This is an excerpt from an email exchange between me and one of my clients—a film director who I admire very much. Not so much for his film credits, but for his commitment to continue to better himself and his art.
“Paul: Whatever it is that causes you to pause, flinch or hesitate from dreaming any bigger or working toward a bigger vision, it’s that same hesitancy that causes you to slow, stall or even stop the process (actually the effort) of producing extraordinary results in your work—instead, choosing to settle for mediocrity just to make a buck. Can you see that? And really, that’s what we should be going for; extra-ordinary results…right? Especially a guy in your position! Because today, “ordinary” does not hold the attention of the audience, nor the interest of potential producers/investors. And your best “ordinary” work will rarely get shared, forwarded, advanced or even “pitched.”
Important because while we may think we are getting closer, just think how close we could get if we could “reject the flinch” and nip-in-the-bud whatever it is that causes us to hesitate from stepping up our vision, and playing a bigger game. A game that demands a more committed, professional, intelligent approach to our life’s work. Not like a surge of temporary confidence, more like a lifelong (daily) commitment to see beyond even our own expectations.