Visualizing those who have ‘made it’

Written by Brendan O’Meara

Quick hit here. I’m having one of those weeks where it’s tough to get anything of merit accomplished. What better thing to do than BLOG about it!

What I like to do when I feel this sense of fear and procrastination is picture the artists I admire (writers, film makers, painters) working and realize that they got to the computer, the set, and the easel and did the work.

Bill Burr has a great line in the latest Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. When Burr did Letterman, Burr said:

Just having to take all of that anxiety and fear and put this over here for the next six minutes. I’m gonna walk out and I’m gonna get this crowd. These are pepole who were just at the fuckin’ M&M store. I can make these people laugh. I’m gonna block out that that icon is sitting over there and I can hear him laugh or not laugh at my shit.

That’s fear. Most artists feel it.

For me, picturing that I’m not alone in my fear is comforting. Any time you step out from the minor leagues is going to be harrowing. Everyone in the Show throws 90 MPH. There’s no let up in the Show. In high school you’ll get one kid who can pop it off at 80, but most throw in the 60s. There’s relief. When you “make it,” you’re facing lightning every day. That’s the nature of the Show.

This post is about fear and I’m procrastinating because of the heavy feeling that I’m in too deep and I haven’t reached my standard. There’s a tightness in the chest that comes with thinking of this stuff too much. The only thing you can do is lose yourself in the work. Don’t watch a movie (even if it’s for research). Don’t read a book (even if it’s for research). Do what it is that you’re supposed to be doing.

Drain the damn well.