The Vs. Studio Blog

“Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige’s wall there was this one: ‘Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.’ Master Ittei commented, ‘Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.” -Excerpt from Hakagure, The Book Of The Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Translated by William Scott Wilson

“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.
For want of a horse, the rider was lost.
For want of a rider, the battle was lost.
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.” -proverb, “For Want Of A Nail”

Fail to correct minor issues when you can.

Prepare for them to compound into major ones that you can’t.

“Life is easier when you know what you want—but most people don’t take the time to figure out what they want. It’s not that we are completely lost, but our efforts are often slightly misdirected. People will work for years and ultimately achieve a lifestyle that isn’t quite what they were hoping for—often, simply, because they never clearly defined what they wanted. An hour of thinking can save you a decade of work.” -James Clear

“Most studies find somewhere between 44% and 52% of our happiness is genetic. Let’s just say half. Half of our happiness is related to what we get from our parents. And that leaves the other half that’s in the other two big categories of what brings happiness. One is circumstances and the others habits. Now, I don’t want that to be true. As an American, I want all of my happiness to be under my control, basically and completely having to do with my habits. But I have to recognize the truth. So 50% is genetic. About another quarter is circumstantial, so the good and bad things that are happening in my life. The thing to keep in mind about that is that it’s a quarter, it’s a lot, but it doesn’t last, and so good things don’t last for your happiness, and bad things don’t last for your unhappiness. The part that endures, that we can truly manipulate, that we can truly affect is our habits, which is about a quarter of our happiness. And that’s based entirely on how we live our lives. And that can be extremely enduring. And that’s what we should therefore be focusing our energies on.” -Arthur Brooks

“Don’t explain your philosophy, embody it.” -Epictetus

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein

If you’re wondering why you aren’t where you want to be or why you aren’t happy, look closer at two areas of your life. Perhaps the only two areas that are within your control:

(1) Your definition of success. Do you have one? Is it clear, specific, actionable and measurable? Is it aligned with your values? Do you know what you want and why you want it? Are you attached to an old definition that isn’t serving you any longer?

(2) Your habits.

We’re all aware of the importance of teaching STEM in schools.

I’d like to buy a vowel and add the letter “A.” Promote a new acronym…STEAM.

Science

Technology

Engineering

Arts

Math.

We’re not gonna solve the interesting problems of today and tomorrow without the Arts and Arts Education. They teach empathy for the human condition and encourage doing things that might not work in service of others. If we integrate the arts with those other categories?…Can’t lose. Sky’s the limit.

“When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists…The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, the people say ‘Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!” –Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu (Stephen Mitchell Translation)

“For me, being a director is about watching, not about telling people what to do. Or maybe it’s like being a mirror; if they didn’t have me to look at, they wouldn’t be able to put the make-up on.” -Jane Campion

Even though they’re miles ahead and can probably tell actors exactly what to do on day one, the best directors let actors struggle. They give them space. They ask questions rather than giving answers. Because they know it’s way more powerful and lasting when actors take ownership over their character. When they make their own discoveries. When the actor thinks “Aha! I figured it out all by myself.”

“The Great Way is universal; it can apply to the left or the right. All beings depend on it for life; even so, it does not take possession of them. It accomplishes its purpose, but makes no claim for itself. It covers all creatures like the sky, but does not dominate them. All things return to it as to their home, but it does not lord it over them; thus, it may be called ‘great.’ The sage imitates this conduct: By not claiming greatness, the sage achieves greatness.” -34th Verse of The Tao Te Ching by Lao-Tzu

The more you realize that your job as an artist is to just get out of the way and let things happen. To channel the magic. Be the medium.

The less need you’ll have for credit or thanks or praise.

“If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. This is another way of saying that if you have two important tasks before you, start with the biggest, hardest, and most important task first.” -Brian Tracy, book Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Life is sad
Life is a bust
All ya can do is do what you must
You do what you must do and ya do it well -Bob Dylan, song “Buckets Of Rain”

Apologies for yet another frog reference (Can you guess the film in the photo above?)…

After you make your list of things you must do, should do, and would like to do, start doing what you know you must do. It also checks the “should do” box and as you work on it, you might find you actually like doing it after all.

“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” -Tony Robbins

“It’s not that bad” might be a good mantra to help you get through the difficult times.

But beware being stuck in that mindset for too long.

One day you’ll look up and realize it never got good. Because just like the boiling frog, you didn’t make the change you needed to make when you needed to make it.

Pain + Honest Reflection (ask what worked, what didn’t and why) = Progress

Pain – Reflection = Pain.

“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations.” -George Bernard Shaw

Today and every day going forward, give it everything you got. Squeeze every juice out of that lemon. No regrets. Be thoroughly used up.

You’ll sleep comfortably knowing you did just that.

And will be replenished to do it all over again the next day.

P.S. – Get after it!

You’ll never regret giving yourself an arbitrary deadline. Yes it’s hard to do. We want more time to get it “just right.” And who would ever voluntarily put their back against the wall?…But when all is said and done, you’ll be glad you did.

On the other hand, you will regret not giving yourself one.

P.S. – Don’t forget to vote.