- The sacrifice bunt in baseball doesn't change
- Pick 'n rolls in basketball are executed the same way
- Every soccer team does a corner kick from the same location
A successful strategy is determined more by who or when you utilize a strategy rather than what strategy you use or why you use it. Think about it, all wide receivers run slant patterns, so what is the difference between them? It's literally THEM, the receivers and the players around them, and when they are used, that make the difference! Now before we get too sweaty and start inadvertently grunting at each other while doing vigorous squat-thrustings, lets think about YOUR dream, from a music, film, and arts perspective. Don't be shy, bashful, or even coy, give some time to your vision and when you are finished reading this, close your eyes and think about what you really would like to see yourself doing.
The You:
Maybe YOUR dream is to write and perform songs live or partner with a local art gallery and host a fundraiser with your art. Maybe you want to make a helmet out of a watermelon, slap it on your head and perform improvisatioal-metaphysical-street-theater but whatever it is you want to do.....HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT? Seriously, WHO (not what) IS IN YOUR PLAYBOOK? Is it that person standing in the mirror or is that dusty book, authored by someone who we used to now, telling you how to live your life?
STOP!!! Don't you dare get in that car of yours and drive to a bookstore and give someone else your hard earned money in hopes of copying their "playbooks," that are sold by the hundreds of thousands, in bookstores worldwide (one would think with so many "best sellers," in the self-help section, people would eventually need less help). You have the answers sitting above your neck and you are surrounded by people that have answers to your questions you yourself don't know, to help cultivate your artistic visions. Many people adopt the strategy of seeing something that made someone else a profit, then copy it, in hopes of also making a profit from the idea. It even works sometimes!! What did Bill Hicks really think of Denis Leary's act? Oceans 11-25? Spiderman 92? But often times it fails and people are left without ever really defining their own identity. And in that moment, there is time to see both the problem and the solution and realize who we are, or aren't.
We are talking about music and art people!! They themselves are a playbook because they are the actions carried out by YOU, their creator! Think of the color variations in art, and the sound variations in music; all directions are possible and at the same time, all directions are viable. Each note in a song holds its own story, each movement in dance is a celebration of the human potential; so why not explore that creative expanse? Let something tug on your soul so hard, that you wrap your arms lovingly around it and give everything of yourself to see it succeed. Let go, to your own path of freedom and find yourself in the midst of doing the things you enjoy doing and discovering who you actually are! You may tumble madly into places you never expected but "OH," the ride is so worth it and the lessons more than valuable. And as far down as you may seem sometimes, we are all there together, in our own ways, struggling and striving to be the best of what we perceive ourselves to be in this time. "The You," is the result of your effort and seeing it resonate through the actions of your art-form.
The Courage:
How many ways are there to create something? That's like trying to count each drop of water cascading down a waterfall; infinity(∞)!! It's all about your extremities, your heart, your mind and your ability to see it through the best way you combine them to display your true gifts. Save that $20 you were going to drop to find out how someone else lived their dream and put it towards your own ingenuity. Great ideas still exist, but who is brave enough to realize them? Who has "The Courage," to place them into reality and see how great their ideas really are?
Never before in human history has Earth been so connected as seen through the internet and social media. What was once a haven for food pics, selfies, haters, and Beliebers, has revealed itself to be a tool that allows us to connect bridges between cultures and share ideas with people on the other side of the globe. It can often be scary for people and quite challenging; the world is full of different views and ideas that some people are introduced to for the first time through social media. That's a good thing but how we handle it can sometimes be bad. New information always leads to advances in culture but many people resist change so there will always be a growth period before everyone can truly harness this value to better understand the world, not only around themselves, but the culture of other worlds as well. People will have their foundations shaken but at the same time, foundations are ripe to be built and can be done so very quickly through social media so fear will inevitably dissipate. Most people are waiting for something to happen, still waiting for that apple to plop them on the head, but if YOU get out there, you will realize you can raise yourself to a level capable of plucking the apple off the tree yourself. Feel your own inner strength to build networks through people you want. Social media gives you the ability to be you and find people who you realize reflect you in very similar ways so go after it and put that fear to the side as you capture your dreams! NOW, the fun part........
The Action:
Don't be afraid to try something different or try your own creative strategy for the first time. Lovingly fall flat on your face trying to connect and pursue the journey of your true desire. I've had to live in my car, crash on friend's couches and sacrifice all of myself for all that I wanted to be. I knew going in I might be put in these situations so i didn't expect it not to happen, I simply prepared myself so that if it did happen, it wouldn't crush my spirit. As long as my spirit is vibrant, so to is my outlook for the future. The biggest lesson I've learned from my adventures at Terra Rising is to embrace failure. We've all heard the cliche, "the fear of failure," but what level of failure are you ready to face to realize your vision? I don't mean the type of failure that comes from someone not liking your project or enjoying your ideas, but the type of failure that involves losing your home or someone you love. It's in those moments, where our true resolve is tested, where we find out how committed to not only our dream but to ourselves, we are. Maybe we even find that both are actually one in the same in that moment . When we fail, we are actually getting to meet one of our most important teachers. Through failure we often see what works or doesn't work for our playbook, even more so than when we feel successful. Having dreams is all about overcoming doubt, fear and the motivation of both. Sometimes doing something that even unhinges us is the best way to continue to build a diverse and adaptable playbook. Comfort zones are merely that, zones, and the bigger the area, the bigger the comfort can be and the better chance at connecting with a broader group of people you will have.
Take the time to get to know what you want your artistic expression to look like and what motivations drive you, to want to pursue your vision. Don't just make a vision board but live your vision board. All of those quotes and positive affirmations are fluff-in-the-belly-button-of-life if not cultivated and brought forth through your own willful actions. That's really the intention behind all of the projects at Terra Rising; we hope that people will engage their own creativity and add to the overall effort of making our society a more positive environment for creation, for the generations that follow us. We hope to do our part through the support of music and the arts both inside and outside of the classroom but there is so much room and space available for everyone to participate. If you have a great idea or are doing something to better your community, contact us so we can feature you and help promote your awesome ideas. So.....WHO, (not what) IS IN YOUR PLAYBOOK?
“Failure is built into creativity… the creative act involves this element of ‘newness’ and ‘experimentalism,’ then one must expect and accept the possibility of failure.”
— Saul Bass, Graphic Designer and Filmmaker.