Moments of Conception 082 - The Recruiter Scene from Risky Business

August 23, 2014 10:19 PM

All creativity begins with the moment of conception.

That little piece of kindling that gets the fire going. That initial source of inspiration that takes on a life of its own. That single note from which the entire symphony grows. That single spark of life that signals an idea’s movement value, almost screaming to us, something wants to be built here.

And so, in this new blog series, I’m going to be deconstructing my favorite moments of conception from popular movies. Each post will contain a video clip from a different film, along with a series of lessons we can learn from the characters.

Today’s clip comes from the recruiter scene in Risky Business:

What can we learn?

Creators have to cut
their own channels.This movie reminds me of an inspiringstoryabout a wild food forager.
His local farmer’s market wouldn’t permit him to become a vendor because he
wasn’t he primary producer of the food sold. And so, he crated his own market.
Literally. He began offering wild food walks in the region, wild mushroom
adventures and workshops, acorn classes, local fishing tours, and most
excitingly, community supported foraging. This underground marketplace that was
a private, members only club, that charged a nominal entrance fee and offered a
wide selection of locally foraged foods. Within six months, the market had
exploded to thousands of members, ultimately creating a middle ground for
vendors who didn’t want or weren’t ready to sell their foods through larger
institutions. It may have been risky business, but the dividends were worth it.Is your work created in response to
demands of the market or demands of the gift inside of you?

Don’t let the market
call the tune. Joel doesn’t have the grade point average, test scores or class
rank to gain admission to the ivy league. The recruiter is visibly unimpressed
by his resume. Then again, let’s not forget his work at the school of hard
knocks. Joel deals in human fulfillment. He grossed over eight thousand dollars
in one night. That’s one hell of an extra curricular experience. What’s
interesting is, at the end of the movie, Joel’s father comes up to him and
excitedly informs him that the recruiter was satisfied with the interview and
said their university could use a guy like him. Not because he was ivy league
material, but because he was a fully functioning, independent adult.Time of your life, huh kid? Joel hired
himself. He created an environment of unlimited possibility instead of
accepting an blueprint of inherited options. He acted without feeling dependent
on circumstances, without having to wait for events to align in his favor. A
reminder that it is our work that creates the market, not the other way around. Are you letting the market call the tune of
your creative symphony?

The revolution of the
willing. Losing your virginity isn’t about sex and it isn’t about loss.
It’s about coming of age, pardon the pun. And so, the larger story of this
movie is about a guy, inexperienced and uninformed, who uncovers a stepping
stone to a new level of awareness and maturity about himself and the world in
which he lives. Joel’s personal transformation is a beautiful thing. A rite of
passage. A healthy human milestone. And while it is the end of the innocence,
it’s also the beginning of opportunity. And that’s why this is such a powerful
scene. We’re literally witnessing a person crossing the threshold into
adulthood. The ringing phones, the loyal customers, the zealous fans, the sexy
girlfriend, the lit cigarette, the cool guy glasses, they’re all markers.
Artifacts. Symbols of transformation from a shy mama’s boy into an
enterprising, savvy young man. This is his moment of conception. Joel is like
the metal alloy that, once yielded, will never return to his original shape. He joined the revolution of the willing and he’s
never looking back.How aware are you of
priceless learning opportunities?