The books says you must begin to do what you can do where you are, and you must do ALL that you can do. This has always been a point of concern for me, because I can do a lot of things.

I can act, I can write, I can compose original music, I can draw and animate, I do 3D computer graphics, and I can even sing. Should I be doing all these things?

The real question is, does doing all that you can do mean inside your present business or employment, or outside?

Long long ago I had a 9 to 5 that wasn't totally satisfying because it only called on one of the skills I listed. So I took my spare time and all the other skills I listed and made my own animated film with my nights and weekends. Is that what do all that you can means?

Here's what Arnold apparently did, while he was still a professional body builder:

Excerpt from a 1976 interview between a Mr. Chandler and Arnold Schwarzenegger: Chandler asked Arnold what he was going to do after he retired from bodybuilding. "I'm going to be the number-one box-office star in all of Hollywood," he calmly responded. Remember, this was when few people outside bodybuilding knew he existed.

Chandler had to fight to keep a straight face as he was asking how he planned to do that. Arnold's explanation seemed "ridiculously simple," but Chandler never forgot it: "What you do is create a vision of who you want to be, and then live into that picture as if it were already true."

“What I am most happy about is that I can zero in on a vision of where I want to be in the future. I can see it so clearly in front of me when I daydream that it's almost a reality. Then I get this easy feeling, and I don't have to be uptight to get there because I already feel like I'm there, that it's just a matter of time." Arnold Schwarzenegger

Does that give you any ideas?

Phil

Arnold? OyVay...what an example!

Teruchan I think he means do the best you can with the job you have until you get an opportunity that relates to your CMI.

Like if you were working as a fry cook but you wanted to be a singer. Until you get your break on American Idol be the best fry cook you can.

Here is something I've pondered many times: if I act in a joyous manner (faking it until I make it) in my current place with the thing which I really don't like, doing all that I can do to advance myself, won't I just get more of that place or thing that I don't like?

Think about this. In the above scenario, the person is still putting power in the place or thing, thinking happiness must come from that. It's putting the cart before the horse. It's certainly acting in vain.

You could be happy in a cesspool right now. (forgive the graphic example, but you COULD be) The trick is not to see the cesspool but to keep your eyes on the prize - the thing that will truly make you happy. Be THERE in every way you can for as much and for as long and intensely as you can (doing ALL that you can do). Fill your head with THOSE images, sounds, smells - a real challenge if you truly are in a cesspool, I'll admit - and ESPECIALLY your feelings.

Be assured that you WON'T get more of the place or thing that makes you unhappy if you truly are in a happy state. That place or thing will necessarily melt away and be replaced with more of the places and things that match your vibrations.

That's how people are 'discovered' while they're waiting tables and pumping gas. They KNOW in their hearts it's just a temporary gig (yes, temporary can be measured in years sometimes). Still, every moment they happily live that dream.

Phil's story about Arnold is a perfect example. It doesn't matter where you are right now.

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

I think that doing all you can do means filling your present place AND moving toward your dream with inspired action. Just take what the universe is giving you now, be grateful, and be as prepared as possible for the rest to materialize.

I don't know you or even the details of your situation, but I am SURE that what you want is waiting for you very close.

Just reach out and take it!

Follow your bliss!
Rachel

quote:

Originally posted by iteachlifeskills:
Here is something I've pondered many times: if I act in a joyous manner (faking it until I make it) in my current place with the thing which I really don't like, doing all that I can do to advance myself, won't I just get more of that place or thing that I don't like?
Russ

Yes. Because joyous and faking it are not the same thing. And if you really don't like it, you will get more of that. But I have a feeling you know that.

Those people who "...are 'discovered' while they're waiting tables and pumping gas." don't just dream about being a big star while being the best waiter or gas station attendant they can.

Sure, they may dream and do their best in their job, but they also go to every audition they can find. They make demo tapes and send them in to studios. They get their photo in front of every agent they can. They write like mad and submit countless screenplays and short stories to competitions.

Some novelists, now huge today, started off with a regular job and wrote their books on the side. They self published (once considered the kiss of death) and sold their books by hand on the street corner, before being picked up by a major publisher with a 7 figure deal.

If you "...live into that picture as if it were already true." as Arnold says, then a person who wants to be a writer, will write now. A person who wants to be a singer will sing now. And a person who wants to make films, will be making them now, even if it is like Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan, who made his first film on nights and weekends while holding a regular job.

Wally also tells us not to do tomorrow's work today!

A little story of my daughter. Her CMI was to be a set designer for the film industry so she started taking inspired action to become a set designer. At the time of making that determination she had already earned an Associate of Arts degree as an Interior Designer, she then went on to earn a Batchlor of Arts Degree at California Institute of Arts. While in school she had a job as a hostess at a resturant to help pay her way.

She enjoyed being a hostess, but kept her CMI in mind.

When she graduated she said that she would be willing to start as a janitor if that would lead her toward her CMI, and while she didn't have to work as a janitor her first jobs were not designing sets for film. She starded designing sets for theme parks, including Euro Disneyland and a theme park in Japan. But she knew that her CMI was film. She had to become a member of the Union; and did. Finally got a drafting job in film. She now has been doing that for some time and has worked on all of the Spiderman movies, "The Last Samuri", "Memiours of a Gishia" and many others!

She now has other work related CMI's, but continues to design sets for film. But in her spare time she contemplates her CMI's and takes inspired action that will lead her towards those CMI's!

Hope this helps!

More on 'Arnold's Way',..

Arnold The Bricklayer

Phil

Thanks for the Arnold stuff, Phil! I never knew how cool he was!

It's clear, looking at Arnold, that one needs to be prepared to put in the "hard work" to move towards their dreams. I put "hard work" in quotes because, to Arnold, it wasn't hard. If you watch the movie Pumping Iron, it is clear he enjoyed every second of it.

In fact, studying many recent examples of people who became rich, they all seemed to put in the time, effort and "hard work", from an outsiders perspective, to get where they wanted to go. Of course, it only looks like hard work if it's not your thing, kind of like Rebecca's example of working on her boat.

One novelist I was reading about didn't even know she was "working". She had a day job after all. She was writing short stories to "pass the time" and sharing them with her friends only. Soon, word of mouth spread to the point that total strangers were writing her asking for more. People were going into book stores looking for her stuff. This gave her the idea to publish them, by herself, and she sold 300,000 copies on her own.

Famed Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs was working as a pencil sharpener salesman for very low wages and spent his time reading pulp magazines. He said, "If people were paid to write the rot in those magazines, I know I can write stories just as rotten and probably a whole lot better." He sold his first story for $400 to that magazine (About $7600 in today's money) and, needless to say, he didn't stick around his day job very long.

I think I've written before about artist Frank Frazetta, who passed away yesterday. Everyone told him not to bother getting into oils and to keep doing his little comic thing. He didn't listen, of course, and went on to get as much as $40,000 per painting (in that day) illustrating most of the covers for Edgar Rice Burroughs books, and also doing covers for Conan the Barbarian, such that his images inspired the the look of the movie starring Arnold, and other fantasy heroes.

Seems to me that each of these creators was focused on doing their thing, writing, painting or whatever, and they more than filled their place because they did much bigger things, making greater contributions to the world, beyond the confines of their "day job".

It has become clear to me what I must do now.

oh, Teruchan
I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to read about all the wonderful things that are about to happen in your life.
Keep posting!
Rachel

And it becomes clear to me that some of us still need to find that thing that we enjoy enough to want to fall out of bed in the morning. Thanks Teruchan and do keep us posted on your exciting works of animation.

Thanks everyone for all the replies and all the help on this journey. The more I continue, the more I believe that this journey was meant to be easy. I believe that the Universe is trying to move all things aside so that we just simply do what we want, make a contribution to the world and fulfill our life purpose. All three are the same thing.

BTW - Yesterday I decided to unthink for a bit, unwind and went to the mall, saw Iron Man 2, and generally have some fun. Woke up this morning to find two huge orders waiting for me!

Teruchan

This reminds me of what I used to tell my music students when they balked at my suggested method of practice. "If you can find a way to get this song done by eating a large bag of peanut M&M's, let me know."

In other words, get it done your way and have FUN!

And you know what? The ones who do it their own way (as in take personal responsibility) and have fun with it are the BEST students and performers. They are a joy to teach; they are a joy to listen to (from an audience point of view); they are a source of pride to their parents and friends; you get the point... the 'good' just keeps spreading!

Keep having fun Teruchan and we look forward to seeing YOUR work up on the big screen!

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

Thanks for your post,

I like the idea of 'Living into the picture as if it were already true'
for what me Be-ing an International Bestseller Writer NOW is concerned...,

You probably will enjoy a post
I did last year on my (Old) Writing Blog
Because it definitely illustrates 'Living in the Picture'

(BTW talking about illustrating,
that's something I enjoy doing also)

The post that I am talking about is about how I most definitely
already AM an International BEST-SELLER WRITER,

Well actually currently I only am an 'International - SELLER Writer',
with the BEST jet to come!

You can read it at: (old) Writing Blog

All the Best,
To your Happy - Writing - Inspiration,
HP

BTW talking about 'Living into the Picture'...,

Recently I read in a Lifestyle Magazine something about creating a 'Mood Board', as a tool to help create a CMI for for example a new kitchen.

By simply cutting and pasting pictures from
magazines. Something I enjoy doing, and since I also enjoy Photography I might even take 'Mood Photos' myself.

Talking about 'Mood Photo's' that might be a great idea to write a post about on.....,


Digital Camera Ideas

Hi HP and all!

Vision boards, dream boards and also mind movies have been discussed on this forum many times...do a search if you are interested.

Coincidentally, OPRAH has a program at http://www.oprah.com/dreamboard/index.html
that allows you to make your own on your computer. You can use her photos or import your own and you can export the final board to your computer. I have mine as my desktop screen so I see it whenever I am on my computer. If I can do it, anyone can. Very simple and fun!


LauraK

quote:

I can act, I can write, I can compose original music, I can draw and animate, I do 3D computer graphics, and I can even sing. Should I be doing all these things?

Teruchan,

Man,.. if I could be happy doing all those things, I'd just pick one that makes me happiest right now, and just do it.

And if I created something with it, I might shop it around, or post it on youtube.com, or get the word out on it in some other way.

Phil