That last one rocks. When I finally realized there is no shame in loving the work I do whether it makes money or not, everything changed. And now when visitors come to my studio and I'm sharing my stories of how I found my way through, I listen to their stories, help them realize their own creativity matters, and encourage them to do the work they love that makes them happy. Because it helps them manage everything else in their life. I've learned that being a force of good for other people and for the world is what makes us truly joyful. Thank you for sharing this insight today, I hope it helps other people too.
Sorry Chris, this is one of your few bits of advice that I can't fully get behind. Whilst the concept is probably right, anyone's prediction of a 10 year outcome should not be based on how it feels. I've some enormous regrets about decisions I have made over the last 2 decades based on the feeling at the time. On reflection I can objectively identify the flaws in my thinking; and sure, hindsight is 20/20, but had I done my due diligence back then, I might be better off now. Stepping back and critically assessing your options with all available data, from an objective and detached perspective - even where love and happiness is a variable - is a going to lead to a better outcome than than imagining how something might feel.
This is similar to an exercise I often do: picture myself at age 80 and ask which course of action I would have the fewest regrets over and/or which course of action is best-aligned with the values I want to uphold.
This mindset was of huge benefit for me when I was getting sober. I always wanted to drink that night, drink the next week, drink the next month. The answer to "Do I want to be sober next week?" was never easy to answer. However, when asking myself if I'd regret not getting sober in ten years, the answer was an unequivocal yes.
To put a little twist on this, I'll ask myself: If I could make this change five or ten years ago, would I? For drinking, the answer was absolutely yes. I didn't want to stop drinking tomorrow, but I would've loved to have stopped drinking a decade earlier.
That last one rocks. When I finally realized there is no shame in loving the work I do whether it makes money or not, everything changed. And now when visitors come to my studio and I'm sharing my stories of how I found my way through, I listen to their stories, help them realize their own creativity matters, and encourage them to do the work they love that makes them happy. Because it helps them manage everything else in their life. I've learned that being a force of good for other people and for the world is what makes us truly joyful. Thank you for sharing this insight today, I hope it helps other people too.
Sorry Chris, this is one of your few bits of advice that I can't fully get behind. Whilst the concept is probably right, anyone's prediction of a 10 year outcome should not be based on how it feels. I've some enormous regrets about decisions I have made over the last 2 decades based on the feeling at the time. On reflection I can objectively identify the flaws in my thinking; and sure, hindsight is 20/20, but had I done my due diligence back then, I might be better off now. Stepping back and critically assessing your options with all available data, from an objective and detached perspective - even where love and happiness is a variable - is a going to lead to a better outcome than than imagining how something might feel.
This is similar to an exercise I often do: picture myself at age 80 and ask which course of action I would have the fewest regrets over and/or which course of action is best-aligned with the values I want to uphold.
This mindset was of huge benefit for me when I was getting sober. I always wanted to drink that night, drink the next week, drink the next month. The answer to "Do I want to be sober next week?" was never easy to answer. However, when asking myself if I'd regret not getting sober in ten years, the answer was an unequivocal yes.
To put a little twist on this, I'll ask myself: If I could make this change five or ten years ago, would I? For drinking, the answer was absolutely yes. I didn't want to stop drinking tomorrow, but I would've loved to have stopped drinking a decade earlier.
Pretty neat concept. I love it.
I also believe it can be effective, coz I think it gets one out of one's subjective life, and gets one to look at it objectively.
Purposefully.
Hope I am making sense and haven't lost myself...