Making honest work
I really enjoyed last week’s interview with Andrew and Benji from Dionysian Artist Management. We talked a lot about their company ethos, “Honest work and true artistry will prevail over every trend and survive any transition.”
Since we chatted, I’ve thought about what it means to create honest work. A big overtone of my writing is seeking to find and learn more about people that have succeeded in the way that only they can. I want to understand the mindset that enabled them to generate self belief and trust in themselves, to deal with the inevitable moments of uncertainty and doubt, and to bring things into the world that otherwise would not exist without them.
In the age of the internet, there are endless “how to” videos and tweets, countless tips and frameworks, informational books to read, and podcasts on how someone got to be where they are today. Sometimes I feel like we can run into the trap of looking for the exact playbook of how someone else has done something so we know exactly what to do. Only then may we avoid the risk of failure! Make no mistake - I love being inspired by the creativity and knowledge of others. I love learning. I think there’s a lot to be gleaned from what’s worked and what hasn’t. And still, I can’t help but wonder, what might we do if we made choices from what we really want and not what we presently believe is possible based on someone else’s experience or expectation?
What happens if we stop looking for what we should do and instead ask: What feels deeply aligned with me?
I can see a shift in my clients when they say something that feels aligned. It’s the first time I hear an answer that feels like “I want to” and not “I should” or “This is what I think will make sense to other people” or “This is what I’d love to do but it’s impossible.” There’s a pause, a recognition, a shift in the energy where I can tell it came from a place that connected with them. Their shoulders untense, I see a smile, a relaxation of their being. They have gathered the courage to say outloud the thing that they really want to do with no constraints. They say it with no ifs, ands, or buts. They don’t know how it will happen or where it will lead. But they do know that it’s the thing that makes the most sense to them in the world. It requires no forcing. To me, this is the honest moment that leads to the honest work.
What does honest work look like? I can’t help but think of my friend, Charlotte. She writes the most beautiful weekly newsletter that covers her inner musings and the wisdom she is gleaning from her own lived experience. In her words, her newsletter is “Geared towards entertaining you on your train ride home, prompting an introspective conversation for your next dinner party, or giving you a journaling prompt to explore while sipping your Saturday morning coffee.” Her newsletter just feels like her.
There is a glow about these people who are creating honest work that reflects who they truly are. It has nothing to do with what they look like. Instead, the glow emanates from creating things that feel deeply aligned. There is an ease that comes from not pretending.
What’s your version of honest work? I don’t know what it will produce, how long it will take, or what you will find. It will be scary and uncomfortable and terrifying at times. But I feel confident that if you do it consistently with no end date in mind that you will find something meaningful. What if you got started right now?
