Please don’t hoard your talent

Hello,

I have a new post and podcast up (click here to read/listen). Here’s a little note, though, just to you:

We are all scared and unsure, or at least that’s what the news tells us. I don’t know who you are or what you do or what you make of all this madness.

Every day, I wake up wondering where I am and what is happening, and it all feels so confusing. Doesn’t it?

And yet, there seems to be a voice inside me, wanting to say something.

I don’t know if you hear this voice, too, but it scares me. If I’m honest, this is the place from which my best decisions have been made—but it is always uncomfortable.

It is the tightening in my chest I felt in high school just before asking a girl on a date for the first time.

It is the swirling in my stomach as I am about on step onstage in front of an audience.

It is the feeling I feel right now, writing these words. If you hear this voice, it is my experience that you must respond, if you want any peace at all.

And I do.

Recently, I heard someone say it is enough to survive a crisis. After all, nobody needs you to paint the Mona Lisa this week. Which, I suppose, is true; but it doesn’t feel quite right to me. It doesn’t feel like all I have to offer now. And if you, too, feel like you have more to share, and the boredom and loneliness are getting to you, if you’re wondering what else you can do, well maybe start here:

Give your greatest gift away. Every day.

Give until it hurts. And keep giving until it feels good again.

Give like you mean it, like no one else can.

Give without expectation of anyone saying thanks, because maybe no one will.

Give because it’s right, because you’ll feel better when it’s done.

Give what you have, whenever you have it, as much as you can give it—now.

Give your gift when others need it, and when no one seems to need it at all, because that’s what you’re here to do, and what else is there?

Give.

Give.

Give.

Because it sure beats watching the news.

Need help figuring out what your gift is? Don’t worry. You don’t have to do it on your own. Last week, I hosted a digital meetup of creatives who want to share their work with the world and need help during this time of crisis. We had such a great time that many folks were asking for us to do it again.

So this Wednesday, we’re going to do just that.

Here are the details:

Time: Wednesday, March 25, at 12:00pm Central time. Length: About an hour (but we may stick around a little later to answer questions and chat some more). Format: Video conference call via Zoom (make sure you have a decent internet connection so you can stream video).

Come ready to share your thoughts and questions in the chat (you don’t have to be on video). Spaces are limited, so make sure you register here.

See you there!

Best,
Jeff

P.S. How are you doing with all this? What challenges and opportunities are you facing in light of the coronavirus crisis? I’d love to hear from you. Hit reply to let me know what’s going on.

P.P.S. Please register for the meetup tomorrow. I want to hear how you’re doing, what challenges and struggles you’re facing, and see how I can help.

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