What's Worth Doing Even If You Fail?
Lately, I've been thinking about the sacred calling of the artist and the courage it takes to not only create art but to commit to art as your vocation.
Inspired by Brene Brown's guest appearance on the "Magic Lessons Podcast" hosted by author Elizabeth Gilbert ("Eat, Pray, Love" and "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear"), I took a couple of days to think about having the courage to work as a creative.
"What's worth doing even if you fail?" - Brene Brown
I thought it was a worthy question to pose to all of you, my courageous doers and dreamers! Everyone reading this is serious about a career in TV, Film, Music, and the world of the Arts.
Failure is inevitable.
It's not "if," it's "when, where, how often, etc...." and the most important part is how do you alchemize failure to fuel.
In my experience, failure can help us reimagine our dreams, test our beliefs, or nudge (or force) us in a new direction that may be even better than we could have ever imagined! Failure can help us get in alignment with our true purpose. When we attempt to do something for the experience rather than the reward, I believe we are living in alignment with our purpose and who we really are. Harnessing who you are is key to a successful career (and life!).
"Not every door is yours to open. Not every gate is meant for you to pass through" - Krista Parkinson
Years ago, I wanted to work as a VP of Development at Paramount. I had everyone make calls for me to get this position, including the then-president of WME!
It didn't happen.
Failure.
I ended up working as a VP of Development at Tony Hawk's production company, 900 Films. One of the perks of this job was I was given the flexibility to attempt to build my own business while working for him. Tony Hawk is an entrepreneur, so he respected my hustle and was open to me doing both jobs! This is so rare, so if you find an employer who wants you to stoke the flame of your own dreams too, work with them!
Not only did I have income, but Tony also became a "mentor in my mind." I observed how he ran staff meetings like a family Thanksgiving dinner (Tony's mom, sister, and brother were usually there and even co-workers could have heated discussions, but there was always a feeling of common purpose). Everyone wanted to work or hang out at Tony's office (I mean, he had a Sirius radio studio and executive offices built around his famous halfpipe where friends like Shaun White would just pop over to hang out and skate!). I had a front-row seat as to how someone with a very specialized talent leveraged it to build a mega-brand and have a company of loyal employees and fun office energy!
Had I not "failed" to get the job at Paramount, I couldn't have been redirected and become more aligned with my dreams. The truth is, having an employer like Tony was rare. I worked in his business, and he helped me stoke the flames of my own dreams of helping college students get hired in their first jobs in the entertainment space. Sound familiar? Yup, it was my first attempt at my current business. It didn't work out then, but it did YEARS later when I launched My Grads Get Jobs!
Failure isn't a destination, it's a compass. It's always directing you forward. And when you make an attempt towards living your dreams, you are a success!