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Why write about the act of doing? Because it is the MOST difficult and possibly the only thing to concentrate on in order to begin the journey.

"The more you fail, the more you succeed. It is only when everything is lost and - instead of giving up - you go on, that you experience the momentary prospect of some slight progress. Suddenly you have the feeling - be it an illusion or not - that something new has opened up." By Alberto Giacommetti

For most of us, to begin doing something tends to be an act to get somewhere. When some degree of success (by whatever measure deemed valuable by us) is attained, most of us stay there. The greater that success is, the greater will be the tendency to want to stay in the comfort zone created by it. Yet reality has it that there IS value in working until that success is lost and then persist on with the work. That is when the serendipitous process can take place and if we are fortunate enough, we get to catch a glimpse of what is NEW!

(Side tracking: For those of you puzzled by Michael Jordan's return, allow me to say that he is doing the process).

However there is more to the doing -- we have to do (or more appropriately -- pursue) it as part of an integrated whole, do it with total commitment and with uncompromising sincerity. It is not about the time spent on doing it, not the effort nor the emotional attachment nor the well abused term -- professionalism. It is all about BEING HERE, when doing it.

Most of us are likely to experience this all the time:

"I should do this. I want to do this. But there are these other things to take care of."

"I want this, hence I should do this and then this and then that."

"I am doing it because this is the defines of the job; and I am a professional."

"The potential employer is looking for this skill set."

When we are in school teaching or studying or in life working with others, it is not uncommon for us to learn (or take lesson) because we believe it is going to teach us a certain 'skill' that will allow us do part of something we wanted to do. It is suppose to get us somewhere. So what's the big deal about getting there?

We learn base on the criteria set by teachers and perform to get to that 'A' standard if we can. What it is suppose to mean is that we are OK/Good/Qualified by that measure.

While this utilitarian approach seems 'perfectly' logical and effective in modern economy, it is a plastic reality that IS the very obstacle that prevents an artist (or an individual) from getting a glimpse of what 'quality' could be. By being 'professional' to those industrial requirements, we operate within a zone qualified as being quality to that measure. Such is a standard that is a minification of what could really be so that it can be mass produced. It is a process that eliminates the need for the person to 'be here' when at work. No, it does not mean that one cannot 'be here' when working on it, it merely says 'you don't have to'.

Now this is a BIG issue for those of us who want to push the limit of what we can do isn't it? We want to be creative and do good work don't we.

The only way to catch a glimpse of what could be (the 'higher form'), to experience that transcendental ecstatic moment, is to commit 100%; be very sincere to our doing. Any thing less will leave us outside the door. It is not about satisfying a defined requirement or to be able to deliver a particular product, it is all about the process. The former mentioned will be taken care of by involving in the process itself!

For example, when taking acting lessons to understand more about acting in order to do better character animation, the only way to really UNDERSTAND acting is to do it like (any great actor) our life depends on it. Anything less would result in (us) faking it, being kept out of a possible understanding. The understanding can only come out of doing, and doing it as IT SHOULD be done.

The task is (usually) not necessary the task as defined by the teacher/employer/leader. The 'real' task is what needs to be done iregardless of how others defined it. It is the task that is the key to that deeper truth that is only available through doing it with 100% sincerity. It is about being true to ourselves.

When doing the task, there is NO such thing as later. Whatever that is the 'later' is going to be changed by the NOW. Hence "It's ALL RIGHT NOW"

Simple but heck of a difficult to 'be here'.

(MORE ..... SOON)