Robert Rodriguez on Creativity, Parenting, and the Power of Journaling

Robert Rodriguez on Creativity, Parenting, and the Power of Journaling

In this wide-ranging conversation, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez shares his philosophy on creativity, parenting, and documenting your life. Here are some of the key insights:

The Creative Process

Rodriguez emphasizes the importance of taking action rather than waiting for inspiration:

"Always take action. Don't wait to be inspired. Action first, inspiration second. Because if you wait to be inspired to make your short film, good luck. That ain't never coming. But if you just start making the film, ideas you never in a million years would have come up with come into your head."

He believes creativity comes from a higher source, and our job is simply to be a clear conduit:

"Get your ego out of the way and let it come through. Because you know when you're in a flow, you start writing and then it starts going and you can't even believe what's coming out. It's because creative spirit, in my theory, doesn't have hands. It's waiting for you to get off your ass and pick up the pen and then it can help take over."

Working with Your Kids

Rodriguez is a big proponent of involving your children in your work:

"If you have the opportunity to work with your kids, do it because it enriches your life. You are mentoring them, they're mentoring you because they're figuring out stuff that you never would have thought of. You're doing a project-based thing together that's impossible that you're all going to overcome together."

He sees it as a way to impart life lessons and build confidence:

"So little of what I was teaching them was filmmaking. It was all life lessons. How to take on this impossible challenge, two-man crew making a feature, and then seeing it through. I didn't know we were going to go to Cannes, I didn't predict any of that. I just wanted to finish the project. But you get blessed because of that."

The Power of Journaling

Rodriguez is a huge advocate for keeping a journal:

"Living is reliving. Because you know, you go to like a concert and people have their video cameras up and everybody says 'Put it away. Live in the moment.' Counterintuitive. I say the moment fleets. You're not going to even remember it tomorrow."

He believes journaling helps you appreciate and learn from your experiences:

"If your life is worth anything, write it down. Because then you'll be surprised how much of it is more valuable than you think. And that's and you're only going to know that by journaling."

Overcoming Self-Doubt

When asked if he has any doubts, Rodriguez says:

"No. Why? Because that's manifestation, isn't it? I have no human doubts because I know the process. You can't wait to be ready. You have to have the confidence to know that if you start, you'll figure it out as you go."

He encourages reframing doubts:

"You can have a doubt but you're not going to live and breathe by that. You're going to push past it really quickly because you should have fear. You should have some fear going into something. I call it fear forward. Fear forward. Like have the fear but don't let it stop you. Just go forward knowing you're doing something that's outside of your comfort zone and you're going to reap great benefits."

The Power of Labels

Rodriguez discusses how the labels we give ourselves shape our actions:

"The words we use are really strong. You're always going to be aspiring. You're never going to get there. If you call yourself somebody who's on the journey, say you're a filmmaker. Make a card that says filmmaker, director, cinematographer, editor. Then what do you have to do? Just like the label, you have to conform to your identity. You have to go do that stuff now."

He applied this to his own fitness:

"I went from being 'hate sport.' Of course I hate working out. What do I say to myself all the time? I hate sports, I hate working out, I hate exercise. I love food. I have to change my identity. You know what I said? I'm an athlete. I'm an athlete. By the next day everything changed. What does an athlete do? Loves to work out. Makes time to work out."

Brass Knuckle Films

Rodriguez discusses his new venture, Brass Knuckle Films:

"We're making a slate of action films. It's called Brass Knuckle Films. Just action. Because action, there's an international appetite always. In fact if we were to ask Netflix right now what they need, they would say action, action, action. We don't have enough action."

He's involving fans as investors:

"For the cost of a badge, you can invest into my Brass Knuckle Films for a slate of films. That means you got four bites of the apple. One of those is going to make money and sequels and you share in all that because you're at the ground floor of development. And that's the revolution that we're doing."

Rodriguez sees this as a way to democratize filmmaking:

"It's part of my whole democratizing the process, making it, removing the smoke and mirrors and letting us all enjoy that process together."

Through his insights on creativity, parenting, and personal growth, Rodriguez offers an inspiring vision for living a more fulfilling and creative life. His emphasis on taking action, involving family, and documenting experiences provides a roadmap for anyone looking to tap into their creative potential and make a lasting impact.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbPEvPERqpE