Hey, and happy holidays!

If you've been struggling with your creative work, here's an idea that's made a huge difference for me lately. It has not only improved my creative output, but also in my general happiness and sense of satisfaction.

It's an idea I've become so infatuated with that I pasted it to my computer monitor to keep it top of mind.

THE INPUT IS THE DREAM

After working very hard on a few projects (basically grinding for 3 months straight), I finally started wrapping things up... and found myself feeling depressed.

I couldn't even tell why at first.

Eventually, I realized it was because the outcome of all those efforts was simply below my expectations.

I try to avoid results-based thinking, because if you're making films or doing any creative work just for the outcome (film festivals, awards, tons of views online, stacks of cash, fame!), then you are hurting yourself 3 ways:

1. It is hard to stay productive when you're only thinking of an end goal, because any goal worth striving for consists of so many small, tedious tasks, that they start to feel meaningless and trivial in comparison to what you actually want to achieve.

2. The quality of the work itself suffers when the result becomes the priority. To get in a flow state and give your creative work the detailed care it deserves, those details must become the only priority in that moment. When you must keep your head down working in the day-to-day, the end goal is a distraction.

3. Most important: The euphoria of achieving the end goal typically only lasts for a day or a moment. Is that one moment worth sacrificing all your time and energy for weeks or months? Wouldn't you rather enjoy your life during all the lead-up to that end result?

That's why it's healthier and more effective for creatives to remember that the joy in our work lies in DOING the work. Not in the external rewards it may lead to.

The greatest reward in filmmaking, writing, etc is the internal satisfaction that only comes from creating.

In other words, the act of being creative is the greatest reward.

So instead of focusing on the outcomes, I've turned my attention almost completely to my inputs (whether that's writing, editing, filming, etc).

Because the input is the dream.

If you have the luxury of being able to dedicate time and energy to a creative project, there's nothing more to strive for. You're already living the dream.

Not only does this attitude make it SO much easier to be grateful and enjoy my day-to-day life, but it makes me more excited to sit down and do the work, and way less concerned about what happens when the rest of the world sees it.

Because of that, I think I've been doing better work too.

So now my motto with goals is "Set it and forget it."

Once I know the goal, I'll figure out the inputs I can control that may take me there. Then I'll try to forget about the goal entirely, turning all my focus to those daily inputs. For example: Writing 500 words a day.

So if you enjoyed this read, you can thank the little note I stuck to my computer screen for these 500 words.

Shameless plugs:

• My new short film! (Datsuzoku)

I'm really proud of this one, and think many filmmakers will relate to the story. It may even be the best 5 minutes of your day 😉

• WRAPPED in 30 Days - Black Friday Sale!

Take $250 off my short film course! That's the lowest price it has been available since launch.

Here's what recent students are saying about WRAPPED in 30 Days:

This course game me a framework for my first short film, while filling in the blanks for things I never would have thought of on my own. The templates, documents, and live conversations were invaluable! I'm soon onto my second short film!

Enroll now! Be prepared to put in the work, but you won't regret it. The community is awesome and very supportive. You won't regret it! You'll find both inspiration and friendly support!

-Robert Mattson

I loved it! I came into this course as a recent film grad. I'd made a number of short films while in school, but this was my first film out of school, and while I had the technical knowhow, I didn't have the step by step experience of making a film that was not a collaborative project with my classmates. This course was the practical guide that perfectly complemented my film degree so I can be out there, in the real world, making stuff and practicing my skills and gaining valuable experience and building my portfolio.

-Eileen M.

If you want to join us in WRAPPED, act quick - thissale ends November 30th!

Let's make some movies.

-Kent