Watch this clip. It’s okay to laugh (this is one of my favorite movies).  Listen to what Rip Torn says about fear.  Then think about what it means to ‘Defend Your Life’. 

A lot of the smart, talented people I know here in LA are asked to defend their lives. And by their lives, I mean the life they’ve chosen, the career path they’ve been bold enough to tackle, most often one in the arts. I know from personal experience, that ‘defending your life’ when you make the unorthodox choice to ‘follow your dream’ is HARD (especially when it’s in response to people you care about, ie. your family). But figure out how to do it.  WRITE YOUR CLOSING ARGUMENTS.  You need to articulate what your big dream is, why you pursue it, how you pursue it, the unique actions you take, why you are special, what are your attributes. Then be ready to produce exhibit A: your current body of work, exhibit B: plans for your future work. Then sum it all up in a powerful statement that reflects who you are and why you do what you do. And then be ready to argue it to anyone who asks, in a boardroom, on the street, at Christmas dinner. Why? Because then you won’t have to.  Once you’ve been forced to sit down with your own life’s choices and really identify the why and the how, and more importantly, been forced to confront your own fear of failure in the process, it won’t much matter who questions your choices.  Most of the people who do, do so out of their own fear and insecurity anyway.  

Life, in case you haven’t noticed today, is getting tougher.  I celebrate everyone who follows their creative and entrepreneurial dreams and who deviate from the safe path. We just need some extra supplies to survive the journey. Be a badass. Write your Closing Arguments.