all time that is spent.

i tend to be involved in many things at one time. i’ve conditioned myself for years to multi-task.

but lately, i have craved simplicity.
not to be confused with drab or boring, of course.
just surreal simplicity.

i think it’s easy to learn that you can do many things at one time. especially when hanging out with everyone else in the multi-tasking universe of newyorkcity.

but i’m not eighteen anymore. and all the class votes for best all around don’t really count. and the winners were really forgotten before graduation, anyway.

so my question is this:

what
am
i
doing.

not to imply that everything i do is bad. or a waste. i enjoy everything that i do, really. and i am learning so much in each current experience.

and i believe that multi-tasking with direction can be so strong and effective.
but i have to constantly be careful to not let my personality haphazardly juggle my time.

–
my parents often ask a simple question.
they don’t pry. and they doesn’t assume.
they just ask. and let me process.

are you still learning up there, honeypot? with everything you are doing now, with all of your multiple plugs. will they lead you to where you want to be. 100cameras? the community center? paying rent and barely saving? and writing. what about your writing. are you making time to write?

i know you are living and experiencing, and you’re doing it well. we are proud of you. but think about where all that will direct you in your future. and make room in your life to share that direction with someone else.

–
to be blunt, this evokes pressure.
[necessary pressure, of course]

the theatrical side of me wants to claim a quarter-life-crisis and turn this song up and drive cross country. or drive myself right back to florida where i remember my multi-tasking self to be at it’s welcomed best. where my comfy roots didn’t have to grow and simplify into direction.

but then the peaceful side reminds me that this is okay. that it’s alright to be figuring all of this out while paying rent and barely saving. and i don’t have to do it alone either. i have great community here and there.

but i do have to make efforts. because this is my story. and these are my pages. and if i know what i want. and if i have been given clear direction for where i want to be headed, then i have to make efforts to put those ideas and passions into practice.

into purposed discipline.

and i’ve been thinking about what this will look like in the next few years. and it will require some narrow trimming of all my time that is spent in the meantime. and this realization is slowly evolving itself into feeling more free and more exciting. and i think it is patiently shaping itself out to be quite the fun-adventure-plan.

if i just keep reminding myself to keep it three things:

all action.
all discipline.
all simple.

–
ron dawson, a friend to 100cameras, recently wrote this honest reflection about how he spends his time vs how he knows he should spend his time. he is a brilliant and creative mind, and one of the best in his industry. and i appreciate his candid thoughts. check it,

For the past year and a half I have been going through what I call a transitional phase. On top of adjusting to a completely new life in Atlanta, we’ve worked hard to re-build our business from scratch, all the while starting a new photography business, Teen Identity. I also co-authored a book with my wife, spoke at over half a dozen seminars/conventions/expos, been on Film Fellas, the DV Show, ended one podcast, started another, and helped start a national movement. People are always commenting, “How do you do it Ron? Are there five of you?” No. Unfortunately, there are not. And it’s starting to take it’s toll.

I’ve been doing a lot of deep thinking about life, liberty, and the pursuit of dreams. One of my dreams has been to be a filmmaker. I’ve achieved that dream…to an extent. But the dream of dreams is to be the kind of filmmaker that makes films that change the world. Impact thousands, if not millions of lives. Those who follow my various social media and teaching venues know that since last summer I’ve been on a quest to return to my roots as a filmmaker. I’ve also had a strong desire to do more cause-driven and inspirational films, particularly for non-profits who often can’t afford our typical rates.

I also want to go on more date nights with my beautiful wife; have more energy when I play with my son; exercise more; eat better; go to the gym; take up ballroom dancing again; be more involved with my church; and I want to write and make films (MY films).

So, when I put all this together and take a long, hard look at my path, the words of Andy Stanley ring in my ears, “It’s your direction, not your intention, that determines your destination.”

Taking a Social Media Sabbatical

Again, if you know me, you probably did a large gasp as you read that sub-title. I am the poster-child for social media and networking. But it’s true. I’m making some hard choices in life right now with how I spend my time. I genuinely feel like God is saying, “Ron, I have something different in store for you, and right now, what you’re doing ain’t it. Trust me and let go.” So. I’m letting go.

I’ll be doing little to no tweeting Facebooking, blogging, podcasting, or even marketing in general. What I’m doing is a huge leap of faith…literally. I have no idea what God has in store. But you know what. If feels good.

We’re still taking client inquiries, but they will most likely be on a more selective basis. Send inquiries to service {at} daredreamer {dot} net. I’m not sure when I’ll return, or how it will look when/if I do. But if you subscribe to this blog, or follow me on Twitter, you’ll be one of the first to know.

I’ll most likely post any new videos to just to my Vimeo and/or YouTube channel, so check there if you want to keep updated on any new projects I post.

Until we meet again in the social media Facebook-Twitterverse, remember the words of Henry David Thoreau, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”

Or, as another “Andy” put it, “get busy dying, or get busy living.”

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