I’m sitting at home on a Friday night by myself as usual. My heart aches and itches for some excitement, to cash in on all my years of missing out on fun stuff. Unfortunately it’s not in the cards for me just yet. But I feel like I will be dealt a new hand soon.
You see, I suffer from major FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) when it comes to anything film/tv/Biz related. And as I’ve come to find out, it only gets worse the more people you know who work in the Business.
That is not to say I’m not thrilled at the success of others. Far from it! I just so badly want to be a part of it all. This year the Emmys were particularly hard. My Instagram feed was a collage of beautiful talented folks celebrating their mutual love for the creative. They bonded over this incredible thing of all being in something together, something bigger than all of them. It seemed thrilling, intoxicating, and just plain life affirming.
I often feel this type of FOMO, but rather than pity myself, which will amount to nothing but what I can only imagine is some sort of mental disorder, I do something about it. A little something I like to call “Productiv(P)ity.
The surge of emotions lights a fire under my ass so white-hot that I create my best work. All that energy building inside of you, all that determination, all those doubts and dreams, bottle them up and focus it like a laser towards something that will actually make a difference for you and your career. Real emotions equal authenticity. If you’re an actor find a monologue that encapsulates how you feel, pour your soul into it, and hit record. If you’re a writer, sit back and study your frame of mind. Use this to enhance your knowledge of the human condition. Then write the best goddamned script the world has ever known. The same can be applied to any other creative endeavor!
I know, I know, it sounds easier said than done. At times it can feel like you’re a starving pathetic vagabond looking through a window into an exquisite banquet. Just remember, glass can always be broken.