Sunday, January 22, 2012

FAIL like a PRO!

Today’s Quote:
“Don’t make excuses, MAKE IT HAPPEN!”—Unknown 
            I don’t know who said it first, but I do know lots of people repeat it and it was on the back of a sports camp t-shirt I had in High School.

Today’s Song:  Shadow of Death by Emmanuel Jal

Dreams: 
Today, in church, I daydreamed about opening a school similar to the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York.  It would be focused in Chekhov Technique, and would also have branches of education for every job that one could have in Theatre or film.  Hmm….

What did I “DO” this week? 
I did see a musical; Forum for those who care.  And I made some new friends in the industry.  I got wacked over the head with some cool inspirational ideas on Saturday at a corporate event (of all places).

First off:  About excuses…they suck.  I thought up of this little idea that I want to call a fact.  It might lose me some friends or gain me some friends…I’m not sure.  I think, “Any excuse, no matter how good of an excuse it is, is still just an excuse at the end of the day.”  An excuse, takes away our sense of responsibility for what we did or did not do.  It’s different from a reason.  Reasons rationalize our action or inaction in a way that we can figure out how to do better next time.  Reasons give us the ability to take responsibility.

So, I feel like this post is going to mostly be more quotes.  As I said, I just went to a corporate event for my mom’s business, and though I didn’t want to be a ‘corporate worker’ by the end, I did glean a lot of cool reminders for my journey as a professional artist.

Something that stood out most to me was the concept that, “Life gets really easy when you understand that what you really want in your life will be really hard to get.”  This isn’t a (life sucks cuz it’s hard) concept.  It just illuminates how resistance works.  This resistance gets a lot of us by hitting us where it hurts, in a way that makes us go for the next best thing.  Who’s ever gone on a diet, lost some weight, and given up when a few pounds come back?  Resistance tricks us spiritual types by making us thing, “If God wanted me to do so-n-so, then doing it would come easily.”  However, I don’t think God would appreciate it if a world full of his ideas just gave up every time they missed the mark…every time they failed.

That’s the other thing that I loved from what I was hearing yesterday.  “Failure is not an Option” Is a big concept in our society.  So, imagine how easy it would be to feel crappy if you do fail.  “Damn, I just chose the option that is SO BAD it’s supposed to NOT be an option!”  That sucks!  But, what if failing wasn’t all that bad.  There’s a reason the Phoenix is one of the most beautiful (albeit mythical) creatures ever.  “Failure is the foundation for a future success.”  Go out there and go as hard as you can.  You’re going to get banged up…a lot…and that’s half the fun, if you decide to look at it that way.

From the outside, it’s looked like I’ve been flying from success to success.  I have failed a few times.    I can’t say I’ve really been banged up, but maybe it’s because I’ve started to decide to, “Eat Failure for breakfast” if you will.  I get up, chew on it, and go about my day.  Of course, I do get hungry by about 11am…Side track.  I guess what I’m getting at is that doing what you love is the most dangerous thing you could do.  I heard once that love is very similar to insanity in a lot of ways.  Not everyone can stomach being willfully insane!  That is why going after what you want and love most in life is so dangerous.  You could get your heart broken.  When the stakes are so high, who in their right mind would go for it?  This also has the greatest rewards possible in life.  I think insanity is worth the ability to look back on life and know you did everything in your power to be the best ‘YOU’ you could be.

I’m going to be insane.  I’m going to fail every once in a while and get my heart broken.  That’s scary as hell.  I’m not going to make excuses.  I’m going to make it happen, and eat up my failures like little bites of WHEATIES until I attract success like a really big magnet. 

This is scary—I said that already—oh no, the insanity—it’s already started!

1 comment:

  1. OK.... The dad in me says you're on track. The friend in me agrees. Was reading some of Steven Presfield's "Do the Work" yesterday. Lot of the same thoughts about resistance, failure. Getting it wrong is an opportunity to learn how to do it successfully. I wanted to say "do it right", but there is never a right way the works every time. Only ways that guide you to a successful conclusion.
    One thought: Anything the causes the focus to scatter is resistance. See it quickly and correct what is necessary.

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