Sometimes we need to learn things again...and again...and again.
It's hard when you get caught up in the whirlwind frenetic clusterf**k of deal making. One Exec wants this. Another Exec wants that. And in the middle of this tornado of confusion, one can very easily be sucked into the vortex and spit out 200 miles above where they originally wanted to be.
So here's the deal. Remember, when things get crazy and you start to lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish; remember that YOU are the commodity. You are that rare gem. A pearl. Refined under pressure. Unique. Self contained.
Your voice, imagination, and the filter with which you express them are as unique as a finger print. The fabric of who you are and how you see the world is encoded in the essence of your being. So, when things get crazy -- and you're standing in the eye of the storm, remember to ground your feet and reconnect with who you are. From there comes your anchor power, your strength, your marketable commodity. It can't be shaken. Bent (perhaps to a degree) but not altered.
Remember, "they" want to capitalize on your voice -- so your number one goal is to not stray from it; no matter how difficult or overwhelming negotiations might become. Trust me.
Could you imagine a Judd Apatow being told to be campier? Or Simon Pegg being told to be less self-deprecating? Or Ricky Gervais being told not to trampoline on the societal norms?
Well, I'm sure at some point they were all told this. But their success came from being true to themselves. Holding onto the uniqueness of their voice and perspective, no matter what they were confronted with.
And, because of this, we have a much richer array of stories to delight us.
Just a little something to think about.
This song was in my head:
