Two Modes Of Listening

On stage–because it’s all about conflict and playing objectives to the hilt–listen with a strong point of view. A strong want. Listen with intent. Probe. Listen to find the opportunities where you can CHANGE the other person. Actively listen. Want to jump in and interrupt the first chance you get.

Off stage–or for most of your life–do none of the above. Just LISTEN. Let the other person speak. Allow for silence. Don’t try to solve or change anything about them. Just listen. And listen some more.

The Greatest Asset

When we think of assets, we tend to think in economic terms.  Cash, stocks, bonds, land, buildings, etc…Numbers on a balance sheet. And they certainly all have value.

But the most valuable asset you have as an artist and/or producer is trust.

Plain and simple…Does your audience trust that what you have to offer comes from your heart and is made with excellence and generosity at every turn?

A Simple Why Will Do

I recently re-watched one of my favorite performances by my favorite actor, Jack Lemmon in “Days Of Wine And Roses.” If you haven’t seen, it’s a must. Lemmon and Remick are at the top of their game portraying a couple destroyed by the ravages of alcohol.

I came across the original trailer for the film Here. What’s fascinating is that at the 90 second mark, the film clips end and Jack Lemmon walks out to the soundstage and talks directly to the camera. He speaks from the heart about how much the film means to him, so much so that for the first time in his career, he’s appealing directly to the audience to see it. Simple. Classy. Earnest. Powerful.

When you’re marketing your passion project and/or explaining your “why” to people, you can do it just like Jack…Look ’em square in the eye and tell them how much it means to you. Your why doesn’t get any better than that.

Contemporary Takes Care Of Itself

“Art doesn’t have to be contemporary to feel contemporary.” -Jacqueline Stewart, Chief Artistic & Programming Officer, Academy Museum

Consider that Anton Chekhov wrote this in 1897 (from his play “Uncle Vanya”)…

You can stoke your stoves with peat and build your barns of stone. Well, all right, cut wood when you need to, but why destroy whole forests? Russian forests are groaning under the axe, billions of trees are perishing, the homes of beasts and birds are devastated, the rivers grow shallow and dry up, wonderful landscapes disappear beyond recall, and all that because lazy man isn’t smart enough to bend down and pick up fuel from the ground. Isn’t that so, madam? You have to be a senseless barbarian to burn this beauty in your stove, to destroy what we cannot create. Man is endowed with reason and creative power to increase what’s been given to him, but so far he’s been destroying, not creating. There are fewer and fewer forests, rivers are drying up, wildlife is disappearing, the climate is ruined, and with every day the earth becomes poorer and uglier.

Feels like it could’ve been written today, doesn’t it?

Don’t worry about staying contemporary. Worry about being truthful and authentic. When you capture truth, contemporary takes care of itself.

Be One

“Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.” -Gloria Steinem

“Be the change you that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Ghandi

“Waste no more time arguing what a good [person] should be. Be one.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Not…”If only someone would just do something!”

It’s…”I’m doing this! Who’s coming with me?“

Go Help Them Make Their Art

If you don’t have a passion project right now, that’s perfectly okay. You haven’t found it yet, or it’s not the right time.

But if you know someone who’s attempting theirs, do whatever you can to help them out. Support their efforts as best you can.

They could use it. You’re doing a good thing. And who knows?…It might provide the inspiration you were searching for.

Go Help Them Make Their Art

Emotional, Not Logical

“When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.” -Dale Carnegie

“May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with humans? I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant.” -Spock

The next time you read a script and a character’s behavior causes you to think, “I would never do that.” Or, “That wouldn’t happen.” Or “It doesn’t logically make sense for that character to act that way.”…

…Just remember humans are waaaaay more emotional than logical.

Seek Out What You Can’t Do

“The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring every minute of every day for the rest of your life. And the most important thing is, it must be something you cannot possibly do.” -Henry Moore, sculptor

“And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.” –Hans Gruber paraphrasing Plutarch in Die Hard

Go for process over achievement and accolades. All day long. Any day of the week

Help…But Don’t Hide

“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” -Chinese Proverb

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being ’round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me -The Beatles, “Help”

At the core of long term happiness is helping others. Absolutely. One hundred percent true and there are numerous studies that validate like this one for example.

But just make sure you’re not hiding. That you’re not running from your bliss.

What do I mean?

If you have something inside you, something you are truly passionate about, you must answer the call and make it happen. Otherwise, you’ll be miserable and in no position to help anyone else.

Moreover–depending on the size and scope of the project–when you manifest something from the heart and strive for excellence and generosity with it, you can help tons more people.

Help…but don’t hide.