Tag: creation

To infinity and beyond

Posted on by philipdodson

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This is a such a well-known phrase thanks to the creative genius of the guys from Pixar who brought us Bugs Life, Toy Story, The Incredibles and so on.

Now owned like so many things by a giant corporation, Disney, however, it started out in 1974 by Alexander Schure and with a group of others they had the dream to create the first animated film. After many years they realised they need to be part of a real film studio and ended up setting up with Lucasfilm after being approached by George Lucas.

Later they’d break away with the help of Steve Jobs and then eventually they would end up selling to Disney.

The point of this is that it took them over 30 years to go from an idea to being part of a giant corporation. Patience is what you need to make it big if making it big is what you want.

The other point is, they had to modify what they stood for over time to end up in the hands of Disney.

Most of us don’t deep down want to be the next Pixar, owned by a giant corporation. Most of Pixar’s groundbreaking best work and creations came before they were Disneyfied.

If your interest in life is creating your best, meaningful work and leaving a legacy, then do it for you. Don’t aim to be BIG and remember it takes a long time and a lot of practice to make your best ‘art’.

Simply aim for soulful and meaningful work, aim for infinity and beyond not the money, shortcuts, and instant gratification.

It’s a lonely road

Posted on by philipdodson

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If it was easy creating great things, we’d all be at it everyday, and then nothing would be created that was worthwhile or unique. Creating something different, unique, and new, takes time, takes effort, bravery and imagination.

It takes patience, through trial and error, through learning lessons and improving what you create next. The key though is to keep creating, keep sharing and keep connecting with others.

This initial phase of standing out, not fitting in, challenging the status quo, and challenging yourself, is the hardest part. It is a lonely place being different, it often means being ‘unfriended’, ‘unfollowed’ or simply ignored (OMG the terror, surely I am going to die).

The first thing that has to drive us to create, is pure and simply for ourselves, for our own sense of fulfilment and purpose. We have to follow our own why, our own values and be 100% ourselves in order to create the very best stuff. We also have to accept vulnerability and we have to learn courage.

Often though that takes us so far out of our safety zones that it is too scary to start. Even once you have started, the temptation is to row back to shore, especially as your peers are beckoning you back to ‘safety’.

As you drift further and further from shore, the journey gets very lonely. You start to question, you start to think about defeat, the chimp inside us is going mad with the stress you are putting him or her under.

The road to creating your very best, truly you, is a lonely road.

But the only way to be truly you, to be truly happy is to make that initial lonely journey to a better place. It starts with a choice to change, followed by being prepared to take that lonely road.

Eventually though you find your tribe, you find your place, and your creations get shared with the right audience that you have chosen.