Back at it...

Okay, so I'm working again.

I mean, I'm always working, but now we're back to working 'for a living' as it were.

You can imagine the huge sighs of relief that are going on around here.  My wife keeps randomly smiling at me as waves of relief wash over her throughout the day.  As I alluded to last post, things have been getting really (REALLY) tense over here.  The financial clock has been seriously ticking towards 'zero hour' (in an actual way) and that's something that's VERY tough to deal with at our age and stage of life (4 kids etc.).

So when the 'greenlight' call came yesterday from my business partner there was great rejoicing all 'round.

Some lessons, if you're a budding film/TV producer or if you're a person with hopes and dreams somewhat outside the ordinary...

1) Everything always takes MUCH longer than you think it will to close.  We're still learning the enormity of this lesson.  If it's supposed to take six months it'll take 18-24 months minimum. This is very sobering in terms of planning and practical preparation and also in terms of how tenacious you're actually going to have to be.  Also, this means you need to start working on the next thing NOW.

2) God typically takes us (I hope not you) to the very edge of catastrophe before opening up the new door. We're a little better now than we used to be at staring into the abyss with hope and faith in our hearts (while staving off despair and 'God-cursing'--a la 'Job') but we're still not so good at it that this kind of stage doesn't really, truly, deeply hurt in a SERIOUS way.

3) You've got to keep 'producing'.  Show business is about talent, output, tenacity, access and track record.  Keep doing what you're 'good' at (and make sure you *know* what you're *actually* good at), keep creating it even if the audience is very small (like one or two executives reading it or seeing it) keep believing and doing whatever it takes to 'hang on', work your relational contacts (within the limits of your relative talent socially) and never treat an opportunity as a 'dead end' 'cause you never know when it's going to come back 'round and make sure, when you do get a chance, that you deliver something really good.

4) Keep an eye to the eternal. You're not, ultimately, living for the here and now. That perspective will change everything for you, including how you deal with despair and deprivation.

5) Use the introspection that naturally comes with these kind of 'transition times' to hone back in on what it is that you *know* you've been made to do and make sure your life and practice are actually aligned with that gift and calling.  I mean, it's one thing to 'waste your life' while working for the man and getting PAID (you can at least take your wife out on nice dates and your kids on nice vacations and leverage your $'s to help build things that will last) but to waste your life while getting destroyed financially makes absolutely no sense at all.  So, use these times of scarcity to focus in on *why* you exist and what you're supposed to be *doing* with your life.

6) Don't fake happiness.  We had some very (VERY) low times this last time 'round. I realize, even now, we'll have them again.  I find it's impossible to pretend that all's well when it's not. I think it's best to try and 'suffer well'.  So, if you need to nap a bit, or play a bit, or cry a bit; do it.

7) Plan better NOW for next time. Work harder NOW on next time. Save more, leverage more, expand more, diversify more, dream more.

The last few days, when people asked me, "So, how're you doing?"  I'd respond...

I believe I shall be well...

T