What Project To Work On? Using Metaphors To Help You Focus

I'm big on metaphors. Pictures over words. Not only because I'm a filmmaker but using metaphors is a much more effective way to communicate an idea than a bunch of words. This doesn't apply only to my filmmaking but also when it comes to self-communication. Through experience, it's proven much easier to guide me when using metaphors. Metaphors are cave paintings that have been with us much longer than spoken or written words.

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Like any creative person, my biggest agony has to do with the question 'What specific project' should I work on today? This is where a great deal of confusion can arise because life is a like a box of chocolates (metaphor) and it's easy to freeze up in indecisiveness because there are so many pieces/projects to choose from.

If I say to myself I only want to work on one project today and decide what project to work on, that is fine. But it doesn't penetrate deeply into the subconscious and later in the day I find myself working on anything else but the project I wanted to work on.

However, when I support this self-guidance with a metaphor - it dramatically increases my chances of success. When using a metaphor for self-guidance, it's very important to put it in a form of a question.

The metaphor I might use in this case: of wanting to focus on only one project on that day could be (in the form of a question): Do I want to dig one deep rabbit hole today or many shallow ones?

It's important NOT to answer the question. But to allow this metaphor to hover over your day. Notice how it can guide you towards working on one or few projects as suppose too many.

It's also important to find and even create a metaphor that works for you. And how can you know what metaphor works for you? You'll feel it in your body.