Take Pride in Being Deeply Flawed

An acting teacher once told me, "The pursuit of perfection is the pursuit of vanity." As a young storyteller and young person I wanted everything I worked on to be perfect. 

As I get older I realize what really draws people in is your ability to talk openly and honestly about your flaw and failures. It offers people a tremendous sense of solace, but more importantly it builds trust. 

When you seek courage through vulnerability you shine a light on your humanity and people see that if despite all your setbacks you were still able to achieve great things they can too.

That to me is far more inspiring that simply touting how great we are.

My First Screenplays Were So Bad...

Some of my early screenplays were so bad my friends didn’t even know where to start with their feedback. My first try at getting a literary agent was met by well over 100 rejections. And my first few films were passed on by so many festivals I lost count.

But by not taking those failures personally and instead interpreting those setbacks as deferred successes, I continued to write blogs, articles, screenplays, one-man shows, and even a book. And as I developed my voice my confidence grew – convincing me I had something valuable to offer.

The best part was how taking initiative emboldened those around me to do the same. Friends saw that if I could do it they could too. Soon I was being asked to read their plays, edit their articles, and collaborate on their new films.

In the process we built a community where we felt invested in one another’s success. We had each other’s backs, supported one another’s vision, and held ourselves accountable to making something happen.

Done is Better than Perfect

Some of my early screenplays were so bad my friends didn’t even know where to start with their feedback. My first try at getting a literary agent was met by well over 100 rejections. And my first few films were passed on by so many festivals I lost count.

But by not taking those failures personally and choosing instead to interpret those setbacks as deferred successes, I continued to write blogs, articles, screenplays, one-man shows, and even a book. And as I developed my voice my confidence grew – convincing me I had something valuable to offer. 

Your time is limited. Don't waste another second deliberating over how to get started. Just begin. The longer you wait the more you cultivate the seeds of excuses to grow and eventually flourish.