Learning Something For A Different Purpose

Have you ever done something to prepare for an event, a situation, etc.? Of course, everyone has.

Now, did that prep only benefit that single event? Probably not.

Let's look at an example or two...

Your class reunion is coming up. Three months before it happens, you get a gym membership, start hitting the treadmill, pumping iron, getting buff. The reunion rolls around and you look awesome! But was there also another benefit besides asthetics? Absolutely!

If you've read "After This...", you may remember tales of my workouts at college before the crash that took my sight. I was truly at the best physical shape I'd ever been in. Bench pressing 350 lbs., eating healthy, tons of strength training-literally. Why was I doing this? Again, asthetics. There were way too many hotties around campus to be as heavy as I was. I wanted to drop the weight and get fit so I could attract the attention of said hotties.

But was there a higher purpose for my working out? That depends on how much you believe in a force that is greater than mere humanity. One physician in the E.R. told my parents, "Your son is strong as a bull and he's going to be okay." Was I strong as a bull? Yes. And why? B/C I wanted to get me some chicks...but that desire ultimately saved my life.

Flash forward to present day:

Last night, we burned the midnight oil working on a new project. Not sayying too much about this until it comes to fruition, but think short film.

Several years ago, my wife, Marvelyne, was going through some tough times. She wanted to create more positive, creative energy in her life, have good connections and work on something she loves. So, she joined a screenwriter's group. They studied the different ways scripts for screenplays are written, the various formats, dialogue, wrapping up character development into a short time span, etc. In the back of her mind, she's had an idea for a screenplay for years. In addition to the creativity generated by the group, Marvelyne also wanted to see her idea become a reality.

Well, we spent all day yesterday cranking through the script of a short screenplay we hope to get produced in the next couple months. And why could we do this task in a single day? B/c Marvelyne's knowledge of how to do a script.

All those meetings in the bookstore with other screenwriters, all the research of watching movies to see how they're structured, all the hours spent in collaboration on different screenplay projects-those were what made this project move so smoothly.

When you're preparing for something, keep in mind there may be benefits you aren't even thinking about!