The Method to My Madness, Part Three: The Producing

I am finally back in the game…quite literally.

After taking several months off from performing consistent paid work, I’ve arrived at an antsy headspace that has driven me to find a full-time assignment to hang my professional hat on. I am, by trade and by nature, an entertainment producer. As I wrote in an earlier post, I derive a great deal of satisfaction from helping others achieve their creative goals. I think this is because I know how difficult it is to conceive of a viable idea, break it down into clear and actionable steps, then arrive at successful execution of that abstract vision with concrete results. I strive to do this all the time in my personal writing projects. But now I crave more.

 I am comfortable with this craving because I recently dedicated over a hundred hours to clarifying what that “more” needs to look like for me at this stage of my life. In January 2019, I enrolled in The Nth Degree Academy, a career coaching program developed and run by the amazing Tracy Timm. For eight weeks, I navigated a well-organized series of intense written exercises and participated in twice-weekly group phone check-ins designed to help me understand where I’ve been, where I am now, and what I aspire to in the future. One of the most fruitful parts of this process involved formulating a list of Core Values & Commitments related to my work, then distilling those down into this Professional Elevator Pitch:

I write, edit, and produce projects that entertain and educate. I do this by collaborating with lean creative teams: I love leading brainstorming sessions, matching the right person with the right task, and making plans for achieving the desired outcome, leaving others to execute based on their own strengths and talents. I read people and situations well, which allows me to foster consensus. I work best on a per project or contract basis because my energy and attention are cyclical. Exposure to new topics and ideas keeps me engaged; this means I like to work on a variety of projects at the same time. And I establish boundaries and define goals and responsibilities for my involvement up front so I meet everyone’s expectations, including my own.

I am thoroughly jazzed by my unique mission statement. And I am even more jazzed to say that, using it as a litmus test, I believe I’ve found the perfect next position in which to further my professional ambitions. I won’t be revealing the name of my new employer or providing particulars about the project I’ve been contracted to produce until the product launches. Suffice it to say, it’s a potentially game-changing app. And what I will offer up in lieu of details at this point is my immense gratitude to the many, many people who’ve assisted me in both my personal and professional explorations over the last few months. They have proven to be a cadre of exceptional individuals who’ve supported me materially and emotionally.

I know now that I will always write, but that I don’t want to place the pressure of having to pay my bills on my creative pursuits. Those need to be financially agnostic. And writing does not and cannot fulfill my every need. Producing rounds out my desire to serve someone or something beyond my muse. And with that, you have all the methods to my madness. Time to rocket to the Nth degree and beyond!