This is the Thirty-sixth article in a permanent column for Stroud Arts that appears in the Stroud American. The mission of these articles is to inform, educate and inspire you, the reader, to Make Art Happen in your life and the life of our community.
Everybody has a ‘That Thing You Were Going To Do’ or ‘TTYWGTD’ for those that prefer Initialisms.
The TTYWGTD is highly specialized, individualized and totally subjective in importance to the individual. A TTYWGTD to one person might be something inconsequential to another.
For example, and not to stereotype; A husband might have a rusted 1957 Chevy Truck that only needs an engine, hood, doors, tires, windshield and frame alignment that has been in the shed for Seven Years as his TTYWGTD. While his wife might have a collection of cloth scraps that have overwhelmed the spare bedroom while awaiting the day they become a plethora of Tablecloths, Doilies, Dresses, Curtains, etc. etc. etc. as her TTYWGTD.
To each, the others TTYWGTD is an unappreciated waste of space that will never get done, while their own is a ‘Passion Project’ that they will do one-of-these-days.
They are correct in that they do not appreciate the other’s project and sadly, yes, the other’s (and their) project will probably never get done.
There is a simple reason the TTYWGTD project will never be finished and it is… Time. Not that they do not have enough time to execute it, but that there is no timeframe or time limit for the project to be completed. There is no deadline.
This is where art performance projects and especially live theatre, shines as a TTYWGTD. From the moment a show is selected and the date of performances set, there is a growing sense of accomplishment and occasional frustration as all components of the production must be completed for the play to be a success.
Most plays set a Sixweek schedule for their productions. In this timeframe, sets must be built, lights must be focused, sound must be selected and or recorded, costumes must be built or found, properties must be constructed or found and Actors must learn their lines, learn their blocking and discover their characters’ motivation. The Director is responsible for making sure all of the above is conceptualized and created. If it did or did not happen on Stage, look to the Director. The Director is the overall creator of the project and is ultimately responsible for the presentation that the audience views.
They are the one that must push for all components to be ready when the deadline arrives.
For you, the reader, you are the Director of your own project. Your own ‘That Thing You Were Going To Do.’ You are the one that selects the project, finds the materials you will need to complete the project and most importantly, you are the one that sets the deadline. That is where so many of us stumble.
Finding a project we want to accomplish and gathering the items or skills needed is the easy part. The hardest is setting a deadline.
Yet, why is that? Because with a deadline, we become accountable. To ourselves if no one else and that accountability creates fear. Fear of failure. However, without a deadline, the project will continue to rust in the garage or gather dust in the rear bedroom.
If you want to be successful and complete your project, you must face your fear, set a date for project completion and begin! If you think TTYWGTD is too difficult to accomplish, just remember that nothing happens until someone takes action.
After all, Stroud Arts makes over Twenty Art Projects happen in a year.
You can make your TTYWGTD happen!