I'm not really referring to Virginia Woolf's 1927 masterpiece TO THE LIGHTHOUSE, where there's hardly any dialogue or action but plenty of psychological insight.
I'm talking about letting go of one of my most persistent fantasies, one that nearly every one of my clients shares in some version or another.
Mine involves living in a lighthouse on some rocky cliff in Nova Scotia, and -- except for thoughtful walks on the misty shores with my dog -- spending my entire existence concentrating exclusively on my own creative work.
Here's the thing: It's a beautiful, romantic fantasy but one I know will NEVER happen.
The harsh reality is that there will never be a time when I have an
Unlimited Free Creative Window Without Any Obligations.
And, for better or worse, no greater level of future success or money can create this scenario.
In fact, as my career rises, there are more and more calls and emails to agents, publicists, publishers, and producers than ever before.
(Truly, no one said it better than Notorious B.I.G. way back in 1997: "Mo Money, Mo Problems.")
More and more, as I work with my Creative Clients, I find I'm not alone in my fantasy of Uninterrupted, Vast Blocks of Creative Time.
We all fall in love with our creative inspirations and so we want to spend SERIOUS time with them. And yet what usually happens is that weeks, months, and then years pass without us ever being able to "find the time" to begin.
(Creatively, this seems analogous to the "when I'm 10 pounds skinnier" phenomenon where we can keep postponing really engaging in our lives until we hit some elusive goal.)
Last month, I made the suggestion to at least five different creative clients to abandon the quest entirely for those perfect four hour windows to work on their books and to simply write for 15 minutes a day.
Fifteen minutes a day over six months adds up to a lot more than six months of waiting for the perfect four hour window that never quite opens up for us.
MOVING FORWARD ...
To The Lighthouse is in three sections and ten years pass between each of them before, finally, the Ramsays leave the Isle of Skye for their dreamed-of visit to the lighthouse.
Please don't let 20 years pass before you set out towards your own Creative Dreams.
Find Your Magic Window and -- even if it's only open for 15 minutes a day -- start pursuing your Dreams NOW.
And, as always -- at least before I move to my own fantasy lighthouse in Nova Scotia -- I offer FIVE slots for
FREE creative consults each month to see if we're a match for working together.
Remember ...
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!"
-- Goethe (attributed)
