones. If you are brave?” -Emilo Perez asking John Grady in Cormac McCarthy’s novel,Continue reading “Courage Follows Love”

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” -Marie Kondo, “The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up” “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.Continue reading “Meaningful Consumption”