Fran asks:
I watched your video where you asked us to think about the capabilities we’d be gaining over the next 20 years and as I was journaling, all I could think is — if I’m writing PATH posts for 20 years and I never sell out my program, I’m a loser. Will I be great at it if after 20 years I’m trying and still failing? I also wrote “confidence in who I am”- but I also thought, 20 years and I’m still trying to sell this program, is it confidence or stubbornness? Maybe I’m missing the point, or so clouded in my desperation and doubt to sell my program but I got a little stuck there…
MY RESPONSE:
Fran, you’re focusing on RESULTS, not CAPABILITIES.
For example, when you put out a podcast, you learn to record, to structure content, to upload, to edit, to look for music and choose the right tracks, to structure interviews, etc. These are all capabilities that will serve you big time in all kinds of ways. You may simply need to change the context.
Remember, Hwang Dong-hyuk, the guy who wrote “Squid Games” wrote it a decade ago and NO ONE wanted to buy it. It is today Netflix’s most watched show (even though it’s brand new and in Korean with subtitles)!!! He didn’t do it to get rich or become the most watched show. He did it because he couldn’t not do it. Quitting was not an option, even if he wanted to.
You need to find that thing you can’t quit even if you wanted to. And then find different ways to do it. And notice all the amazing capabilities you build along the way.
This is not to say there’s anything wrong with wanting to be financially successful — again, Hwang Dong-hyuk didn’t just write the show, revel in his genius and throw it in a drawer. He also was required to be an advocate for his work. It was his drive to get his work seen and experienced by the masses that kept him looking for a producer till Netflix came along.
This is about the work. Not about you.
Was Walt Disney stubborn to the point of seeming stupid? Remember when he was homeless? The only reason everyone knows his name today is because he stayed in the game long enough to find the right partners and for the time to be right. Sometimes your ideas are ahead of their time – either because you’re not ready emotionally or because the world isn’t.
Trust the work and build trust in your abilities.
xoxo,
Geeta
