Maybe this is why you can’t get started
Oh, hi friends!
Are you trying to do something you’re not right now?
I don’t mean like learning a new skill or trying to switch careers, but rather…
Is whatever you’re trying to work on — creatively, professionally, personally, etc. — at odds with your daily life?
Here’s an example: I’ve been writing songs for this Marvelous Mrs. Maisel musical for my workshop. But sometime in the fall I realized…I don’t feel very funny right now. I’m not making many jokes during the day. I’m not writing ha-ha emails or listening to comedy albums or watching stand-up specials.
Yet when I kept sitting down to write lyrics, my brain was screaming, MAKE ‘EM LAUGH, YOU IDIOT.
But how could I ask myself to turn on the funny when I didn’t feel funny?
That's a lot of pressure.
The same thing can happen for any type of project.
Maybe you want to find a new job, but all the jobs you’re seeing are reflections of your current job…which you don’t like. So how could these new jobs possibly entice you?
Maybe you want to write songs again, but for some reason you’ve stopped listening to music. How can you create something when you’re not being reminded why you love it?
Or maybe you want to write a short story or a novel or longform pieces, but your day is eight hours of email-tweet-text and switching your brain to crafting beautiful undulating sentences that you’re not seeing in your everyday life…is really really hard.
It’s hard to get inspired when you’re not being surrounded by examples of what you want to move toward.
As I see it, there are two options:
You can adapt your project to reflect your current life.
Or you can adapt your life to reflect your future project.
Become immersed in what you want to be doing.
And maybe that’s when inspiration will strike.
“I try to make it so all my characters, even if they’re just on for two seconds, they want something. They’re trying to get something. In some cases, we’re going to see if they got it. In others, we won’t. But they all want something. They’re specific, real people.”
You know I love some Stephen Adly Guirgis. Here’s how he writes some of the best dialogue in American theater.
My friend, former coworker, and all-around great guy Michael Lowe works at Clari in Sunnyvale, California and they’re looking to hire a superstar Content Marketing Manager to help execute their content strategy. He’s specifically looking for a stellar storyteller, who can break down a good story into social posts, email copy, community posts, and the like. This role will be a content marketing Swiss Army knife working on SEO content, social media management, customer stories, ebooks, videos and more! Equal parts creative and execution.
Here’s the gig on LinkedIn and on Clari’s site.
Background on Clari: They use AI and machine learning to make sales, marketing, and customer success teams more connected, efficient, and predictable. And they just raised $60 million (!) in their Series D funding round. They were also named Inc. Best Company to Work For. Whaat! (I don’t mess around, you guys.) If you’re interested, message Michael on LinkedIn or send him an email michael@clari.com and tell him Brass Ring sent you. Go get it, friends!
PS — If you’re new here, hi! I’m Kara Cutruzzula — I’m a writer in New York and I send this newsletter every weekday around 7:30 am ET.
Brass Ring Daily exists to encourage you with your creative, personal, and professional projects, and anything else that’s important to you right now.
Reply anytime if you feel moved to do so; I love making new "newsletter friends."
Do you like these daily emails? Please share with a friend!
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Love, Kara