Natural Freedom

Everyone says that you should be 'authentic', but what do they really mean by this? luckily, I've got the perfect anecdote so you get it crystal clear:

In 1953, Jack Lemmon arrived in Hollywood to make his first film, "It Should Happen To You", along Judy Holliday.

During one of the rehearsals, director George Cukor cut Lemmon in the middle of a scene and told him: "Jack, do less"

Lemmon understood that he was overacting, apologized, and proceeded to repeat the rehearsal. But he was promptly cut short by Cukor.

"Do less", the director said again.

The young actor obliged and repeated the scene again, only to be cut short again and receive, almost expectedly, the two words to tone himself down even more.

Legend says that this happened a number of times until Lemmon got exasperated and almost shouted at Cukor:

"Mr. Cukor, if I do less than this, I'd be doing nothing"

Cukor smiled broadly and replied, "Now you get it, Jack!"

Now, you know some this kind of anecdotes change from mouth to mouth. In some of them, Lemmon says "I won't be acting at all", which is also adequate for our purposes.

And that's the trick with authenticity. You should not be able to do anything at all. Just do. And it's puzzling (but I love Zen puzzles, so bear with me). It's like marble sculpting.

To get to the essence, the marble sculptor takes away everything that is NOT the final masterpiece.

It's like the Pietá was always inside that huge slab of marble; all Michelangelo did was take away what was NOT the Pietá.

Sounds painstakingly difficult, right? well, it is LOL

I'm going to tell you something about me. I liked to collect titles. Awards. Accolades. Diplomas. I was a LinkedIn freak on steroids.

This was like 20 years ago. I was trying to build the 'me', adding stuff. And not going to lie, this was through some serious studying and learning, and all that knowledge has not gone to waste.

But the titles, the labels, all that stuff?

Pretty much useless.

I got to a point where I needed to 'slim down' to what was the essence of ME.

And you don't need to be over 40 to do this. This is something that we should teach our children to understand from a very young age. That their true essence is and always will be WITHIN, no need to look for it elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong... we have to DO, and a lot. It's grueling work. But it helps if we got our bearings correct: if the effort is focused inwards and not outwards.

Labels, titles, are nice as badges of courage.

But what did you find about YOURSELF in the process?

How closer did you get to know the essence of YOU?

Funny thing is, nowadays I work even more than ever. I used to need three days to make a video, now I can make TWO videos in just six hours... and I know I can do even better than that!

What's pleasing is that my work is aimed inwards. Playing into my own strengths, skills, values. My love of communication.

"Do less", has to do with doing less of what it's outside of YOU.

Even crazier is that the more you focus inwards... the more people you will help in the process. Because in discovering yourself and sharing your insights, you'll attract people with similar stories, similar character, similar interests.

So, keep in mind those powerful words: "Do Less".

Ponder upon them. The answer won't come fast, but it will come.

I promise.

Much Love and Bliss,

Jesús.

The Body Language Guy.