I'm always watching the stars, their journeys are filled with inspiration we can all use.
John Travolta inspired creative courage a few weeks ago. This week, Kristin Wiig.
Kristin Wiig is easy to adore. Her creativity, unbridled goofiness, and imagination have given us some of the most memorable characters in Saturday Night Live’s TV history. She moved from improvisation with The Groundlings in L.A. to SNL. Then she wrote and starred in Bridesmaids and the doors just keep opening. I just saw her star in a more serious role in the film, Mars.
Alec Baldwin on his podcast, Here's The Thing, inquired about her next goal and she answered, “I don’t really like the word ‘goal’ because they are always changing.’” He responded with disbelief, “You don’t like having goals?’
She replied that maybe she might want to direct, or live in Paris and paint, but she didn't know. Once again, Alec took the opportunity to affectionately razz her by saying, “You’d last in Paris for about two months.”
I loved her response:
“Well, maybe ...
but then I'd have lived in Paris for two months.
How great would THAT be?”
Here's the goods:
1. It's ALREADY happening
Kristin is on the non-linear track of life and creativity. Moving in the direction of a creative goal is a good idea, but the art is in being open to what may present itself that's off the grid. When unexpected possibilities arise that feel intuitively right, the most creative thing to do is adjust plans even if it means going in a slightly different direction.
Having recently immersed myself in long-form improv, I learned an improv principle Kristin knows well: It's easier to "discover" what's possible as a scene unfolds based on what seems to be happening in the moment, versus "inventing" something that doesn't play-out as spontaneously. And it's more fun to do it this way than following a dry linear path. More fun = I persevere longer. Creative fulfillment is built on perseverance.
2. How Great is That?
This is what Kristin inferred: I may be in Paris for only two months, but so? Then I will have been in PARIS ... for TWO MONTHS!
If I go toward a goal and am attached to what I think defines it as successful, I set myself up for disappointment if it doesn't materialize exactly in that fashion. If I land somewhere I want to be and experience the essence of what I want even just for a little bit, hooray! Because newsflash: We are all here temporarily anyway.
At the end of the interview, Alec Baldwin admitted this to Kristin Wiig:
"But I love that you’re so blithe about it in a healthy way, where you’re like,
'I’m going to leave myself open,' because that’s artistry to me."
Two more ideas on how to become artists of being alive.
What is happening in your life right now that,
no matter how long it’s been happening,
or how big, grand, or successful it is,
you can still say:
“How great is THIS?”
**I've dubbed Kristen Wiig an official ambassador of Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching... because she's rolemodeling what we're teaching.
(c) Jill Badonsky 2015 www.kaizenmuse.com
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