What Path Are You On?

Sarah and I on our way up to the top of Breast Hill

Isn't this is a question we should all ask ourselves?

When we all start, no one tells us that our paths sometimes become dead ends. Not every path is a one size fits all.

Our paths are similar to the picture above. At first, they start out wide. It's easy to follow. But soon the path narrows. Distractions abound. The end is often indistinguishable.

Recently I've been thinking about my own path. And where it's led me.

I wanted to jump from a comfortable office job back home to building a personal brand as a creator. That path scares the fuck out of me. Where am I at?

When I left the US, I knew the basic outline of this path. I started a blog called Persistent Action. I haven't done much writing in my life, but I read about 50 books a year and I'm drawn to good writing. After a couple of months and only a few blog posts, I discovered writing is far more than putting words on a page.

Writing reveals everything about you. Not known to pour my life story out at every chance, the path forward looked daunting. I stared at many blank pages. Maybe writing wasn't for me.

The plan never involved photos and video.

On my first day in Melbourne, three weeks before I started the blog, I met Pauli. I mentioned the resistance I had towards sharing. She persuaded me to start a 30-day challenge. Every day for 30 days, post one picture to Instagram. Regardless of what pictures I had, I needed to post. Some of those first images haunt my mind, but the challenge forced creativity and demanded action.

When I explored a modeling career for two days with YHA Australia, I discovered the power of video from cinematographer David Copithorne.

I started another 30-day challenge. Every day for the next 30 days, I would record a daily vlog. I hated the sound of my voice. I never thought I had enough interesting material. But I got over it. My challenge extended over 100 days!

For someone who's previously never thought of himself as creative, the 30-day challenges pushed me past the limits of my own thinking. More importantly, they forced me to not care about what other people thought. My struggles with vulnerability faded.

Unfortunately, music is an integral part of videos. When it comes to understanding music, I feel like someone who's taken a high school Spanish class and then flown to Mexico.

I enjoy the intimate nature of video and capturing motion, but the dread of choosing music always looms. I'll leave it to others.

Another obstacle has been my battle with perfectionism. Over time, I've learned I need to do before I read. If I start researching and comparing my self to others, I'm crushed by the overwhelming gap between where I am and where I want to be.

When I first start a project, I'm that oversized blown up birthday balloon threatening to lift small children off the ground. But soon the balloon starts to sit halfway between the floor and ceiling. It still has a pulse. A reminder of your ambition. Until weeks later, you see the balloon shriveled up, collecting dust in the corner. Another idea full of promise until faced with the road ahead.

Travel limited my access to internet. I created and posted, but without the comparison to others, I remained a big balloon.

It wasn't until I met Sarah on the Te Araroa trail that I learned the basics of photography. A crash course on manual settings, composition, and learning to see ensued. I saw the outline of sharing a story without sound.

For a long time, writing and photography took a back seat to video. I continued to write throughout, producing captions that pushed the character limits of Instagram. Until recently, when I realized writing should not be limited to a character length.

This winding path has led me to intertwine photography and writing into a story narrative. Over the past couple of months, I've worked hard to improve both facets. To shrink the gap between vision and output.

Have I convinced you I've figured out my path? Let me know and I'll send you next week's version!

But regardless of how my path unfolds, I feel back on track. I see the path forward.

What path are you on?