Why reality can’t be trusted

By | July 13, 2011

In our world, there is much concern with reality.

Reality, in so many situations is concerned with being negative. We can often times accept negativity, the belief that something awful will happen. For many of us, the awful, the dreadful, seems highly more likely.

What if we have it completely wrong?

Is it possible that reality is simple one life event after another and we decide consistently whether or not something has meaning ? Nothing of greatness and life changing significance ever occurred because people decided to accept reality.

Reality as it changes moment to moment is not a good place to base what is possible .

When something wonderful has occurred, it is typically because someone or a group of dedicated someone’s decided that they were extremely unhappy with the current situation and decided to push against what was commonly accepted and demand for something more.

Think about it.

When black folk had enough of the foolishness that was discrimination, the civil rights movement picked up some serious steam. When gays had enough, they let the cops in the Village have it . The same thing happened with the suffrage movement and the women’s movement.

In an effort to create serious change, there is the belief that the current state of things is just that.

There is a belief that the real power lies in choice and the inordinate ability to see beyond what is popular and accepted. Part of the thing that occurs when we decide to move beyond the familiar is the lack of knowledge as to what we will create or what is needed.

We know we are trying something new and yet are unable to explain what the “new “ will entail .

This is not a problem.

It shouldn’t stop us and yet is does. Even in the midst of doing great things, things that we love and are passionate about , we often find ourselves clinging to “reality” in an effort to slow down our process and ensure that we won’t look bad should our endeavor be anything less than successful.

Let me cite a recent and very telling example.

I shot my first movie four days ago.

I wrote, produced, directed and cast a short film over the weekend. I have been talking about, planning for and going on about this for months. When the day arrived to shoot, the reality of what I brought to this situation hit me like a ton of bricks.

“I didn’t go to film school. I should have gone to NYU. I should have gone to USC/UCLA. I don’t know anything about directing. I should wait. People are depending on me blah, blah ,blah and on and on it went.

Here’s the reality : I did not go to NYU/USC/UCLA , in fact, I didn’t go to film school at all. I had not directed a film and yes people, the world was waiting on me and I had to deliver. What was I gonna do, reschedule ?

I jumped in and made it happen.

One thought on “Why reality can’t be trusted

  1. Al

    …And THAT’S why it happened ..because U MADE it happen!!! As always …such inspiring words, Anthony. Thanks!

    Reply

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