Laden...
Hello,
The world is in crisis, and many people are telling you to do something new. But what if you didn’t have to do that?
What if, instead of pivoting into new and exciting opportunities, we who make things considered this a call to our true work?
What if we doubled down on our strengths, taking these familiar skills deeper than we thought they could go, seeking new ways to do old things?
What if we asked, “What role is being required of me right now?”—and then did that?
It’s worth a try.
Last week, Michael Port shared on the podcast this quote from Toni Morrison and I’ve been thinking about it ever since:
“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”
In times of emergency and chaos, artists don’t need to pivot; they need to go to work. They need to use their current circumstances as a chance to discover what they’re really here to do.
Maybe now is not the time to pivot. Maybe all our practice has been preparing us for this very moment. And if that’s true, then we just might learn a few important lessons.
Click here to read more and listen to this week’s podcast.
What do we do if not pivot?
Use this opportunity as a chance to focus on the fundamentals of our work, getting better at what we do. Don’t get lost in the myopia of thinking our work is more specific than it really is. This is also a chance to find our true work, going deeper than thinking we are just a writer or videographer. What we really do is tell stories and spread ideas and inspire people with beauty. Once we understand what we’re really here to do, we are then free to ask the question, “What role is being required of me right now?”Learn more by listening to this week’s episode of the podcast:
“You Don’t Need to Pivot; You Need to Discover Your True Work”
Trust the work. Trust yourself. Believe that all this is working for your benefit, allowing you to share your greatest gift.
And, in the words of Mary Oliver:
“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—over and over announcing your place in the family of things.”
I hope you do respond to that call; I hope you unleash your imagination on a world that needs it now more than ever.
Best,
Jeff
P.S. What has this current crisis taught you about your true work? What challenges are you currently facing? Reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you!
Laden...
Laden...
