For some reason I got a sudden struck of bravery, I began to unroll myself in the curtain, and then I peeked my mouth out a little bit and whispered a ballerina. My teacher giggled and hugged me in the curtain, saying oh how cute. Obviously I never became a ballerina. But I always wonder what if..
Yesterday I met a young man visiting Denver from L.A. He was working as a secretary or assistant of some sort at HBO, doing the dirty work that no one else wanted to do. But he did it in order to be in the business and to pursue his lofty goal of being a director and screenwriter for feature films. He had received his undergrad in electrical engineering and then decided to follow his true love and pursued his graduate degree in film. He described the extremely difficult nature of the film industry, how you have to produce something to find a manager, and then earn the trust of your skills further in order to find an agent. He had both of these, and in his free time would write screen plays - with the plan to gain a reputation for those and then one day be able to negotiate a place as a director. Everyone in the room asked him why he wanted to do that, what if he didn't meet the right people, what if he never got his break, wasn't electrical engineering a better bet for a more predictable life?
This conversation sparked my memory of a talk I once saw on TED.com - a place with a variety of 20 minute talks from people that have an idea to spread.
The talk was by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, one of my favorite books. She described her similar dilemma as the young man I met last night - she said that it is completely possible that at the age of 40 that the best work of her life was behind her (Eat, Pray, Love was a memoir of her travels and was a unpredictable world bestseller). In her talk she asked- Is it rational or logical that anybody should be expected to be afraid of the work that they feel that they're on this earth to do? And why is it when we learn of someone choosing to pursue a creative venture that we have the instant worry for their mental health?
I'm sure you have met someone like I did, someone with the ultimate passion to be a writer, an actress, an artist, a ballerina, or a comedian. Do you remember that slight sliver of pity for them, asking them if they were afraid they wouldn't succeed? Or maybe you were like me, with a passion that was the only word you'd say all year.
And then there are people that are actually doing it - like my dad. He used to be a director in a libertarian think tank in D.C. - now he is a thriving percussionist and drum instructor, going to finally pursue his Master's of Music. Long ago he had the same dream but decided he'd be more stable as a professor. I'm so proud of him for finally following his dreams
Just a thought to do what you love, and never feel sorry for someone that wants to truly be creative and make it their life's work. :)
Watch the talk here: Elizabeth Gilbert on nurturing creativity | Video on TED.com
