The Lie of Baby Steps

The habit started slowly, like most do.

The boss had a request, I had* a desperate thirst to please people.

*My more cynical friends would question the past tense, but that’s another topic*

I learned a little bit about video production — something called “Kinetic Typography.” This would help me achieve a quick solution to our problem.

“And then I’ll get back to what I’m really doing. I’m not a video guy.”

The next week it was making a ball bounce across the screen.

“I’m not the video guy.”

Months went by. I picked up little tools here and there — text animation. Music manipulation. Ripple Deletes. Keyframes.

All along I said:

“I’m not the video guy.”

Then one day, it happened. I remember setting my Ninja Turtles mug back on the corner of my grey cubicle desk when it happened. Headset smothering my ears, I couldn’t NOT hear it.

“Yeah, and on the call from Franklin, TN is Todd. Todd is our video guy.”

The next week, I texted on of my friends who has been in video production for years. He has worked with HGTV, ESPN, and several country music stars.

Me: Hey man. I need to learn from you. I’m now a video guy at work.

Garrett: Sounds great! When can you come to the house?

Whenever you are moving slowly it is because you are afraid.

Afraid of failure. Afraid of being bad. Afraid of a new identity.

Here’s the tragedy (or salvation): creative people were not designed to move slowly. You are not designed to hesitate or hedge or hold back.

You will fail. You will be bad. You will become new.

I wanted to explore video. But I was too comfortable with my currently identity. My addiction to who I was nearly kept me from Becoming.

Embrace the work you want to do, the lives you want to touch, the skill you want to master, the change you want to make. Envelop the feeling wholeheartedly. Equip yourself with the tools to Become.

And then run forwards.

And then don’t stop.

Much love,

— TB