“Have you ever watched Inside the Actors Studio? The host, James Lipton, invariably asks his guests, “What factors make you decide to take a particular role?”
The actor always answers: “Because I’m afraid of it”
These words jumped at me as I read The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle by Steven Pressfield
Because there is so much I am afraid of…yet there is a lot of that which I have gone ahead and done- regardless, and without a plan B in place.
I would not always recommend the lack of Plan B.
Life isn’t a motivational poster – sometimes we need safety nets, especially when others depend on us or when failure could mean more than just a bruised ego.
But there are moments when having a Plan B can become a crutch, diluting our commitment to what really matters.
Sometimes there are few options and no defined Plan B’s…but something needs to be done or you stay at status quo.
Status quo…
What would staying there mean?
Days blending into each other, the same routines providing a false sense of security.
The quiet disappointment of wondering “what if?”.
Unwritten thoughts, the books unpublished, the stories untold – not because of failure, but because of the fear of trying.
Status quo is comfortable until it becomes suffocating.
The two roads Robert Frost spoke of in his well-loved poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ speaks of the road of status quo.
It’s the well-worn path that feels safe, but it slowly dims our spark, turning “maybe someday” into “I wish I had.”
While treading that well-worn path, we watch others take the leaps we dreamed of and feel a sense of longing to be on that high. It’s not an easy path either…so what do you choose?
How did I face the status quo?
- Took on assignments that excited my core but my mind said I had barely any time for them… found a way to complete them in time
- Said yes to writing scripts when I had never written one- went on to write twenty scripts and a few telefilms
- Left a job because the idea of going freelance again was too scary to be missed…been holding on to that despite some wild times
- Niched into writing books for business leaders, going the whole haul with them from concept to book despite knowing nothing of their niche… Managed to capture their voice & expertise
Looking back, I realize these weren’t completely blind leaps. Each time, I was building on something I already knew – core skills that could catch me if I stumbled.
Writing scripts was new, but I was already writing short stories for children.
Working with business leaders in unfamiliar territories was daunting, but I knew how to listen deep, capture voices and structure narratives.
Your knowledge might not be perfect
Your skills might not be that niche
But if it excites you, you will find a way to do it…
Because the opposite of scared is excited.
I teach this to many writers and not without reason- I have experimented on myself.
It’s true… if the thing you really want to do doesn’t seem scary… then you will be doing the same thing over and over again.
Every new thing is scary.
Sometimes, the scariest part isn’t the lack of a backup plan – it’s fully committing to Plan A.