Taken In Again
What if it’s not about a better job, a nicer house, or a newer car? What if it’s not about being physically comfortable and preparing for your empty nest retirement years? What if it’s about preparing for eternity and doing your best to make sure your kids come with you? What if you’re being called to something crazy/stupid, just for the sake of something bigger than this life.
Last week I attended a presentation at Fuse Coworking. The presenter had previously made a daring break from the corporate world and launched his own successful enterprise. He was going to share with the 30 of us how we too could get #uncomfortable and do things #outoforder in order to find success and self-actualization like he has.
Here’s his Tedx talk:
But something happened as I sat and listened to this successful entrepreneur and thought leader. It was probably when he said: “Nothing happens to you, everything happens for you.”
I don’t believe this. This statement is just another way of saying, “everything happens for a reason.” I don’t believe that either — however, I do believe we can learn from our experiences, and we can overcome our experiences.
As I sat and listened to Bill Eckstrom I realized he was telling us how to make a Ted Talk go viral, how to grow a business, and how his firing several years ago was something he was able to turn into success. He told us how a very uncomfortable situation turned out ok in his life — and he was encouraging us to get uncomfortable — but he wasn’t really giving us a road map through that process.
It was actually quite fascinating to hear the inside track of the Ted Talk franchise. There is this whole network of marketing managers, data-mining, and leveraging of social media in order to create a viral Ted Talk. It apparently starts long before the presentation is recorded, and it continues for months afterwards. Eckstrom’s talk has been hugely successful and he was willingly sharing with us how that happened.
But I wasn’t inspired. In fact, I was left with the feeling that organic authenticity cannot easily go viral. Here I am, over here making art, and few notice. My art may never create success. My art may never change the world. My art may not even go viral. Unless I’m willing to hire a marketing manager, heavily engage in social media, and give a presentation that people want to hear.
The biggest disappointment of Eckstrom’s presentation was when he explained how his 12 minute presentation was conceived by his chief executives. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe teams can achieve amazing things — and I’m a strong believer in collaboration. I actually think it is a good thing that they collaborated on his Tedx presentation (see above). However, this is more corporate than artistic. This is designed to succeed, and shows very little risk.
Do what you love, and the rest will fall into place.
Jesus said, “seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else will fall into place.” This is real art. Do what you love, and the rest will fall into place. Do you love God? Do you love people? These two things are the whole duty and purpose of everyone — this is why we were created. Your art is to be who you were created to be.
Know fear. No fear. Make art.
Eckstrom didn’t teach me how to make art. He tried to teach me how to achieve success in the corporate world. I don’t want success in the corporate world. Every corporation I’ve engaged is more interested in survival, profit, and success — for the corporation/institution.
Jesus said, “sacrifice. die to yourself. give up your own goals. love others.”
Give yourself permission to Dare Greatly! Give yourself permission to fail. Give yourself permission to seek what really matters.
sacrifice. die to yourself. give up your own goals. love others.
As I thought about the presentation I attended last Wednesday, this song from the 80s popped into my head. Don’t be taken in by the shiny things.
Getting uncomfortable, doing things #outoforder, and disrupting the status quo may not lead to more success. If it is about success (eg; better job, nicer house, newer car, and cooler friends) in the traditional understanding, I believe many will be afraid to make mistakes and/or fail.
It has to be about making art. Do what one loves, and let the money find you — or not. Do what you love. Make Art.
If we are truly just interested in finding that magic bullet of success, then we should just stay where we are and take the comfortable along with the salary and health insurance and 401k.
If you’re afraid of making art — for art’s sake — then you’re probably afraid to fail. If you’re afraid to fail — you probably won’t do what you need to do.
(If you liked this post, I’d appreciate it if you’d share or recommend it)
(see what I just did there… :)
BTW, two books that deal with being uncomfortable and disrupting the status quo are:
