Hello beautiful people!
Let’s think about why we create stories in the first place.
I know Keith talked — emphatically — about separating friends from colleagues and of course I’ve spent many days in this program talking about the value in dispassionate labeling. It serves us really well to be able to choose our level of investment in so many things, rather than being reactive in our lives. Of course! But today is about how no one is ever alone in this life, no matter how alone we may feel at times. In fact, as I’ve interviewed hundreds of showbiz pros over the years, I’ve noticed that the single most commonly mentioned downside to pursuing a creative career has been FEELING ALONE. Think about this. If everyone feels alone, isn’t there a lovely fraternity of connectedness we all share? Doesn’t this common thread — if you consider at the moment you’re feeling all alone in this pursuit that many thousands others are feeling the same way — provide a unity you can lean on?
So, you are never alone. We are never alone. Our audience is never alone because we invite them into the worlds we create… and that is an important part of our job as artists. Often, it is our need to be understood that causes us pain. All humans. And we can reduce some of the pain others are feeling by helping them feel understood. Our performances are our gifts to the world. The edge we take off someone’s experience — even just for a moment — can make all the difference. People want to feel seen! Our work gives them that.
Look, we’re not curing cancer. But maybe we provide levity while someone is experiencing our creation while on a chemo drip. That has value! And of course, at its best, our creation changes lives long after we’re gone.
Today’s work: Share your legacy. What story were you born to tell not just because it aligns with type and brand and targets but because it’s what you want to be known for having contributed to, artistically? And because it’s a part of your why, your true north, your gifts? And because it’s your service to the future consumers of the creations you’ll leave behind? What’s the “me too” feeling you most want to bring forth in others?
How will you serve the world, going forward? Having this why that aligns with the why of your consumers, your fans, and your team at the next tier is important. It’s not what drives your marketing, your business plan, or even your day-to-day pursuit… but it’s what drives your butt out of bed in the morning sometimes. And that is everything.
’til tomorrow… stay ninja!
