I can definitely relate to this ... Constantly recalibrating, figuring things out. Thinking I might have finally found the right situation with the balance I'm looking for to facilitate my writing passion projects, only to become disillusioned. And then I get to thinking there is no "right situation." Anything that isn't my real dream will eventually feel the same as every other job. I think the best we can do is take perspective and story ideas from the places we go - make them count for something.
Yeah, I think that's something we all have in common. I've read a lot of articles and watched hours of interviews from brand-name artists and writers, highly successful creative professionals, those just starting out and those still in school. It seems that to a person, we all feel like we're clinging to the edge, barely able to hold on.
One thing that's helped me has been to just keep moving. I pay close attention to how jobs feel now, and I spend a bit of time interrogating those feelings. If I find that they're founded, I go somewhere else no matter how ostensibly great the situation may seem to be.
Yes, it's a feeling that artists understand but I've found can be hard to explain to other people. That's a good strategy for assessing whether or not you should stay someplace.
I loved this. I have been blown way off trajectory so many times, scrambling back through luck, determination, pluck, whatever. Things don’t work out but somehow they do, really, if we can write about them. 💕
Very glad you liked it! And yes, I think it's interesting that we're much better at interpreting the past than we are the present. Seems like it should be the other way around.
Great post James! Everything after coffee, totally agree!
It's crazy the direction we sometimes go in our life. I personally believe we experience things in order to grow further, even if it feels we've gone off course somehow. Enjoying your writing... now time for more coffee! :)
Very true! The great Joe Walsh of Eagles fame said something along those lines, too: your life in the moment seems crazy and chaotic, but looking back reads like a beautiful novel.
And most things can indeed wait until after coffee. :) Gonna make myself an afternoon cup right now! Thanks for reading, man.
This was so great! I especially love the voice over reading of it. So cool
I can definitely relate to this ... Constantly recalibrating, figuring things out. Thinking I might have finally found the right situation with the balance I'm looking for to facilitate my writing passion projects, only to become disillusioned. And then I get to thinking there is no "right situation." Anything that isn't my real dream will eventually feel the same as every other job. I think the best we can do is take perspective and story ideas from the places we go - make them count for something.
Yeah, I think that's something we all have in common. I've read a lot of articles and watched hours of interviews from brand-name artists and writers, highly successful creative professionals, those just starting out and those still in school. It seems that to a person, we all feel like we're clinging to the edge, barely able to hold on.
One thing that's helped me has been to just keep moving. I pay close attention to how jobs feel now, and I spend a bit of time interrogating those feelings. If I find that they're founded, I go somewhere else no matter how ostensibly great the situation may seem to be.
Yes, it's a feeling that artists understand but I've found can be hard to explain to other people. That's a good strategy for assessing whether or not you should stay someplace.
I loved this. I have been blown way off trajectory so many times, scrambling back through luck, determination, pluck, whatever. Things don’t work out but somehow they do, really, if we can write about them. 💕
Very glad you liked it! And yes, I think it's interesting that we're much better at interpreting the past than we are the present. Seems like it should be the other way around.
Great post James! Everything after coffee, totally agree!
It's crazy the direction we sometimes go in our life. I personally believe we experience things in order to grow further, even if it feels we've gone off course somehow. Enjoying your writing... now time for more coffee! :)
Very true! The great Joe Walsh of Eagles fame said something along those lines, too: your life in the moment seems crazy and chaotic, but looking back reads like a beautiful novel.
And most things can indeed wait until after coffee. :) Gonna make myself an afternoon cup right now! Thanks for reading, man.
Excited to see where it goes next!
Hey, Joe, great to talk with ya again and thanks for stopping by! Hope your summer's been awesome.