Know Why, then Figure out How

This afternoon I met up with a fellow actor. We talked about her one-person show and how excited she was to see something she worked hard to develop finally come to pass. She told me friends told her for years to write a one-woman show but that it just didn't seem right until now. "I didn't feel the need to write something just to be seen."

Her comment resonated with me. I too had worked for many months on a one-man show, chronicling the transition in my life. I suppose I started writing because I felt the need to cling to an identity I had know for so long.

When I met up with an old teacher of mine whose opinion I valued he said, "I'm happy to offer my feedback, but my first question is, do you need to tell this story?" I remember sort of shuffling my feet and staring at hands before admitting I didn't.

It's important that we find creative ways to get our voice out into the world and take advantage of the countless platforms now available for us to do so. But it won't really mean anything if we don't know why we're doing what we're doing. Getting a play, or a film made is so challenging that if you don't have a deep enough "why," it's likely you'll tire quick and hang it up. Your heart somehow knows when it's being duped.

Know why, then figure out how.

Taking Ownership

Last night I attended a wedding celebration in San Francisco in a part of town commonly referred to as SOMA. (South of Market) The ride there was not as seamless as I'd hoped. The rain poured down mercilessly and my digital map had a mind of its own.

When I finally arrived it was a completely different world. Everyone was dressed stylishly devouring the comfort foods of my friend Jason's native Louisiana.

I spent much of the evening speaking with a very kind young woman who'd traveled all the way from Washington D.C. We spoke at length about photography and her love for the medium. "I like photography too," I chimed in. "Do you shoot?"

I then noticed a familiar reluctance to take ownership of a craft she took great joy in. I'd noticed even within myself a growing apprehension over the years to talk about acting, particularly among people advancing in careers one might consider more conventional. It was something I'd never felt when I was a young actor. I practically beamed when I told people about the shows, monologues, or scenes I was working on.

I later realized, how you speak about what you do can actually inform how you do it -- that it's important to take ownership and pride in what you do even in the face of misunderstanding, or ridicule.

As long as it matters to you -- It Matters.