The Vs. Studio Blog

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” -Harry S. Truman

“For there to be a gift, there must be no reciprocity, return, exchange, countergift, or debt…For there to be a gift, it is necessary that the donee not give back, amortize, reimburse…” -Jacques Derrida

“When you’ve done well and another has benefited by it, why like a fool do you look for a third thing on top—credit for the good deed or a favor in return?” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

To you who hear I say,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back; -Luke 6: 27-35

The Master can keep giving
because there is no end to her wealth.
She acts without expectation,
succeeds without taking credit,
and doesn’t think that she is better
than anyone else. –Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu (Stephen Mitchell adaptation)

“The answer to the question ‘Why did you do the right thing? should always be ‘Because it was the right thing to do.’ After all, when you hear or see another person do that—especially when they might have endured some hardship or difficulty as a consequence for doing that right thing—do you not think, There, that is a human being at their finest? So why on earth do you need thanks or recognition for having done the right thing? It’s your job.” -Ryan Holiday

“Even
After
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,

“You owe me.”

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.” -poem by Hafiz

No credit? No problem. Do it anyway.

For no other reason than you want to. That it’s the right thing to do. Do it out of pure love.

Transform. Not transact.

“But I tried, didn’t I? Goddamnit, at least I did that.” -novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

“Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” -John Wooden

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.” -Japanese Proverb

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again.” -Samuel Beckett

Just.

Keep.

Trying.

That’s the whole enchilada right there folks.

P.S. – This scene.

A few questions to ask yourself before consuming that next article, news story or social media post (or really any form of consumption):

Why exactly am I consuming this right now?

Will this help me get to where I want to be? Or enable me to make the change I seek to make in the world?

How do I think this will make me feel?

Then proceed.

Consume wisely my friend.

“Ikigai represents the perfect harmony between what you are passionate about, what you are good at, what your world needs, and what you can be paid for…It is the intersection of these four elements that creates a sense of purpose and drives career success. -John Tarnoff

“Prototypes help you visualize alternatives in a very experiential way”. –Design Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Per Wikipedia:

Ikigai (生き甲斐, lit. ’a reason for being’) is a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.

The term compounds two Japanese words: iki (生き, meaning ‘life; alive’) and kai (甲斐, meaning ‘(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail’) (sequentially voiced as gai), to arrive at ‘a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a ‘raison d’être’.

If you’re looking for a dream job or career, then it’s worth thinking about Ikigai and asking yourself the four questions in the diagram above (h/t to John Tarnoff for providing). It’s all about matchmaking. Journal about your answers. Research different fields. Talk to as many people who are actually doing the work you’re thinking about. Prototype different paths (in some cases, this might involve volunteering at various organizations). Know your world class strengths.

Keep drilling down until you get to the heart of the matter. The intersection of it all. That’s the point of maximum value and presumably, peak career happiness.

(By the way, you may find that after all this deep work, that the only way you can find your dream job is to create it yourself.)

Similar to catching lightning in a bottle, you can’t predict when exactly the big, seminal moments of your life will occur, what they will be like, and how they will make you feel.

You can however put yourself in an optimal position for them to occur.

A healthy mind, a healthy body, unswerving belief in your vision, strict discipline, a commitment to excellence, a generous spirit and relentless focus are your friends.

Always be ready.

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing
It don’t mean a thing all you got to do is sing
(doo-ah)
It makes no difference
If it’s sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Everything you’ve got
Don’t mean a thing all you’ve gotta do is swing
It don’t mean a thing all you’ve gotta do is sing -song “It Don’t Mean A Thing” by Ella Fitzgerald (original composition by Duke Ellington)

“The opportunity cost of investing your life in something that’s not going to get better is just too high.” -Seth Godin, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs

It’s okay if the reasons you’re doing the thing now are different than your original reasons for doing the thing.

Industries evolve. Perspectives broaden and deepen. Your own life changes.

But if you don’t have love of the thing, it’s time to leave the thing.

Cuz without love, you ain’t got a thing.

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” -Aristotle

I came across the below story about Albert Einstein. Such a great lesson and I’ll just let the story speak for itself…

Albert Einstein once wrote on a chalkboard:
9 x 1 = 9
9 x 2 = 18
9 x 3 = 27
9 x 4 = 36
9 x 5 = 45
9 x 6 = 54
9 x 7 = 63
9 x 8 = 72
9 x 9 = 81
9 x 10 = 91

Suddenly chaos erupted in the classroom because Einstein made a mistake. Obviously, the correct answer to 9 × 10 isn’t 91. And all his students ridiculed him.

Einstein waited for everyone to be silent and said:

“Despite the fact that I analyzed nine problems correctly, no one congratulated me. But when I made one mistake, everyone started laughing. This means that even if a person is successful, society will notice his slightest mistake. And they’ll like that. So don’t let criticism destroy your dreams. The only person who never makes a mistake is someone who does nothing.”

In addition to recapping my end of year favorites (films, plays, books, albums) I thought for 2025, I’d share each month. Without further adieu and in no particular order, here are some January faves…

FILMS:

La Haine directed by Mathieu Kassovitz – a reviewer wrote “one of the most blisteringly effective pieces of urban cinema ever made”; I couldn’t agree more.

The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg directed by Jacques Demy – might be the most beautiful film ever made; heartbreakingly romantic and devastating.

The Earrings of Madame de directed by Max Ophuls – I’ve always wanted to see this one because great directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, Greta Gerwig and Noah Bambauch talk about the brilliant camerawork; there is that indeed, but the performances are also incredible.

Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera directed by Christian Gudecast – I love a good heist movie (who doesn’t?); I loved the first Den Of Thieves and the sequel does not disappoint; saw it in the theatre with my son Callum and it made us very happy.

ALBUMS:

Damien Jurado – “The Horizon Just Laughed”

Jose Gonzales – “In Our Nature” (h/t to my friend Chief for this recommend)

Jessica Pratt – “Here In The Pitch”

PLAYS (Live, In Person)

Gaslighting Is My Love Language written and performed by Fielding Edlow – I saw this at the Whitefire Theatre; Fielding had brought in a portion of the show on a prior Vs. Tuesday night Zoom reading and it was great to see to full show live; it was hilarious and moving and Fielding told it honestly and beautifully.

Appropriate by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins – our first “Vs. Live at PRT” reading of 2025; a terrific play that Kim Hlavac sponsored; very grateful to read alongside her and the other amazing actors she cast.

Noises Off by Michael Frayn – a Vs. Theatre Club night, live at the Geffen Playhouse; I wrote this blog about it; can’t believe the same playwright also wrote Copenhagen; talk about dexterity!

BOOKS:

What Makes Sammy Run by Budd Schulberg – an absolute page turner about show business that still holds up over 80 years later.

PODCASTS:

“The Movie Crypt” – my friend and actor Matt Lillard was the guest; he tells tons of great stories and is super entertaining.

“Back To One” – my friend and actor Brad Fleischer was the guest; lots of great acting gems in this one.

“Being an artist means to be continually asking, “How can it be better? Whatever it is. It may be your art and it may be your life.

Most who choose the artist’s path don’t have a choice. We feel compelled to engage, as if by some primal instinct, the same force that calls turtles toward the sea after hatching in the sand. We follow this instinct. To deny it is dispiriting, as if we are in violation of nature. If we zoom out, we see this blind impulse is always there, guiding our aim beyond ourselves. In the moment when we feel the work is taking shape, there’s a dynamic surge, followed by an urge to share, in the hopes of replicating that mysterious emotional charge in others. This is the call to self-express, our creative purpose. It’s not necessarily to understand ourselves or be understood. We share our filter, our way of seeing, in order to spark an echo in others. Art is a reverberation of an impermanent life.” Rick Rubin, The Creative Act

For two days, the river keeps you down
Then you rise to the light without a sound
Past the playgrounds and empty switching yards
The turtles eat the skin from your eyes
So they lay open to the stars

Your clothes give way to the current and river stone
‘Til every trace of who you ever were is gone
And the things of the earth, they make their claim
That the things of heaven may do the same

Bye my darling, for your love, I give God thanks
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros banks -song “Matamoras Banks” by Bruce Springsteen

A bell is no bell till you ring it,
A song is no song till you sing it,
And love in your heart
Wasn’t put there to stay—
Love isn’t love
Till you give it away. -song “Sixteen Going On Seventeen (Reprise)” from “The Sound Of Music”, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Make art from your heart.

Detach from outcome or from reach. It’s irrelevant.

The win lies in exploring your heart, having the courage to make your art, and then committing to do so with excellence and generosity for others.

Is there any other reason to do it?

P.S. – Speaking of turtles, this article.

P.P.S. – This article on Valentine’s Day.

“My life has slipped away, like water through my fingers… I’ve worked all my life, and for what?” -Voinitsky in Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov

“In contrast to what I saw happening in my own circle, where the whole of life is spent in idleness, amusement and dissatisfaction with life, I saw that these people who laboured hard throughout their entire lives were less dissatisfied with life than the rich. In contrast to the people of our class who resist and curse the privations and sufferings of their lot, these people accept sickness and grief without question or protest, and with a calm and firm conviction that this is how it must be, that it cannot be otherwise and that it is all for the good. Contrary to us, who the more intelligent we are the less we understand the meaning of life and see some kind of malicious joke in the fact that we suffer and die, these people live, suffer and approach death peacefully and, more often than not, joyfully.” -Leo Tolstoy, A Confession

“That is the thing you notice about second-mountain people. There’s been a motivational shift. Their desires have been transformed. If you wanted to generalize a bit, you could say there are six layers of desire: Material pleasure. Having nice food, a nice car, a nice house. Ego pleasure. Becoming well-known or rich and successful. Winning victories and recognition. Intellectual pleasure. Learning about things. Understanding the world around us. Generativity. The pleasure we get in giving back to others and serving our communities. Fulfilled love. Receiving and giving love. The rapturous union of souls. Transcendence. The feeling we get when living in accordance with some ideal.” -David Brooks, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

“The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, 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

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” -C.S. Lewis

“People don’t stop growing because they got old, but because they started to listen to their inner voice telling them that life was good enough as it is. There is a big difference between gratitude and getting complacent. You have one shot at living a great life, take some risks.” -Orange Book

That dissatisfaction you feel is actually a gift. Especially if you’re older. It’s energy and the fuel you need to avoid what is even worse, which is complacency.

Use the gift.

Remind yourself that you have the wisdom of age and experience to properly channel that energy into the things that really matter. Which are:

Meaningful work.

Meaningful relationships and community.

Making your art (i.e. your passion project) in service of others.

This time around, you’ll be scaling the right mountain.