Category: Uncategorized (Page 148 of 158)

I like to think that life is linear. You put something in and then you get something out. As much as I believe in this approach and will continue to teach it to my children and subscribe to it myself, there is another non-linear element to life that I have no idea how it works. But, the same results continue to show up over and over again. You can be baffled by them or you can accept them as part of the laws of the universe. You may not understand them or prove them in a scientific study but remain a constant.

Here’s one: the universe rewards you for taking risks on it’s behalf. That may be a personal art project or business venture you decided to do on your own. And although the art project may have not turned out the way you anticipated and the business venture may appear to be a dud and wasted 6 years of your life, once you begin to pull away from those experiences in time you start to see the silver linings. Maybe on that business venture you met someone who you now discuss new opportunities and has become a good friend. Maybe that art project opened the door to other creative ideas you would like to try and you now have the courage to do it.

We must be reminded: (Just like in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”) In order for Indiana Jones to get across a huge chasm in which there is no way he can jump and would die a certain death if he fell, must take a step of faith into thin air – into nothingness. And the path will ONLY appear AFTER we take that step.

There is no other way around it. Sorry. It’s called faith.

Trusting the process in no matter what you do takes practice. For me, in my younger days, I didn’t have the patience to do that. I wanted to speed it along. To rush in order to get to the end product. What I have come to learn is that the process IS the product. Maybe not the end product. But it is what it’s all about. And that must remain in “Long Form.” There can be no short cuts. No more than you skipping the rising of the dough before making bread. It’s part of it.

Now, I enjoy the process – more. Sometimes, I still get frustrated. But what I am able to do is to trust the process much more now and not focus on the end result nearly as much. Let’s be honest, I’m still human.

My son is taking pitching lesson’s as he’s a baseball player and knowing him, he wants to throw faster than anyone his age. He is being taught to do a series of mechanical steps with his body before the ball even leaves his hand. Often times he wants to skip to the end, and as a result, either the ball isn’t a strike or it’s at a velocity he’s not happy with. And most of the time it’s because he is not executing each and every step. He’s rushing to the end. When he focuses on the mechanics of the pitch – breaking it down to touch upon each task which makes up his pitching motion without rushing – he throws a great pitch with high velocity. It’s like magic. But, then he gets anxious the next time because he wants to do it even harder. Then he hurries the motion and we’re back to throwing the ball in the dirt again.

This goes for anything. Sports related or not. Come up with a plan, solidify tasks that will take you in the direction you want to go and execute them. If you don’t like the results, make adjustments and repeat. Just like baseball. You can’t take it personally and if you strike out, go back to the dugout knowing you will get another “at-bat.” Refine your approach and do it again.

Most importantly, trust the process.

How much is enough? You only know. When is the best time? Probably always. How often? Maybe there is no such thing.

I’m much more conscious of how much I give now that I’m older. As I have mentioned before, the most precious resource you can give is your time. Your attention.

So, give. Always. And often. With no expectations of anything in return. Because you can. You don’t need any more reasons.

The answer in regards to your development and evolution as a human being when you ask the question to yourself, “When should I get started” should always be, “The Time Is Now.” We can tell ourselves all sorts of excuses of why we should wait until tomorrow, the next day, when you know more, when I’m older, married, single, adult, hair on my face – you get the idea. Nope. The Time Is Now. Say it. Don’t wait. The Time Is Now.

The mastery of the craft is in the doing. We can’t all start off as good. But none of the master’s ever did (There might be one or two or three). Everyone has to start somewhere. At the beginning. Don’t be ashamed of that. And as Steven Pressfield so eloquently said, . . . “and the secret is, to merely begin.”

Everything else will fall into place as coincidences, happenstance or just plain luck. Take it. And don’t look back. Because that well of creativity I continue to draw upon will never run dry. Not for me. And certainly not for you.

But I don’t have all the answers. I’m not sure how. Maybe I need more life experiences. Stop! So, when should I get started . . . ?

The Time Is Now. Go get it.

The most difficult goodbye’s for me is saying it to old habits. Ironically, I think those are the easiest to keep around and justifying it. Let’s be clear: there is nothing inheriantly wrong with habits. After all, brushing your teeth every day to keep your teeth and gums healthy is a habit. Regular exercise can be a habit. Reading a book every night before going to sleep instead of being on a device is a habit.

But, here’s the question: Where are your habits leading you? Do you want to end up there at the end of the day? The week? The month? The year? 5 Years? 10? 25? After all, we are only going in one direction at a time. We cannot being going forward and backward at the same time. So, understand where that road leads and choose whether you want to be on it.

Often times we continue doing the same thing mainly because it’s familiar to us. It’s the known. Like it or not we know what it’s like to be out of shape, 25 pounds overweight and not having any passion for specific work. We must move beyond the known into the unknown. We have to be healthy enough (mind, body and spirit) to realize the road we are on – and it may be a difficult one straight uphill, is the perfect place for us and where it leads. This becomes the unknown.

The unknown can be frightening no doubt about it. But, we must understand that pure creativity comes out of the unknown as well. If we can allow it. That’s the challenge. We must learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable in the unknown.

Even though we might not know where we are on this road in the middle of nowhere, we have the instincts to realize if we stay on it long enough by putting in the work, it will lead us to somewhere.