I watched the PBS special last week called Being Mike Nichols. It was great to hear the stories again and new takes on the stories. Having been a student of Mike’s, and that he taught in stories – the most amazing stories – I love listening to him tell his experiences. And what experiences!
The thing he said that knocked me out was when he was talking about those moments in the creative process, “One minute you don’t know… and then the next minute you suddenly get it. And that’s is, as we all know, the great thrill. That’s why we’re here. Because there’s nothing else like it.”
He is so right. How we hunger for those moments.
Our business is a creative process. How are we predisposed for having those most amazing moments Mike speaks of?
First, I found that I had to be OK with Not Knowing. I didn’t need to know everything all the time. Taking the time to not know, I got to the point of being OK with that time of not knowing. It’s a critical step in the creative process.
Then, I find that being with people who jazz me is key. Those great spirits whose focus and energy you just want to work with them toward the same purpose. It’s about being on the right team to collaborate.
Then, it’s being present. It’s being in the space, my awareness of being in the space, allowing the time for the awareness of the space, you in the space and the others in the space. Be Present. Out of that, insights, intelligence and intuition flows.
It is a great gift to our process to allow the space and time to not know – and then the space and time to suddenly get it. Those moments of sheer madness and then, grace – is what we live for. This is possible if you are willing to take yourself to a different space.
These moments drive charisma which I’ve heard defined by:
Charisma is making the shift from the intent to know to the intent to learn.
The distinction between the intent to know and the intent to learn is the intent to know comes from the part of me that wants to know what to do and how to do it “right” in order to have control over getting attention or approval.
The intent to learn means that I don’t have to know what to do. I only need to open to and to trust my instinct and intuition to be directed.
So buy your ticket to thrilling. Must be present to win.
