What’s your favourite thing right now?
There’s an unwritten rule when it comes to talking to actors:
“What are you doing at the moment?”
DON’T ASK THAT. It seems harmless sure- but there’s a lot going on in that question. Actors don’t always get to be hired to do acting, so this question can trigger this fact. Worse still, there is a habit amongst actors to equate their self worth to their work.
So when you ask what they’re ‘up to’ at the moment or if there’s anything ‘in the pipe line’ you could be accidentally triggering a series of thoughts that lead to the actor saying to themself “I am worthless”
Yikes, what a mine field.
Instead, I prescribe asking a different question. One that not only dodges any existential crises BUT it also forces both parties to be present, really present with that very moment.
What is your favourite thing right now?
It’s open enough to be a bit of a pick your own adventure for the person being asked, but it’s also specific enough to begin a good conversation.
It’s not perfect- I’ll keep playing with this one and see if there’s something even better.
What I like about it is it gives the power to the other person, gives them status. It allows them to find something that they’re actually interested in, something they’re excited about; their favourite thing.
With that kind of kindling you’re in for a fire of a conversation!
Eat while you feel happy
Don’t wait till you’re tired and hungry.
Is this a helpful productivity hack to ride the highs of the day? Sure.
Is this also pretty much a note to self?
You bet it is.
Keep the faith and wait
Sometimes we lose faith. In our goals, in our aspirations… in ourselves.
Please, just wait it out.
Don’t make any new stories or beliefs with haste.
Just chill and wait. Keep the faith and just wait
Always measure
Not in the measure twice cut once way (though I think that’s a pretty good suggestion too)
If I’m at the gym and I don’t make a proper note of the weight and the reps (or even the exact incline of the machine) it sends a signal to my brain that this doesn’t matter.
No matter what the numbers say (sometimes they may dishearten you) it’s important to measure always. It’s better to have the certainty of where you truly are and have your brain feel that satisfaction of ‘being on the path’ than to remain ignorant because it’s easier.
Don’t sell yourself short. Measure always.
Cologne alone
Yesterday I did some filming for the business and today had a big client zoom.
Both times I was home alone.
Both times I wore cologne. It made a difference- it signalled to my brain that I’m ready, I’m on show, I’m with people and I mean business.
Don’t save the cologne just for others.
Honour inaction
Sometimes it’s as important to not do something as it is to do something.
Let me explain.
I was at the gym today and was getting SO bored waiting for the three minute rest time between sets. I wanted so badly to just stop the timer at two minutes and nine seconds and just do the next one.
The fact is, this short interval is precisely this long to give my body enough rest to then do the next set. Skipping it would actually be to my long term detriment; I’d struggle to do the amount of reps on that weight as I’d have otherwise had done. (Sure, I could change the rest time to be shorter, but then it has to be that short always as it’s about controlling variables in the gym.)
It’s kind of counter intuitive because action is what causes things to happen right? It feels good to be in action, it means we’re moving toward our goal.
This is mostly the case, but there are times when what is truly called for is to not do anything. To wait, perhaps. Or to let the last action seed and grow.
Truely moving forward is knowing when to take action and when to honour inaction. I suppose it’d be called active waiting.
You don’t need the answer now
Closing loops is overrated. I’m a fan of leaving creations open ended or as a question.
Live a bit of life, have a sleep or go make something else.
Then come back to it. Your brain will provide the next piece.
Give your week a title
Here’s something I’ve been trying out recently. What we call things matters. If I say to you, do you want to go on a walk you might say yes- but if I said do you want to join me on my sunset adventure you might get your Indiana Jones hat ready.
We can be activated by words that light us up. Acting coach Larry Moss talks about words that ‘carbonate’ an actor. When scoring a script with action verbs, the word ‘punish’ might be really exciting to play for one actor but the word ‘obliterate’ really gets another going.
It’s no secret that having ‘Week 29’ written on your calender isn’t going to move anyone to action. So how about naming your week something that makes you laugh, makes your excited or conjures up your most creative self to tackle the week ahead.
Names like:
Magic moments and legacy building
Or, Forging futures and being the best brother
I don’t know what it is for you- but giving your week a name is better than not, I reckon.
Oh- and write it somewhere you can see it easily, that’s important!
Alien green screens and a new plan!
So yeah, I’m approximately 204 videos in to my daily film making habit. The last twenty of which were a series that required hours of green screening each day (yes, you read that right, hours)
Not the dream.
But I’m glad I saw out the series and was pleased with the final episode I put out yesterday. I’m glad I could exhale completely the initial impulse that spurred it, I mean how great to make something with a beginning middle and an end!
I was reminded by the great Chase Jarvis about the purpose of practice. That’s what I’m doing with this daily habit after all- I’m practicing. Chase reminded me that the purpose of practice is to practice the most fundamental, elemental basics of the thing you’re trying to get better at.
For me it’s acting, it’s telling stories that connect people to their heart and the hearts of others real or imaginary. Things that make people laugh, but most of all move people in a way. This can be a 1 second clip or a 3 hour movie- the length doesn’t matter, but that’s the element I’m seeking to improve.
Looking back on my 20 days of working on this series, I realised the majority of the time was spent keying out backgrounds and creating complex soundscapes to sound like another dimension. And I’m definitely not trying to practice keying out backgrounds OR creating complex soundscapes to sound like another dimension.
I suppose in a vague pursuit of story telling, acting and moving people I found myself doing that. And I’m glad I did because it spurred this realisation.
ANYWAY.
All this to say- I won’t be spending those hours on the thing I’m not here to practice. S0 my new rule is this:
Each day’s video can take no more than 30 minutes to shoot and no more than 30 minutes to edit. That’s it.
I think this will be tricky to do- BUT I can’t let my life be slowly taken over alien green screening. I hope the constraint will force a ultra clarity on the purpose of my practice each day and help me build the skill I want rather than a side quest that accidentally wastes my time.
Let’s see.
Imagine it first
The other day I could sense resistance in myself toward to going to the gym. I looked at this a bit and realised part of my resistance came from me not actually knowing what way I’d drive to get there. Weird.
I was house sitting, so the neighborhood was still new to me.
The unknownness of the actual journey to get there was adding to the resistance. I decided I would close my eyes for a second and imagine pulling out of the driveway and making all the turns and bends to the gym along a particular route.
Lo and behold I found myself out the door in no time. This time in real life.
Lack of clarity on something as simple as the logistics of how you will do something can prevent you from following through.