I just looked down at the clock, realizing that this is usually
the time I'm finished with this post and Editing it to put online. I
hadn't come up with an idea yet. I had been thinking about what to
write for a good 2 hours. Trying to think of a compelling topic,
something that will be interesting, edgy, and fun to read. I got
nothing. Perhaps too much taco bell last night. Perhaps I've run out
of creative gas. perhaps this is what people call writer's block.
nonetheless, this writing method is supposed to be the
unadulterated cure for writers block in any form. just writing. you
cant not be writing if you're writing. It sound strange, but its
really that simple. So here I am writing. I think that this simple
act is an enormous victory for anyone who has done it. For anyone who
has gone from not knowing what the hell to write, or to do, or how to
deal with life, and the timer starts, and you're writing. You're
making things. You're doing the opposite of what you were doing
literally a second before: wallowing in self-doubt and not creating.
It really is that simple.
I think as you go through life you realize more and more that the
first step is the hardest. However I've noticed that this seems
to only pertain to things you do often. I look up now and realize
that I've written 3 paragraphs already. I'm writing this quickly
because I've been practicing for almost a month now. This is very
similar to people who are lawyers, doctors, firemen, or whatever
other profession you have. The first time a fireman runs into a
burning building is the hardest, to be sure, but each time after that
the protocols he's learned become more second nature, he understands
whats safe and whats not, and he gets the people out more safely
every time. That's the nature of practice. The first step is always
the hardest.
However, as you get older, It seems that we forger that this rule
goes for EVERYTHING, not just the job we've chosen. In the past
month, I've started to teach myself Video Editing. I literally
know nothing about video editing. So how did i do it? well I started
by....starting. I found a super beginner class, I sat down with a cup
of coffee, and I followed along in Adobe Premiere Pro. I did that
every day for at least an hour or so. I kept learning more, and
making new videos for my you tube channel. I added animations, I
fixed sound levels, I made sure they were in high definition (do'h)
and people started to watch them more and more. I started to
get better and better at balancing sound levels, adding in cut bits
of film, ripple deleting, adding transitions, and all the basics of
video editing. How long did this take? according to the online course
I'm taking, it took about 3 hours of classes that I watched intently,
and maybe 15 hours of concentrated work on my own videos. 18 hours
total? lets round it up to 20.
My videos are by no means professional. They are sometimes a
little rough, and often the animations are intentionally silly to add
that "home made" feel. Its also a that I have the skill to
do currently. But I've learned a basic skill that I can transfer
anywhere in about 20 hours. If I want to learn more about it (which I
do) I'll just continue to take more classes on it and continue to
grow my knowledge. That first step was the hardest. I didn’t even
know how to get a video clip into premiere pro when i started. now
I'm compiling multiple reels together into full video presentations.
It's a great feeling to learn so much so fast. I challenge all of you
to try it.
There are always "top 5 tricks for learning something new"
or whatever else. There are no top 5 tricks. there are no top 3.
There is a top one. Start. whatever you've been putting off, think
about it. think about how good you'll feel when its done. Imagine the
finished product of having that project done, or that new concept
learned. Imagine how much fun it will be to learn about that new
skill, or how east it will be to finish that task you've been putting
off. Now get up and go do it. Don't be like me sulking around for 2
hours trying to think of what to write about, when instead I could
have just sat down and started writing.
Its funny how as you become more skilled in one thing or another
you decide that you couldn't possibly learn a new skill. I felt that
way about quite a few things lately. It was strange how I was just
sure that I could never learn to edit video. Now that I've started.
I'm sure that I could become very good at it if I decided to continue
to learn more about it. I'm convinced that I could learn just about
anything If I just started. not even if I "put my mind to it"
as we all like to say. But If i just started.
So that's my challenge for you today readers: Start today. Start
something new that you've never done before that you've always wanted
to try. I think for me today I will start to learn more about
computer programming for more in depth websites. I'll grab a
class (Lynda is great and offer the first month free!) off line and
watch the first few videos, and I'll probably be programming a really
nice basic web page from scratch by the afternoon. I can imagine
myself learning how to become proficient with programming, and making
websites for my friends on the side for extra money. I can imagine
continuing to learn these skills and using them for my own enjoyment,
and who knows? maybe even for the enjoyment of others. Its that
simple. Hopefully when you all come back to this page in a few weeks
you'll be directed to a much nicer, cleaner Web page for me
which you'll all enjoy much more.
What will you start today? Why not a blog? a workout? a new diet?
A new business? Maybe just clean our the garage you've been promising
yourself you would get to. These are all possible. Why not try out a
new sport, or try and learn how to program yourself! there are so
many possibilities. Don't let this blog post limit you. but tell us
all about it right below in the comments.
Until next time.
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