Today I stumbled upon an old post from Chase Jarvis and it hit button. It’s a summation (or at least a great list) of directing ourselves success and avoiding negative energy.
The Hit List: 13 Things Crucial for Success ( In any field)
- If it occasionally hurts then your probably doing something meaningful.
Let’s face it! It’s scary shit out there when you are doing what all your friends and relatives either say “wow” or “whoa” to. Doing what you love, making a dream come to reality, believing in yourself – it’s not for the faint of heart or those with lack of resolve. The analogy that I use is that of surfing a wave. First you have to get wet and get pummeled a few times before you can stand up. Then you ride a few bigger waves. It’s a rush. You’ve accomplished something, people are watching on the beach, you’re stoked – whatever! Then you ride a few more, charging bigger and newer waves. You get pummeled even harder. Point is, there are times when you’re riding a big freaking wave and the universe is riding on your shoulder shouting “This is it, this is what you live for!” then you fall and your in the impact zone getting punished and having trouble breathing or fighting for your survival.
Happiness in Success: Now here’s the kick. It’s obvious that not everyone surfs or even pursues there dreams for that matter. They stay on the beach and watch from there. They don’t get pummeled – But they don’t get to make rides with the universe either.
I view being an artist and entrepreneur akin to being that surfer. So what happens when you continually ride bigger waves? Well, you get better. You crash harder. Yes. But you also start to need bigger waves to get the same rush. My point is that there is quite a balance of charging and crashing and being present on the wave you’re on.
After a decade of pushing my creative art and businesses with all my heart and energy, I’ve many times stressed myself to the maximum to continue to achieve higher and bigger goals. This has come to me sometimes at the price of realizing that success is where I’m at at the moment. I now am certain that there is NO where else I can get to but where I’m at at this moment. I have often thought that if I work a bit harder I will get “There.” To some point beyond where I’m at now. When over time I as I get closer to “There,” that point moves further out or up or whatever. See what I mean. The point keeps moving. In fact it never arrives because there is no there! There is only the path we are on, this moment.
Checking in on the Why?: Years ago at the beginning of my career in commercial photography I read an article by photographer Doug Menuez. The article was about burnout and how to stay creative and inspired in shooting growing as a creative, while producing the art and artistic needs of others (i.e. being a commercial artist) At the time I didn’t have that much experience in the commercial world and was very much excited by the newness and adrenaline the industry. Well after about 8 years and some nice successes, it began to creep up on me. The question I started asking myself was the one Doug was speaking to: Was I shooting for me or my clients? Was my style mine or my clients? Was this fun anymore or drudgery? Could I put my heart and soul into work for those that didn’t have heart and soul?
Being there now: As for Chase Jarvis and other great entrepreneurs and artists, I don’t know their secret sauce for inspiration and success is exactly. I do know they all have a surfer mindset. They are able to continually charge, yet continually draw new energy and inspiration. And I’m sure in order to carry this energy over time they are able to stay present in the moment and know that they ARE doing it right now. It’s not about getting there. It’s about being there now.