“When the people lead, the leaders will follow.” -Mahatma Gandhi
“Get a move on…don’t worry whether anyone will give you credit for it. And don’t go expecting Plato’s Republic; be satisfied with even the smallest progress.” -Marcus Aurelius
Just a reminder to exercise your great privilege as a United States citizen and vote. If you need a little inspiration, here’s an excellent blog post from Seth Godin and another one from The Daily Stoic.
Thanks for doing your duty.
“Become the curator of your life. Edit, leave out the junk. But when you find something worth keeping, treasure it.” -Robert Greene
In a world of infinite choice, the trusted curator remains supreme.
For anything we want to do, there exists lots of different ways to do it. “How” we do something is far less important than “why.”
Actors for example, can choose from among lots of different methods and schools. Meisner, Stanislavski, Hagen, Chekov, Adler, Strasberg, and Grotowski are just a few that come to mind. They all have value and we’d be wise to learn something about all of them. You never know what sticks, what nugget you can use in some future situation.
The trouble comes when we think there should only be one way or the right way or the absolute best way to do something. Nonsense. That’s what leads to dogma and closed-minded thinking.
Instead let us be grocery store artists! Pick and choose from the abundance of knowledge and techniques and great ideas that exist. Fill our carts with whatever we think we need to get the job done right now. While remaining open to choosing new items when the situation and project calls for it.
It feels great to be asked to the dance.
Or picked for the team.
Or accepted into the college of your choice.
Or told you booked the job.
Guess what?….When you have the courage to follow your dreams and manifest your passion project, you get to make a whole bunch of people feel really great. You get to ask them to the dance. Because invariably you will need and want them for their talent and spirit. They’re the right match for your journey. And now you all get to do something great. Together.
No better feeling than that.
Stop waiting for a sign to start.
Start doing and wait for a sign to stop.
SEEKING SOMEONE WHO…
Knows themselves and doesn’t fool themselves.
Has high integrity and upstanding moral character.
Has core values and principles and lives by them.
Listens. Really listens.
Takes direction well.
Takes initiative. Is a self starter.
Takes tremendous pride in their work.
Cares deeply about others.
Helps others make their work the best it can be.
Is generous to a fault.
Is passionate.
Always goes the extra mile.
Loves to learn.
Isn’t afraid to fail. Looks at mistakes as an opportunity to grow.
Doesn’t gossip.
Communicates early, often and well.
Is always willing to take on new projects.
Believes deeply in the organization’s mission.
Takes ownership.
Doesn’t ask what needs to be done. Finds something to do, does it and says “Here. I did this. What do you think?”
Has deep empathy for others.
Treats everyone with dignity and respect.
Doesn’t feel the need to be right.
Doesn’t need credit. Freely gives it to others.
Accepts responsibility. Isn’t afraid to take the blame.
Is open-minded. Cultivates good, critical feedback.
Has no ego. Is all about the work. Best idea wins.
Has a sense of humor.
Is a linchpin.
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY.
If you have some or all of the above soft skills, you’ll always work. Your services will always be in demand. Everything else can be learned on the job.
All that I possess and use
Is like the fleeting vision of a dream.
It fades into the realms of memory;
And fading, will be seen no more.
-8th-century Buddhist master Shantideva from “The Way of the Bodhisattva”
We constantly search for certainty in an uncertain world. The American Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron, writes beautifully on this subject HERE. Seven plus months into a pandemic with no clear end in night is a constant affirmation to take life “one day at a time.”
Most of us can handle extreme difficulty and stress in service of a larger goal. When it’s voluntary and we know there’s an end point. “I just need to get through X to get to Y.”
Real suffering occurs when it’s involuntary and you remove the end point. When you have no idea how long the difficulty will last.
A personal metaphor…
I remember many years ago, going for an early morning run with a close friend. We were in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, a college reunion of sorts. Besides being an avid and exceptional runner–much faster than me–he also had familiarity with the route. He’d run it before and knew when and where it would end.
I didn’t.
The first run day, I was absolutely dying. (And he was running considerably slower than usual to allow me to keep pace.) My internal dialogue was “How much longer? How much longer?!” I wanted to quit several times. Finally, after about forty five minutes or so, we turned a corner and I recognized the house where we stayed. I was suddenly energized and finished strong.
The next morning–even though I was badly hung over and had barely slept (college reunions will do that to you)–was a much more enjoyable run. I could better tolerate the suffering. Because I knew it would end.
We’re all suffering in different ways right now. There’s so much uncertainty. But even though we don’t exactly know how or when, we will get through this.
“First thing I remember
Was asking Papa, “Why?”
For there were many things I didn’t know
And Daddy always smiled
Took me by the hand
Saying, “Someday you’ll understand”
Well, I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young
‘Cause someday never comes.” -from the song Someday Never Comes by Credence Clearwater Revival
Someday…you’ll produce that play, make that movie, start that business, write that novel, take that class, get in shape, eat healthier, travel to that country, learn that skill, volunteer your time, manifest your passion project.
Someday…you’ll try to make a change in the world.
Someday…you’ll risk.
Someday…you’ll listen to your inner voice.
Someday never comes.
“Tarry a little, there is something else. This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are ‘a pound of flesh.” -Shakespeare, The Merchant Of Venice
To do anything great, anything worthwhile, something’s gotta give somewhere else in your life. It’s just a fact. You’ll have to sacrifice time, energy, money, etc…in service of your passion project. You’ll have to steal from comfort. The question to ask yourself before going on the journey: “Is it worth it?”
A very accomplished actor and friend once asked me for some suggestions on plays. He wanted to get back to his theatre roots and was looking for something exciting that he could produce. I gave him a few plays, all containing roles I thought he’d be fantastic in.
A few months went by and I hadn’t heard from him. I reached back out, asked if he read them. He had and apologized for not responding. He was thankful and thought all the plays were terrific. I pressed him a bit to see if he was going to move forward with one of them.
His response (paraphrased):
“Nah. Pound of flesh my friend. I’m not prepared to give it. Not right now.”
I respected his decision because he was honest with himself. Rather than be in denial, he knew it would cost him to fully serve those parts and plays. He choose otherwise.
Audible (American football) : a substitute offensive or defensive play called at the line of scrimmage
Much like a quarterback who steps to the line of scrimmage and calls an audible based on the defense, there are times when you as a producer must do the same thing. No matter how much you prepare, something will come up during your project that you didn’t expect. It’s inevitable…An actor or designer will get another job. A crew member will get sick. A deliverable will not come through. An item will break. Etc…
When it does come up, you have two options.
One, stick with sunk costs and do nothing. Hope it works out. (It probably won’t.)
Two, trust in your preparation, your team and yourself that you can and will adapt to the new set of circumstances. You’ll make make a new, good decision. You’ll leave your homework at the door and be in the moment.
Just like the best quarterbacks, the best producers are those who’ve mastered the art of the audible.
The Vs. Studio Blog