Respect the Process

My college band director would always say this phrase to us, “Respect the Process.” On our rough practice days, he would say, “Respect the Process.” When he made a big change to a portion of our show after we had already learned it one way, he would still say “Respect the Process.” I’ve always appreciated these words and have developed a new understanding of what this phrase means as I’ve recently (relatively recently) decided to embark on a new journey in life- acting!

What does a respect for the process do? It helps us appreciate the outcome that much more. It ensures that we actually learn meaningful and valuable lessons that we will need in order to finish the process and/or to elevate and reach higher heights. Through this, we can also potentially repave and smooth out the road that will help others who are to come after us. That's where the generosity comes in. The things we do should be done in such a way that others can be positively impacted, motivated, or inspired.

In order to respect the process, we must learn the process. This takes research. We should make ourselves aware of how others got there. What steps did they take? What challenges did they have to overcome? What advice or tips do they give to folks coming after them? We can’t respect something that we don’t know.

Knowing the process will also help us remain peaceful and at peace throughout the process. We for one, know that it won’t be an issue-free process. We’ve learned what others have experienced on their journey so we can anticipate potential mishaps that will arise for us. Sure, there may be unexpected things come up, but we learn from what those others folks experienced. Success isn’t easy, and knowing and understanding this allows us to remain at peace, so it’s all good.

Especially as creatives, learning has to be the fun part of the process. We learn from the good and the bad all the same. We learn from quality planning and we learn from unanticipated mishaps. In the world of creativity, nothing is finite. While there are some principles and rules that can be followed, we need to be able to have fun in learning new and old things, and sometimes this learning happens on the spot, on the go, or even by accident. If we are committed to staying a student in whatever we are doing, we won’t miss out on those extra teaching moments.

When we enter into something new, things are different, things can seem strange. Despite this, fear has no place. We cannot fear the process. One reason to be courageous and not fearful is because we have the understanding that someone has already gone through the very process that we are currently in. That’s encouraging. If knowing that someone has already done it before you discourages you instead of gives you hope to keep going, then reconsider your rationale for doing what you’re trying to accomplish. The way has been made. Of course, we’ll personalize it and add our own flairs to it, but it’s been done before and it’s been done well many a-time. That’s a good thing!

When we understand that what we’re doing is a process and often times processes can be long, drawn out, and sometimes extremely unclear, we can be encouraged. A definition of process says a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. Every process has an end. A particular end. That’s the reason for us to remain positive while in the process. When we are positive, we tend to be more grateful for everything that comes our way throughout the process. We are able to see the best in everything and we know that we’re working towards a great end. Even when the hardships come and things may not go exactly as we planned them, if we are positive, we can still see the good in the seemingly bad and be able to use it to our benefit.

Dream Big. Do Your Research. Be Open. Always Be Ready to Learn. Stick With It. Be Great!