Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

Essayons is a French term which means “Let us try.” It’s also the motto of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. No matter what’s going on in the world and in our lives. No matter the uncertainty. No matter the odds. No matter if the art or change we seek to make will work. NoContinue reading “Essayons”

One of the main reasons we love John McClane in Die Hard is Bruce Willis’ portrayal. He imbues the character with humanity at every turn. McClane’s not a superhero. Not super human. Just a regular guy, with street smarts, who’s in an extraordinary situation. Who chooses to be brave in spite of remarkable odds andContinue reading “Self Talk”

“If you’re not feeling those butterflies, you’re not taking a big enough risk.” -Ray Manzarek Apologies, but I’m paraphrasing the above quote. A good friend and fellow actor told it to me when we worked together on a play. And he heard it from someone else. So there you go. Doesn’t matter. The spirit ofContinue reading “Risk”

“Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course.” -Shakespeare “Embrace The Suck.” -Military Slogan When trying to do something great, accomplish a goal, make art, make change, we can one hundred percent assume adversity will hit us. And will hit us hard. It’s inevitable. We need to trustContinue reading “Trust In The Suck”

“A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” -Tim Ferris. Once we embark on our passion project, it won’t be comfortable. We have to sacrifice, make hard decisions, “steal time from comfort” as Derek Sivers writes. And while on the journey, there will be lots of doubts and uncertainties, lotsContinue reading “Uncomfortable”

Congratulations. It means you’re breathing. You’re ALIVE!!! You have the basic necessities (food, water and shelter) plus some level of comfort. You have an internet connection and some sort of device. You have everything you need and more. Get to it. Go make your art.

In addition to focus, another vital reason to know your One Thing is that no matter how bad the day went, no matter how many distractions and unexpected obstacles came up, at least you worked on something–even if only for a couple of minutes–that you deemed important. Nothing, nobody could stop you from your oneContinue reading “Well, At Least I Did That”

Nor should they. That’s your job.  To decide what you’re passionate about, what’s vitally important to you.  So much so, you had to create and share it with others. Stop looking for affirmation on your idea.  Just do it. Go make your art.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” -Ghandi James Clear argues in his terrific book “Atomic Habits”, that when setting goals, we should focus on identity. Not outcomes. Rather than asking the question, “What do I want?”, we should ask “What kind of person do I want to be?” Take health, forContinue reading “Goals And Identity”

A great essay persuades. Makes us re-think our convictions. Often motivates us to act. Emerson’s “Self Reliance” comes to mind. A great, personal essay does all this through the author’s observational lens and firsthand experience navigating the world. It engenders empathy which is the first step towards making any kind of lasting change. Both forContinue reading “The Personal Essay”