Everyone from across the galaxy is here.
Buying and selling wares.
Connecting with each other.
Crossing paths.
Ducking into dim pubs.
Meeting characters they’ll never see again.
Beginning journeys.
Uncovering artifacts.
Heralding quests.
Promising treasure.
When I’m having a particularly hard time on a task I bring my attention to my body; it’s usually pretty stagnant and hunched over. My breathing is shallow and I have a glazed dead look in my eyes.
I invite ease into my body, I go for a walk and smile at myself. I breath fully like an athlete and stand like I’m strong.
I ask myself “what would this be like if it were easy?”
“How would my body be if this was a fun adventure?”
Make these adjustments and the rest follows.
It can be helpful to group output activities that take your time two ways:
Quick burn activities.
This is treading water. Putting out a social media post about your lunch or the latest trend. Sending a helpful ‘tid bit’ to your followers or clients. Completing a report that’s due or completing some ephemeral admin.
These tasks feel good; it’s busy-work that appears to be taking you places. Sadly these tasks won’t take you anywhere long term- it’s a bit like eating a complex carb; it burns quick and makes you sweat.
There is another category of tasks that don’t feel as satiating in the moment, but it’s the long arc they create over time that gives them the value.
Compounding activities.
This is creating content that contributes to your over all artistic voice. Outlining a book you will write. Creating a bible or guide that dictates how you complete a report. Creating a system to complete the admin that will come in over the years. These activities can be spotted easily because their results will last and remain relevant in perpetuity.
Don’t shovel your time into a black hole of fast burning activities.
Spend your time wisely on the tasks that stack over time.
Contribute to your over all arc. Create systems. Add a brick to your wall and build it to last. Write a word of your narrative.
AI prompt: make a line drawing picture of a man planting a forest of seeds in rows, we see him planting one and as they stretch further into the distance they get taller into trees. The closer to him they are, they are mounds, then sprouts, then little trees until far away they are massive
My room is a tip as I head to bed tonight (there is a drawer taken out of the set as a light stand)
But it is the carnage of a day well lived. I’m not interested in making a habit of it.
But I’m okay with it tonight.
I’m making a movie every day and I’ve been finding it a bit difficult the last few days. I realised one of the internal resistances was this belief that I’ve got to ‘save’ my best ideas for when I have a bigger audience.
This also leads me to believe that my good ideas are finite. I’m stoked I caught this belief because I can already feel the empowering alternative…
If I put my BEST stuff out right now and no one sees it, that is AWESOME.
Why?
Because I know that I have an infinity more of ideas to share. By virtue of me consuming artists I love, getting regularly OBSESSED, living more life, gathering experiences, being curious and learning new things; I have a future of endless creations.
I also know that what I think is my ‘best’ now, I will look back on in a few years and marvel at how far I’ve come.
That’s the best bit.
If I didn’t share my best stuff- and saved it till later, I’d never have improved to that inevitable ‘better’ position, higher skill level from which to look back.
SO
That means if I DON’T share my best stuff right now, I’m actually wasting precious improving time.
So I MUST share my best work and I must do it now- because I’m not into wasting time.
Kids love games. The mere mention of a game can be enough to get them excited and ready to engage. If there’s a piece of learning I want to deliver in class I’ll often frame it as a game to prime the kids for the type of engagement I’d like from them. It’s the difference between:
“Let’s learn five new words”
and
“Who’s ready for a game?!”
Each can lead to the same lesson content, but one will activate a different type of engagement from the kids.
When in doubt frame it as a game.
Don’t you just love being obsessed with someones work?
I was listening to my brother’s music this morning and I was completely inspired by the sheer number of things he has available for us to listen to.
I love the work of Derren Brown, he’s been creating tv shows, specials and live theatre for nearly 30 years.
Fred Armisen is another person who’s work I completely adore.
Michael Jackson’s work completely inspires me. An endless world of embodied craft and spirit combined to move us.
All of these people have a wonderland of creations we can dive into. Hours and hours of work and unconscious competence has gone into creating their body of work.
A body of work that is uniquely the voice of the person it comes from. They made it for the people who understand and relish their work. That sense of “hey, this is just for you.“
The fact that I can binge on their art is the most inspiring and exciting feeling. At any moment I can immerse myself into everything they create.
Often as creatives we get caught up in making something perfect or (worse) trying to make something everyone will like.
Never mind that.
Make something for your people. The people who want what you got. Who understand the artistic and human questions your work is posing. Who get excited by what you’re excited by.
Make it for them over and over again. And more and better and more.
Let there be a natural arc to your work. Don’t try and make an arc, let it emerge.
Be unsure and share it anyway.
Have an earnest question you’re hunting the answer for.
Try your best.
Get specific.
Excert your craft.
Reference your heroes.
Draw on thousands of other artists you love.
Be generous and make a lot.
Your people are hungry, be a good host and feed them.
AI Image Prompt: make a picture of a table in the garden of eden overflowing with plant based food, with music books and art and delicious fruit and vegetables. This image embodies abundance
Tonight we got the best compliment I think we’ve ever had for the show.
It was (fittingly) from a child.
As we served the dahl in the post show of Mrs Krishnan’s Party here in Tucson, a mother and daughter came up to get food.
The mum said “She kept nudging me the entire show asking “is this real!? Is this real?!”
Perhaps I can retire from acting now.
