Permission slips are useful tools for overcoming creative block or supporting our decision making. They allow us to take action when our inner chatter might be getting in the way.
Here are a few of my personal favourite permission slips, I lean on them when I'm drawn into self doubt and they help me return to a grounded state.
- “Your feelings are valid” Whatever you are feeling: it is valid. It’s ok to feel bored or frustrated with your work, feelings come and go and aren’t indications of personal failure as a creator, take it as an indication you need a break and ask yourself: what would a softer way look like?
- “Done is better than good” - Liz Gilbert. Finish that thing! Share it with the world! Pursuing ‘good’ can really get in the way of the thing being done. This is your sign to finish and be okay with whatever state the finished thing is in.
- “Everyone’s going to die and no one will remember you, so do what the f*** you want”, yes this one is a bit nihilistic, but I think it gets to the heart of the matter - make choices for YOU that feel good in the moment, create for yourself, because at the (ultimate) end?of the day, what else do we have but the pleasure of being alive here and now?
- Fan fiction: there are people out there (who I am so grateful for) who commit entirely to writing fics, long long fics, based on their favourite franchises, they have not asked for permission to do this, they have written some stuff and put it out there on the internet and I think we can all take away a big permission slip from that
- “Boldness Regrets”, from Dan Pink: statistically we regret the actions we don’t take more than the actions we do, so do the thing!
What are your permission slips? Let me know in the comments ??
Senior Leader, Producer, Talent specialist, working across film, culture & strategy ??
2 年Its OK to be nice. Often misinterpreted as a weakness, but is in fact a superpower!