Imagine you’re on a movie set.
The director yells “action.” The actor delivers the line. The director yells “Cut.” The angle wasn’t quite right. Adjustments are made and they try again.
The director yells “action.” The actor delivers the line. This time he fumbles a phrase. The director yells “cut” and they try again.
The director yells “action.” The actor delivers the line. Again, the director yells “cut.” We’re getting a shadow. Let’s try again.
The director yells “action.” The actor delivers the line. “Cut, cut, cut.” The words were right, but there’s something missing. We need to feel it more. Let’s try again.
The director yells “action.” The actor delivers the line. The director yells “cut.” Not bad, this time. I think we can use this one, but let’s do a few more, just in case.
It can be exhausting, saying the same words again and again, expressing the same emotion again and again, striving for the same result again and again.
This is why Randall Wallace, screenwriter of Braveheart, said that the most exciting day of your life is your first day on a movie set, and the most boring day of your life is your second day on a movie set. Making movies is tedious work.
Is it worth it? Any actor would say, “Yes!”
Our lives are made up of one take after another, one attempt after another to do our job and meet our obligations and fulfill our purpose with excellence.
How many takes does it take to get it right?
It takes as many as it takes.
Sometimes it all comes together on the first try. And sometimes you have try again and again and again.
Others see only the end result. But we know what was left on the cutting room floor. We know it’s not always as easy as it looks.
Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Every day is a new day. A new take. A new chance to get it right, to deliver the performance of our lives. This day deserves the best you have to give.
Are you ready?
“Action.”
And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. (2 Thessalonians 3:13)
