Finding your way in the beginning
I’ve got some tools, now how do I start?
The beginning of any business venture is simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. But what is the best way to push through the fear and just start?
During my post-college job search I quickly became scared at the results I was getting. “You don’t have enough experience yet,” or, “Come back to us in a few years once you have a larger resume.” My favorite was, “You seem overqualified for this position.” All of these no’s would lead me down the initial path of self doubt, but then I remembered one of the best pieces of advice I learned at a lecture just a year earlier in school.
“Every no, is a yes somewhere else. Don’t look at it as a rejection, only redirection.”
Not only did those words give me comfort during the start of my journey, but continue to do so today.
When you’re just starting out in your film business, or any business, you will have to maintain a balance of optimism and realism. This is not to say that you should always be blindly optimistic, or on the extreme side of pessimism. A balance between the two does exist: healthy fear.
During your career, there will be times when your body is in fight, flight, or freeze mode. Occasionally you might respond in a way that you will look back on and regret. That is absolutely going to happen. The trick is learning how you react and how to treat yourself well when this occurs.
Learning how to manage your emotions in any industry or just day to day life will prepare you for all of the “no’s” and even the “yes’”.
There will be times when all you wanted was to sign a particular client, but they turned out to be demanding and unrealistic. Or you could think that the low paying gig you took would be worthless, but it helped you land five more jobs because they liked your work. The outcome will always be what you make of it.
So this begs the remaining question: I have my tools, now how do I start?
No matter what role you play in your industry, the first tool you can put in your toolbox is: grace.
Having grace for yourself and those around you will be the thing you thank yourself for the most. Not only is it crucial to start with, but it’s even more crucial to maintain. Grace gives you the ability to take the shit that comes your way, and turn it into a moment of learning.
You can apply all the things you learn along the way, it’s a matter of how you handle that pressure within yourself and the demands of the industry.
Take it from me - someone who has been hard on themselves from day one - the fall doesn’t hurt as much if you give yourself a nice cushion when you inevitably land flat on your face. It’s going to happen. It’s a matter of how you react.
Trust me, there will be plenty of opportunities, people, and money that come and go. But having grace will help you in the long game, and set you up for the success that will come your way.
I say all this to say: start, knowing that there will be bad days, and keep going. Because every rejection is a necessary redirection.
