Film Courage: It almost seems like the very nature of the question “Should I…Is there
something here?”
is not the question to be asking because it’s not driven internally, they’re looking for
external reward?
Jen Grisanti: Yes.
And that is where you have to look at What is the Desire?
Is the desire the big house and the parties and everything that you think is the glamorous
part of the job or is the desire that you are sending your message to the world and
making an impact in a positive way.
And I think writers have to move into that emotionally.
I think a lot of times they are on the outside and they are not ready for the internal desire
to really kick in.
And again, I think when life humbles you then the internal desire awakens and it becomes
more clear.
And then your writing improves.
Like I have seen writers who have been knocked down again and again and suddenly it’s a
certain point that just turns their world and really helps them own what they’re sending
out into the world.
And I think that is the greatest thing in the world when you see that happen.
And again, that is the life process happening mixed with professional process.
Film Courage: So finding meaning in the work rather than the accolades and the perception,
which could eventually lead to probably a lot of isolation and loneliness because you
have all of that but it doesn’t mean anything…
Jen Grisanti: And that is the key to everything.
I mean the key to everything is when I look at when the motivation is to leave a legacy
and the legacy is to empower the next generation in a strong way through communicating your
ups-and-downs and your lessons that you’ve learned in this life process.
Then the chances of, when you’re hitting it big and everything is there, of being fulfilling
are greater.
So I’ve seen both happen.
I’ve definitely seen that executive producer who thinks…
like I’m going to say many executive producers have been married three times or I mean married
and divorced and that is because they’re putting so much energy into the job and not
enough into life.
And I remember one executive producer who I asked this specific question who had all
that I talked about as far as the hit show, the new marriage.
Life was working and I asked the question “Are you happy?”
And the answer was “Happiness is such a loaded question.”
And it was so clear to me that the outcome didn’t match the expectations and so there
was more work to be done.
And I think there’s a value in that.
Like if you use that in your writing.
I think that this happens a lot.
That there are writers that hit these massive pinnacles and find that this isn’t happiness.
And that is why I think the internal work, it’s such an important part of the external
outcome.
Film Courage: I’ve heard the same in music and sports…
Jen Grisanti: Everything.
Everything in life.
What is your purpose?
What is your calling?
Are you in alignment with your internal desire and the external outcome?
Or are you limited?
Film Courage: Do you think it comes down to how much personal freedom they feel?
Whether it [rests] in their creativity?
Because if someone at that level has probably lost a lot of personal freedom in terms of
their schedule or even being able to go out if someone knows what they look like.
Jen Grisanti: Well and also in the writer’s journey you have to recognize a majority of
writers are not writing on the show that they want to be writing on, you know?
A majority of writers are taking jobs they need to take to pay the bills.
And that is just the way it is.
But the gift of that is that’s moving you forward to when you can write the show that
you create and produce.
So that is the show that you want to be writing on, you know?
So I think it’s keeping the end goal in mind and always using that to motivate your
path.
Film Courage: I use this expression a lot in our videos but you know, knowing what you
don’t want is sometimes more than half the battle.
Jen Grisanti: Yes.
And it’s information.
Like that’s what I always say, getting fired, going back to that.
What that tells us is it gives us information “Okay, I was going down a path and I thought
the actions I was taking were the right actions but something shifted or changed so now I
have to redefine a new path and really think about the internal desire versus the external
outcome, do they align?
And am I taking the right actions to hit the outcome I want?
Question for the Viewers: Are you happy with your writing career?