THE PERPETUAL VISITOR: Sustainable Creative Living.
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Things I Teach
  • Things I Make
    • The Book: The Perpetual Visitor
    • Wild Unfolding: and other poems
    • New Bird
    • The Podcast
    • Theatre
    • Film
    • Poetry
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Things I Teach
  • Things I Make
    • The Book: The Perpetual Visitor
    • Wild Unfolding: and other poems
    • New Bird
    • The Podcast
    • Theatre
    • Film
    • Poetry
  • Contact

Motivation Monday

8/27/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
Photo by Mikito Tateisi on Unsplash
I have an incredibly hard time starting a new adventure because all I can think about are all the steps I need to take to get to my end goal. When I think about writing and filming the movie I've always dreamed about making, I don't ever begin with the first step, which would probably be thinking about what I want my movie to be about. Nope. I deep dive into step #202, which is to secure a boom operator, and even freak out about step #348, which is make sure the craft services table has a gluten-free option. 

What's that? I'm jumping waaaay ahead of myself? Who, me? 

I have listened to the RobCast for a few years now and the host Rob Bell, who finds joy in exploring what it means to be human, has offered some of the best advice ever when it comes to getting started on a goal. 
To do anything new - to do the 1 - requires tremendous mental fortitude to not think about 2 or 3 yet.
That time will come. And it is not now.
Now is the time for 1.
You start with 1. And you work on that. Just 1. And when 1 is done, you move to 2.
You break it down into the next step and only the next step -
the next sentence
the next phone call
the next meeting
the next word.
- Rob Bell, How To Be Here, p. 94
If Rob were here to hear me fret over the lunch options for my film set, I'd imagine the question he might ask me is "Lunch? How about a script? Or an idea for the script? Do you have that yet?"

And most of the time I'd have to answer "No." Then I'd be hit with a really hard truth to swallow. I think I so often skip to step #202 or 348 because step #1 scares the daylights out of me.  When I leap ahead and make excuses about my non-existent film set and the issues we are having with the catering company, I don't have to deal with what is right here in front of me--or what doesn't yet exist. What I still need to make and to do to move forward with this dream.

This summer, I've been working on taking the next step, my personal step #1 and working on a screenplay. My mind gets jittery often and wants to sprint to the finish, but the truth is that we can't get to the top of the staircase if none of the stairs are built yet. To build our dream, we must start with step #1--which Rob Bell also points out is often the most unsexy step. For me and the movie I am dreaming of bringing into the world, it's not a press release or an interview at Sundance. It's a quiet, unassuming writing session in my apartment where I will probably drink a cup of chamomile tea and squirm in my seat and try to find the magic way to shimmy up to the top of the creative ladder, a la finding a secret cotton candy staircase that launches you to the winning space on a Candyland board game. It's realizing that there are no shortcuts to being creative, just showing up as often as you can with a spirit that says "I'm here. I'm open. I'm willing to do the work and the play and fail big and surprise myself in the best of ways."

What are you dreaming of? What is your step #1? Is it something you can get started on today? 
1 Comment
Laura Hobson
12/23/2022 02:05:07 pm

I was really stressed by Acid reflux issues with my newborn and had consulted Chief Dr Lucky. He gave us a thorough consultation and the medicines were equally effective. In a couple of weeks there was big improvement in my son and we are very pleased with the progress. We cannot thank Chief Dr Lucky enough. Highly recommended.

Email chiefdrlucky@gmail.com

WhatsApp +2348132777335

Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Melissa and I'm an actor, playwright, author, filmmaker, and teaching artist who wants to help you discover, cultivate, and care for your creativity. 
     
    What does being creative mean to you?

    How do you play every day?

    This is a space for taking a break, a breath,  and finding ways to flex our imagination and find the joy where we can. 

    ​No one is going to present us with a ready made creative life--we have  to step up and gift it to ourselves. I'm so glad you're here.

    Categories

    All
    Artist Dates
    Creative Recharge
    Creative Risks
    Motivation Monday
    Persistence
    Play
    Success
    Theatre
    Tiny Tips For Creativity
    Whole Artist
    Writing

    Archives

    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

    Want to get blog posts delivered right to your inbox? Sign up to receive The Perpetual Visitor below and never miss creative conversation!

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.