Many years ago I made the decision to scale back on my spending. It was a decision born out of necessity. I had grown too comfortable and I needed a drastic change.
Once I decided to make that change, every decision thereafter was based on how much it would cost me and if I was willing to pay for it. So I quit my retail therapy sessions cold turkey. My cherished vacations ground to a halt. Impulse buys at Target became a thing of the past. I passed on a lot of socializing, too, in hopes of saving even the smallest amount on dinner or drinks or clothing.
It was a pretty lonely time for me. But the quiet afforded me time for some much needed soul-searching. I learned a lot about myself and the worlds I’d been living in. Scaling back — at that pivotal moment in my life — changed me.
I learned that what I think I need and what I actually need are two very different things. I can get by on SO much less. That, my friends, is freedom.
Since then, I’ve applied those lessons in personal finance to my filmmaking efforts. I’ve still got a lot to learn, mind you. But what I have found — at this early stage in my career — is that you don’t need a lot to make a film.
Some films are made on borrowed cameras. Others are made on iPhones. Not all of them are big budget productions. Feel me?
If you find yourself sitting at home, dreaming about becoming a filmmaker like I did eons ago, stop dreaming. Get up and go make a film. It’s that simple.
Working on a zero-dollar budget makes you wildly creative. It forces you to figure out how to make something happen. It gives you courage to knock again on those doors that keep closing.
That makes you hungry. And that hunger for making your dreams come true can’t be taught. It is better to experience it.
Today I found myself thinking about these things. I’ll continue exploring them here. Stay tuned, if you wish.
To be continued…