I just came home after 3 days in the hospital—big bad car crash. Broke 6 ribs and fractured my sternum, OUCH! They say the air bag saved my life. They also say that the fact that “I didn’t see it coming” may have contributed to fewer injuries because I was completely relaxed, therefore I put up NO RESISTANCE. The big lesson here for all of us artists & entrepreneurs is that resistance can take you out of the game or critically injure a creative project. And while it’s true that resistance can show up anytime during the creative process, it’s also true that it shows up the strongest the closer you get to the destination; the final edit of the film, the last verse of the song, the closing chapter of the book, the looming launch date of a new site, the last signature on the contract or in my case 1/2 mile from home. The fear of getting it wrong or making a stupid decision will inevitably invite resistance to the party and then everything changes—because resistance and fear are inseparable brothers. Like Marine Corps buddies, whenever fear is present resistance is always there to back up his bro. However, make no mistake, resistance and fear are the mortal enemy of the true artist & entrepreneur, and will do anything to derail the creative process and take the artist out of the game. And it gets worse: unlike the unaware victim of a car accident (me), artists & entrepreneurs DO “see it coming,” therefore it’s much more of a challenge to NOT tense up in anticipation of the crash.
Here’s the good news: there IS a defense against the beast of resistance and it’s a very simple one: the thing to do when the monster shows up is to notice it, observe it, watch it, even point to it If you can. Just the simple act of acknowledging the inner beast (and admitting that it’s got a temporary grip on you) will help diminish its strength and provide you with a little more power and clarity over the situation. All the great sages and swamis tell us that the deathblow to resistance and fear is “Truth.” Therefore if you can manage to look beyond the fear and stand toe-to-toe with the beast you’ll begin to realize that what you’ve been resisting is “Maya,” the madness of the mind, which most often has no reality attached to it at all.
The truth is you’re an artist, an entrepreneur, and (unlike others) when YOU are faced with impossible challenges, you’re also blessed with an arsenal of creative solutions and unlimited possibilities that can help you break down the walls of resistance and crash through the most fearful situations.
Make sense? I look forward to reading your feedback while I mend my broken bones…and ego:-)
By the way, don’t forget to buckle up!