Realizing You Just Have To Do It.

Stacks of books on philosophy can help pass the day and make us feel better. A greater understanding of the world is a gift — wisdom of people who have “seen some shit” is something we should not ignore. Don’t, however, conflate it with actual accomplishment. Your broader understanding in theory is not the same as that in practice.

Examples being, when I graduated film school, I thought I knew about making movies. Years of accumulated book knowledge did not help me navigate the trenches of actual filmmaking. A month of hands-on experience virtually erased everything I’d tried so hard to absorb in my dorm room at night. Whatever I learned is not something I could express with words, not in any meaningful way. We can reiterate the big “beats” that the best-written advice books do, but it misses the biggest factor — how will you handle the situation?

Stacks of philosophy books are great and all, but I encourage you to check out a short clip that circulated the internet many years back. It came courtesy of a modern day thought-leader by the name of Shia Lebouf. He summed up everything in one simple phrase… something so simple, it’s hard to believe no one ever trademarked it - He said, and I quote: “Just Do It!” He screamed it, multiple times in case you missed it the first time. He said it with every muscle in his body tensed. Really, the way he said it was equally as important as what he said. It was the immediacy that struck at the core of the issue.

You need to do it, and stop waiting. Stop reading and rationalizing. Whatever it is, I promise the depth of it is not something you can articulate, nor will you want to when you find yourself swept up in it. Conversely, if you don’t do it, you’re going to feel like you’re in hell. You don’t have a choice in the matter.

I remember when a very famous musician friend of mine was giving me much the same pep-talk on the phone, while I stood outside of my job at Qdoba.

”I gotta go back in,” I told him.

”They can wait man, you’re on the phone with me.”

So I listened. He told me we needed to finish this project we were working. A project he would write the music for.

I promise you this is a true story.

This man has a Grammy now, and I worked at Qdoba. I should have moved Heaven and Earth to fucking do it.

”I believe in you.” He said. “You’re fucking talented dude.”

I did not believe him.

I can make excuses — I was broke, it was hard. I didn’t know what to do. Whatever.

I just checked instagram, because I’m petty like that, and low and behold he is no longer following my account.

Perhaps it was not the right time (I lie to myself in order to not feel like a bigger shit-stain). Perhaps now it is. Perhaps now is the PERFECT FUCKING TIME.

I used to look into the mirror and notice flaws in my own features — I still pick myself apart, though I’ve become more comfortable. Now my hair is beginning to thin and it occurs to me that any of the problems I thought were major, are quite insignificant compared to this very clear and unavoidable sign of aging. The wrinkles will come next. Then, the body will begin to break down. By that point the thinning hair will have seemed like a trivial memory.

In the end, all of the accrued wisdom and worries will be dumped from my brain as it shuts off. It will all have been a dream. For you, for me, for Shia and for Nike.

Any time before that is the perfect time.

Just do it!