I once had a friend who made me think the sky was falling every time I saw him. He only saw the down side of up and whenever I'd suggest he be more positive he'd tell me, "I'm just being realistic."
Over time, I didn't like the way I felt about myself when I was around him. I strayed from my core values in an attempt to placate him and even talked badly about people I loved. In time, I had to limit our association.
The truth is it's easy to criticize. The constructs of social media have made it almost trendy to hide behind an anonymous screen name and hurl insults at people who have the courage to try things they don't. Those who have taken the high road understand we can contribute in 3 meaningful ways:
1. Getting involved.
2. Praising others.
3. Raising our consciousness
If you're not contributing more than you're criticizing your credibility erodes. We need more value, more compassion, and far greater vulnerability.
Showing posts with label core values. Show all posts
Showing posts with label core values. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017
You Get What You Tolerate
The opportunities you get in your life will organize around the standards you set for yourself. This took me a little time to figure out.
One area in my life where I needed a little fine tuning was as an actor. When I graduated from drama school I was chomping at the bit to take Broadway by storm. I was so earnest in my desire to grace the stages of the Barrymore and Schubert theaters I overlooked what I was willing to tolerate in order to get there.
In time, my relationship to the industry evolved. I started to place greater emphasis on living a well-rounded life than finding the perfect agent. To me this also meant traveling, volunteering, reading widely, taking bold risks, and honoring my core values.
By the time I arrived in Los Angeles I was quite comfortable in my own skin. I took things less personally and realized there was more to life than getting the perfect headshot. Though it was still my goal to be a professional storyteller, I realized you can want something without needing it. This all led to a healthy outlook on the types of roles I was willing to audition for and what I wasn't willing to compromise on en route to a dream I'd had since I was 11 years old. So when my new agent in Tinsel Town asked me in a rather lengthy questionnaire what I was not willing to do for a role, here's what I said:
One area in my life where I needed a little fine tuning was as an actor. When I graduated from drama school I was chomping at the bit to take Broadway by storm. I was so earnest in my desire to grace the stages of the Barrymore and Schubert theaters I overlooked what I was willing to tolerate in order to get there.
In time, my relationship to the industry evolved. I started to place greater emphasis on living a well-rounded life than finding the perfect agent. To me this also meant traveling, volunteering, reading widely, taking bold risks, and honoring my core values.
By the time I arrived in Los Angeles I was quite comfortable in my own skin. I took things less personally and realized there was more to life than getting the perfect headshot. Though it was still my goal to be a professional storyteller, I realized you can want something without needing it. This all led to a healthy outlook on the types of roles I was willing to audition for and what I wasn't willing to compromise on en route to a dream I'd had since I was 11 years old. So when my new agent in Tinsel Town asked me in a rather lengthy questionnaire what I was not willing to do for a role, here's what I said:
I won’t
compromise my personal ethics, morals, or core principles. I also will not perpetuate what I perceive to
be ethnic stereotypes, or undermine my ethnic heritage. (i.e. the butt of a one-liner Asian joke in a
sitcom, etc.) Also happy to elaborate if there any questions. Fortunately, it’s never really been an issue. I really appreciate you asking!
Figure out what you stand for and protect it all costs. You get what you tolerate.
Monday, April 17, 2017
Do.
"Be one of the few who do rather than the many who talk." These words stopped me in my tracks the other day as I listened to an audiobook. I took personal inventory of all the times in my life I said I'd do something only to get distracted with another project or forget my proclamation entirely.
What I've learned, particularly in the last few years, is there is no shortage of people who claim they'll do things. There is however, a deficit who say as they do and do as they say.
I have a great empathy for this struggle and believe it comes down to the fact that people don't think they know how to get started. The truth is, you already know exactly what you need to do. The missing components are confidence and action. The first step is the simplest and hardest - beginning.
Say you want to write a novel. An ambitious goal no doubt, but far from impossible. Sit down and write one sentence. Tomorrow try and write two, even if they're awful. Just begin and stick with it.
Soon, you'll develop a sense of consistency and once you do that good luck to anyone who tries to stop you. You will move mountains to maintain a routine if it's important enough to you. That is, if your "why" is lined with your core values.
You can get your voice out into the world, but it requires a sense of calm, concentration, and a heightened intuition that you have the capacity to create something of value, which you most certainly do.
Here's to the Starters.
What I've learned, particularly in the last few years, is there is no shortage of people who claim they'll do things. There is however, a deficit who say as they do and do as they say.
I have a great empathy for this struggle and believe it comes down to the fact that people don't think they know how to get started. The truth is, you already know exactly what you need to do. The missing components are confidence and action. The first step is the simplest and hardest - beginning.
Say you want to write a novel. An ambitious goal no doubt, but far from impossible. Sit down and write one sentence. Tomorrow try and write two, even if they're awful. Just begin and stick with it.
Soon, you'll develop a sense of consistency and once you do that good luck to anyone who tries to stop you. You will move mountains to maintain a routine if it's important enough to you. That is, if your "why" is lined with your core values.
You can get your voice out into the world, but it requires a sense of calm, concentration, and a heightened intuition that you have the capacity to create something of value, which you most certainly do.
Here's to the Starters.
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