I know, it's a very catchy title for my post. Julia Roberts and Elizabeth Gilbert are probably two of the most famous names from the field of arts. These two artists have risen to pinnacle of probably the two most toughest forms of human creativity; acting and writing. These two forms of art require large amounts of inspiration as well as perspiration from the person trying to pursue it. And interestingly the unemployment rate is highest in these fields. However there is a certain attraction that draws thousands of people to delve into their lives and bring out something new through acting and/or writing. (A trivia; Julia Roberts is starring in the lead role for a movie based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir called "Eat, Pray, Love"). Although there are lot of things to learn from these artists but they do form an epitome of a characteristic that has shaped their magnificent careers.
Julia Roberts
If you think of Julia Roberts you would probably think about the funny and cherubic looking prostitute from Pretty Woman! Or you would think about her innocent portrayal of an actress in Notting Hill. She further surprised us as the confident and a bit foul mouthed Erin Brockovich in movie of the same name. All these variegated performances have enthralled the audience with the confidence behind them. The confident yet humble Julia Roberts was the center of attraction in James Lipton's interview in Inside's an Actors' Studio. One of the student asked her about building up the confidence in this swim or sink world. She replied "Fake it initially!.....The easiest way to live with yourself in this big, scary world is to love yourself". If you love yourself you will forgive yourself, right?. You won't bury yourself within heaps of self-doubts, expectations and denials. Perhaps this is a lesson a lot of successful people have learned during their lifetime. Take for example a mentor or a coach, he or she always comforts you during the failures but simultaneously pushing you for the next level. May be "moving on" means the same, not to forget your past but forgive yourself for the past and work on the present.
Elizabeth Gilbert
She is the author of the memoir Eat, Pray, Love which has been turned into a movie by the same name. A few months back I watched her talk on TED about "Creativity". The theme of the talk dealt with creativity and how the creative minds have been a victim of their creativity. Before the renaissance creativity was considered as a divine inspiration which came in our minds for a short visit. It was upto us to grab it and produce it in a form that can be shared with others. But with dawn of modern age it was attributed to the human being. And this elusive form of inspiration soon became the bane for authors, musicians, engineers or other innovators who suffered from its' ephemerality. The words of Norman Mailer "Every one of my book has killed me a little more" sums up the overbearing nature of anxiety a writer suffers from. She anxiously adds that her greatest success is behind her already and if she doesn't create a protective construct between her and the expectations she would go down a dark alley. The "protective construct" she refers is the ability to forgive ourselves if something isn't working. The ability to nurture yourself through difficult times and developing the faith to push through them. The "I am not good enough" times would always be there but somehow if we can make them "No problem, I'll make it through" we will be much better off.
Sources:
Elizabeth Gilbert's website
Elizabeth Gilbert's talk on Creativity at TED 2009
So it's my job to write, good or bad it's for you to decide for you not for me! If I liked something I wrote it must be good because I liked it in the first place! So for all writers who are hesitating to create something new with words my message would be "stay confident and forgive yourself".
Julia Roberts
If you think of Julia Roberts you would probably think about the funny and cherubic looking prostitute from Pretty Woman! Or you would think about her innocent portrayal of an actress in Notting Hill. She further surprised us as the confident and a bit foul mouthed Erin Brockovich in movie of the same name. All these variegated performances have enthralled the audience with the confidence behind them. The confident yet humble Julia Roberts was the center of attraction in James Lipton's interview in Inside's an Actors' Studio. One of the student asked her about building up the confidence in this swim or sink world. She replied "Fake it initially!.....The easiest way to live with yourself in this big, scary world is to love yourself". If you love yourself you will forgive yourself, right?. You won't bury yourself within heaps of self-doubts, expectations and denials. Perhaps this is a lesson a lot of successful people have learned during their lifetime. Take for example a mentor or a coach, he or she always comforts you during the failures but simultaneously pushing you for the next level. May be "moving on" means the same, not to forget your past but forgive yourself for the past and work on the present.
Elizabeth Gilbert
She is the author of the memoir Eat, Pray, Love which has been turned into a movie by the same name. A few months back I watched her talk on TED about "Creativity". The theme of the talk dealt with creativity and how the creative minds have been a victim of their creativity. Before the renaissance creativity was considered as a divine inspiration which came in our minds for a short visit. It was upto us to grab it and produce it in a form that can be shared with others. But with dawn of modern age it was attributed to the human being. And this elusive form of inspiration soon became the bane for authors, musicians, engineers or other innovators who suffered from its' ephemerality. The words of Norman Mailer "Every one of my book has killed me a little more" sums up the overbearing nature of anxiety a writer suffers from. She anxiously adds that her greatest success is behind her already and if she doesn't create a protective construct between her and the expectations she would go down a dark alley. The "protective construct" she refers is the ability to forgive ourselves if something isn't working. The ability to nurture yourself through difficult times and developing the faith to push through them. The "I am not good enough" times would always be there but somehow if we can make them "No problem, I'll make it through" we will be much better off.
Sources:
Elizabeth Gilbert's website
Elizabeth Gilbert's talk on Creativity at TED 2009
So it's my job to write, good or bad it's for you to decide for you not for me! If I liked something I wrote it must be good because I liked it in the first place! So for all writers who are hesitating to create something new with words my message would be "stay confident and forgive yourself".
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