The Vs. Studio Blog

Speaking of takeaways…

Consider starting a regular “takeaway practice.”

For any art you consume, immediately afterwards, without reading any external reviews, write down at least three takeaways from it. These can be good or bad as you didn’t necessarily have to like the art. (It might be good to keep a notebook or “art journal”, and log all your entries by date.)

This practice will deepen your appreciation of all art and help develop your own personal taste and sensibility; a must for any artist.

P.S. – Bonus points if you share your thoughts with a friend.

“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” -Amelia Earhart

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” -Napoleon Hill

“It took me a long time to figure out that I needed deadlines. Deadlines were the difference between a dream and something that you complete. And what happens with deadlines is that you’ve got to ship, you have to abandon the project, and it’s not perfect. Because it’s not perfect, you kind of have to be ingenious about making it a little different. And I find that the deadlines force me to make decisions that you don’t have enough time [for]; you never have enough time. And so you think of something to—I wouldn’t say it’s a shortcut—you think of a way to finish it, and those little decisions are what make it a little different.” –excerpt from FS podcast episode with Kevin Kelly

Three reasons to give yourself arbitrary deadlines:

(1) Much like working out or doing hard things…In the moment, you don’t want to, but afterwards, you always feel great and are glad you did.

(2) They inspire you to be creative. Inevitably, you’ll be coming down to the wire to finish on time, and that’s when your magical subconscious takes over.

(3) They’re the only way to make your dreams come true.

“What separates the elite performers from everyone else? Not perfection, but consistency. This is why the most important thing is not to prevent mistakes altogether, but to avoid making a mistake twice in a row. Errors are part of the process, but they shouldn’t become part of the pattern. One mistake is just an outlier. Two mistakes is the beginning of a pattern. Killing this pattern before it snowballs into something bigger is one reason why learning how to get back on track quickly is an essential skill for building good habits.” -James Clear

Credited to the Venerable Bruno Lantieri, Nunc Coepi is a Latin phrase that translates to “Now I begin.” Or “Begin Again.”

it’s a good mantra to keep in mind at all times. No matter how bad your day is going or how far off kilter your schedule takes you, or what bad decision you made, at any point in time, you can say Nunc Coepi and get yourself back on track.

Like re-connecting to your breath to be present. saying Nunc Coepi re-connects you to the good work that you deep down, want to do.

Don’t let the day end without one small positive action. Nunc Coepi can be your key to doing so.

“The only kind of writing is rewriting.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Writing every day doesn’t make writing any easier. Like any creative act, it will always be hard and messy, especially at the beginning.

But by doing it every day, you no longer fool yourself into thinking it should be any different. You accept the process and are at peace with it.

Because you now know it’s all rewriting anyway.

“The effect of change in surroundings is like that of a lapse of time in making the past seem remote. With a tear for the dark past, turn we then to the dazzling future, and, veiling our eyes, press forward. The long and weary winter of the race is ended.” -novel, Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

In the days of my youth
I was told what it means to be a man
Now I’ve reached that age
I’ve tried to do all those things the best I can
No matter how I try
I find my way to the same old jam
Good times, bad times
You know I’ve had my share -song, “Good Times Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin

I was alive and I waited, waited
I was alive and I waited for this
Right here, right now
There is no other place I want to be
Right here, right now -song, “Right Here Right Now” by Jesus Jones

Look back to reflect on the good times, learn from the bad times, and have confidence that because you’re able to look back, you can get through anything.

Look ahead to get excited about what’s possible. What art you can create. What difference you can make and how you can help. Be inspired.

But at the end of the day, it’s all just looking.

Return to right here, right now. Focus on what’s directly in front of you. Give it everything you got. Put your whole heart and soul into it. Because you never know, it might just be your last chance to do so.

“What we have done for ourselves dies with us, what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” -Albert Pike

Heroes sometimes get recognized for their heroic acts while they’re alive and with us.

But more often than not (much like many great artists), their heroism is not fully recognized and appreciated until they’re gone.

For it is then, armed with time, distance and perspective, that we can truly see how amazing they were. How many unnoticed, and unsung, daily, heroic acts they did. The full breadth and scope of their life comes into the light.

To all the unsung heroes out there–especially if they’re still alive with us–let us take a moment to today to thank and be grateful for them.

P.S. – Today’s is the one year anniversary of my hero, my best friend, my dad’s passing. This post is in honor of him and all the unsung heroes out there. Thank you for everything.

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” -Heraclitus

Who, who, who, who?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who? -song “Who Are You?” by The Who

The you of today.

Is not the you of yesterday.

Nor the you of tomorrow.

All that matters is the you of today.

To connect with that today person, ask yourself the following:

“Who am I?”

“What exactly am I doing?” “Why am I doing it?” “Do I still need to and want to do this?”

“What am I excited to work on?” “Why am I excited about it?”

Asking yourself these questions (or variations of them) will help you avoid sunk costs and future planning.

Instead, you can be here now.

And be the very best you of today.

Most people talk a great game.

Some actually play the game.

Few play the game consistently and at a high level.

If you’re working in a collaborative medium, align yourself with the few.

The more specific the ask, the more likely you are to get the help you seek.

Do your research ahead of time and drill down to exactly what you need and how and why they best can help.

(Keep in mind that just like you, everyone’s extremely busy and working on things that they’re equally passionate about. Have empathy for that. Including if you don’t hear back or they can’t fulfill your request.)

Help them help you.

“But after I got them to leave and shut the door and turned off the light it wasn’t any good. It was like saying good-bye to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.” -Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

Think of a great film or play or book or any piece of art.

What do you love about it? What really sticks with you?

If you were to tell someone why you loved it, chances are you would only focus on a few things. A few takeaways. It might be a scene, a couple of sentences, a line of dialogue, a silent moment, a simple gesture, maybe just a feeling the art evoked in you.

Here’s three takeaways that come to mind for me…

-John Malkovich pointing at Gary Sinise in True West (the PBS video) and saying “Ha, Ha!…Ha, Ha!”

-A production of Jitney at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood where Booster breaks down in agony upon hearing his father’s death, then walks over to answer the phone with a simple, “Car service”, and then an immediate black out. (I was stunned and wrecked.)

-The eerie squeak amidst the silence of the Old Man’s rocking chair in a production of Fool For Love at Stage Left Theatre in Chicago.

These takeaway moments stay with people forever. They can literally change lives. They hold enormous power.

While you can’t predict if your art will have these takeaways, they’re always a possibility. That chance, that possibility alone, is a reason to go make your art.