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.
Based on my books in The Prolific 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 escape scene in Shawshank Redemption:
Fortune favors the bold, but it
frequents the consistent. Andy toted his jail cell wall out into the exercise yard a handful at a
time. Which wasn’t much initially, but you have remember, he was a banker. An
incrementalist. A man who understood the power of compound interest, the capacity to generate more and more
value over time through slow, unsexy, but consistent increments. In a way, he
was building his own body of work. Based on his daily practice of patience,
delayed gratification and continuity, his art was cutting enough rock to crawl
his way to redemption. Proving, that whatever tunnel to freedom you’re digging,
the smartest way to do it is one spoonful at a time. Think of it as
inconspicuous production. You distribute your effort into small, consistent,
doable chunks. And after many, many, many hours of incremental work, you find
yourself on the other side of the wall. It’s certainly not the sexiest or
easiest path to success. Especially
in a society that promotes and rewards indulgence and convenience. But one
thing’s for sure. There is no skill more underrated than the capacity for
delayed gratification. That’s what sets people free. That’s what makes it
possible for them to aspire to goals that others would disregard. Besides, patience
is a litmus test for vision. If it’s truly your dream, you’re willing to wait
for it. When was the last time you
contributed to your reserve of patience?
Paint yourself into an accountable
corner. Red explains
says that geology is the study of pressure and time. In prison, that’s all it
takes really. Pressure and time. That, and a big goddamn poster. The question,
then, is how can you create similar elements of pressure in your own work? Simple. Paint yourself into an
accountable corner. Find a way to increase your commitment by creating
unacceptable consequences of failing. At my yoga studio, we offer students a
monthly direct debit program. Meaning, regardless of how many times a week they
practice, the same amount is withdrawn from their account each month. That’s
pressure. The payment plan paints students into an accountable corner. Because
when they’re sitting at home, debating whether or not they should schlep their
lazy bones over to the studio, they remember that they’re paying for the yoga
no matter what. May as well get their money’s worth and get their bodies into
shape at the same time. The point is, sometimes you have to trick your own
brain. Damocles used a dangling sword of obligation to demonstrate the
precariousness of a king’s fortunes, and there’s no reason our work should be
any different. Whatever
it takes to create ambient pressure. Why is failing not an option for you?
There are no locks on the prison
doors. I once read
an article
about a real life prison break in which two inmates used photos of bikini clad
women to conceal their escape tunnels. Similar to the film, they used scrap
metal tools to remove cinderblocks from the wall and crushed them so the rocks
could be hidden in the cells. And as they worked, they strategically laid out
pillows and sheets to make it look like the men were asleep in their beds. Of
course, once the men escaped, the prison officially barred inmates from pinning
up pictures from magazines on their cell walls. This story inspires me. It
restores my faith in the ingenuity of the modern man. And it proves that
everyone, even convicted felons, can tap into their wells of creativity and
resourcefulness to achieve great things. Pharrell, the ultimate polymath, made
a great observation about this subject. In a compelling interview
about his creative process, he said that there’s a key for every door,
and if you can’t find it, you can make one. That’s the beauty of prison.
It’s the ultimate constraint. Inmates have no choice but to find their own
doors and make their own keys. Maybe we all need to be locked up for a little
while. What creative resources are right in front of
you?
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What did you learn from this movie clip?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For a copy of the list called, “11 Ways to Out Market the Competition,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.
Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.
Now booking for 2016-2017.
Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!
Subscribe
Daily updates straight to your inbox.
Bio
