I read that the 20th Anniversary edition of the movie Say Anything has arrived. To celebrate, a bunch of people dressed up as Lloyd Dobler and gathered in Times Square. The fact that the movie came out 20 years ago makes me feel old, but like those folks in Time Square, I still adore Say Anything and Lloyd.
I’ve watched the movie dozens of times, and it is filled with great lines. Sometimes when I’m feeling a bit low, I ponder some of them. As an aside, if you actually haven’t seen the movie, get it from the library or Netflix and the context of the quotes (below) will make more sense. And if you hate the movie, go read a different article or eat some Bavarian Dutch style pretzels instead.
So the next time you are feeling down about your business or your writing, here are some words of wisdom from Lloyd.
"You must chill! You must chill!" Everyone needs someone to tell them to settle down sometimes. My husband gives me this type of support all the time. Tell that person often that you appreciate how he or she helps you.
"Why can’t you be in a good mood? How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood once in a while?" What you think about matters. Your thinking affects your actions, your day and your life. Every day is better if you are in a good mood.
"You used to be fun. You used to be warped and twisted and hilarious… and I mean that in the best way – I mean it as a compliment!" Never underestimate the value of laughter and fun. These basic joys are often underappreciated. Never be "too busy" to be silly and delight in sheer happiness.
"If you guys know so much about women, how come you’re here at like the Gas ‘n’ Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?" Think about where you get your advice. Many posers exist online and off who would like to sell you information. If they’ve never actually DONE the thing they are supposedly giving you advice about, run away. (Avoid having to later realize, "that was a mistake!")
"I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed." Be clear about what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. If writing is painful, accept it and find some other way to earn a living. Too many people do work they hate because they feel like it is "expected" of them. As the old saying goes, when you do something you love, it doesn’t feel like work.
"I am looking for a dare-to-be-great situation." Everyone has greatness within, but many people are still trying to find a way to tap into it. I know I am. Just because you haven’t found your dare-to-be-great situation, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Stay alert to opportunities. You may be at the precipice of something extraordinary.
(Diane) "Nobody thinks it will work, do they?" (Lloyd) "No. You just described every great success story." When you are feeling low, it can feel like the whole world is against you. Business, writing (and life) can be frustrating. It’s easy to fall prey to the naysayers. Trust your intuition and realize that down deep you truly do know the right things to do.
Your assault on the world begins now.
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