Supporting Each Other's Dreams

Three years ago, we released the Trailer for our documentary film Legends of the Knight. On that day, an article I wrote about the journey was posted.

READ IT HERE.

I wrote this BEFORE the Trailer went viral on YouTube. Before the project was covered by USA Today. Before I imagined a plan for screening it in 100 cities to support charities. Before I had any idea the finished film would be on Netflix, Hulu, & iTunes. I wrote this from a place of FAITH.

If you are struggling to bring something new into the world, this article is for YOU.

The most important part is the ending...
"One of the greatest gifts we can give is supporting each other’s dreams. In this moment, please hear me say this to you: Your dream is good. The world needs it. You can make it real. Don’t finish the journey with your dream still inside you."

Thanks, Ron Dawson, for inviting me to write this 3 years ago.

Be Curious

Today, I am filming a volunteer effort to restore the windows of a historic church building in Tampa.

I've never personally restored a historic building, but a big part of my job is learning about new things. I always need to stay curious. To get to the heart of the story, I am constantly asking people what the experience means to them & why it matters. I'm more interested in how people are feeling than the facts & information.

Relationships are often like this. To connect with others, you must develop a compassionate curiosity. Truly understanding someone is more than knowing the list of their favorite things... It's asking WHY they love them & quieting your own thoughts to hear their answer. Real connection is a loving pursuit that shows someone you are deeply interested in who they are & who they are becoming.

So, as I explore this beautiful experience today, I am reminded of the incredible stories that live inside each of us. And I'm even more inspired to hear & share them.

(Thanks to my buddy Steve Quillian for organizing this event & inviting me to be part of it.)

A Quiet Voice

My youngest son has been sick for 3 days. My oldest son strained a muscle in his neck. They were both home from school. My wife is leaving the country tomorrow for 7 days. So, our home is a little wild. 

Somewhere in the craziness of today, amidst the feeling that I might be overwhelmed, a quiet voice kept whispering: “Love them where they are. Love them the best you can. It will be enough.”

And it was.

Be Bold

This is my son Logan’s 2016 Talent Show performance.  Every sound you hear is HIS voice. He spend 2 months designing & recording this 12-track audio mix of him singing all the parts. Then, he added a video background showing him singing the 4 main background vocals.

Although we always love watching him perform, Tricia & I were blown away by the vision & planning required to execute this so perfectly. It was risky, complex, & bold.

Proud of this kid!

Today's Struggles are Preparing You

During a rare trip to Starbucks last night, I had an out-of-body experience. Tricia & I sat next to a young 'wedding filmmaker' who was trying to sell his services to a bride & her mom.

As I listened to him talk about his work & answer their questions, I was 22-years-old again, re-living my experience starting my own business.

I remembered meetings in countless coffee shops & living rooms - sometimes 3 appointments an evening to sell $600 wedding videos. I remembered hiding my ugly, dented car down the street so it wouldn't affect my credibility. I remember wrestling huge family dogs at kitchen tables while maintaining a smile as I explained the difference between the Gold & Silver video packages.

I remembered being bluntly rejected because I was too young & inexperienced. I remembered driving 90 minutes in traffic for an appointment where a father-of-the-bride told me I was was too expensive & I wasn't "worth it".

Those experiences in the early years of my work are the foundation of who I am now. It wasn't glamorous. Most days, I felt embarrassed & inadequate. But I learned how to build something from nothing. I discovered how to communicate about my passion. I realized that grand ideas start rough & develop during the process... but you must have the courage to begin.

The difficulties of the past trained me to pursue my dreams today.

Last night, that young wedding filmmaker at Starbucks gave me a gift without knowing it. He reminded me that my current difficulties are the education I need to realize the passions & future journeys I haven't even uncovered in myself yet.

Please know this for certain... Today's struggles are preparing you for beautiful things.

Be a Blessing

"The world around us can inspire a new world within us." 

This is my buddy Margaret. We are spending 3 days in Haiti filming for Look to the Sky, our upcoming documentary film.

When Margaret was 7-years-old, she made a decision that has impacted hundreds of young people in Haiti. And today, we are headed out to meet those kids!

Wherever you are in life, you have the capacity to help somebody. Today, I hope you will look for an opportunity to be a blessing.

Here's a Live Chat we did on Facebook just before our plane took off:

A moment that mattered

After I finished speaking in Texas yesterday, a man came up to me with a tear in his eye.

He said, "I've been alive for 60 years. I've heard lots of positive messages in my life, but this moment is the first time I have been convinced that I really have enough inside me to be a hero. Thank you for opening a new door for the rest of my life."

So, the trip was totally worth it.

You are NOT a failure when you fail

Here’s my sad Christmas story. But I think it will have a happy ending:

In 2015, our family had annual passes to Disney World. It was a wonderful year of experiences for us. The passes expired right before Christmas, and I decided several weeks in advance that visiting the Osborne Family Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios would be a spectacular finale to our year. I saved this experience for the last night of the last day we could use the passes.

The park closed at 11pm, so I planned for us to finish the day at the lights one hour before closing time. As we turned the corner into the viewing area at 10pm, the lights immediately turned off. I asked an employee and learned they turn off the lights one hour before closing time because of the fireworks. It was printed in the daily schedule, but it never occurred to me to check.

We missed it. And THIS was the final experience of our year at Disney. What I intended to be a joyful wrap-up instead became a discouraging walk to the car.

And it was MY fault.

My family was fine, but I felt terrible. I was so sad. Truly, I felt overwhelmed.

On the car ride home, I processed why this experience was causing me so much pain. Was I really SO miserable because we didn’t get to see dancing lights? No, this wasn’t about how I felt about the lights. This was about how I felt about ME. I was converting my pain into self-rejection… self-hatred. I spend a lot of time and energy trying to succeed at everything, but, in this moment, I failed.

I wasn’t sad because we missed the lights. I was hurting because I was the cause of it. And I was having trouble dealing with my imperfection.

I started wondering how often I was unconsciously doing this to myself. I quickly realized that it was TOO often. And I am convinced that I won’t be able to grow into the person I want to be if I am battling an unhealthy sense of inadequacy when I fail.

I want to be a person that can set off on bold, risky journeys without being destroyed by the adventures that don’t work out. I want to release the fear of failure, knowing there is grace for me when my plans and performance aren’t perfect. I want to know even deeper in my heart that I am NOT a failure when I fail. I am committed to growth, but I want a more abiding sense that where I am today is enough.

This is my spiritual quest for 2016. I believe God and the people who love me will walk through it with me. And I believe this sad story will be redeemed into a happy ending. I look forward to sharing THAT tale of victory with you in the days ahead.

Sending love & hugs to you and to everyone on the heroic journey with you.

 

We Have Enough

A few weeks ago, my son Logan & I discussed his Christmas list. He said, “Here are some things that would be fun to have. But I know our family is doing some important things right now, and I understand if we don’t have the money for presents. I already have enough.”

That deserved a big hug!

Before we unwrap a single present this week, we already have enough. In fact, most of us have SO much that we can shift our focus from getting more to being a superhero for someone else. 

"We are here to share our music"

Judah was so nervous before his piano recital on Sunday. He worried that he would make a mistake and the audience would laugh.

To ease his fears, his teacher Sharon said, “We are here to share our music, not to perform perfectly.”

Judah made 3 mistakes during his performance. When he finished, the audience applauded, and he grinned as he took a bow.

This is LIFE. Not to be flawless, but to share your heart and passion as boldly as you can.

A New Swing Set is Coming

When my son Logan was little, we decided to get him a new backyard swing set for his birthday. He had worn out the old one, and it was time for an upgrade.

But, this was tricky. To build the new swing set, we had to tear down the old one. How would we explain to a 6-year-old why his favorite place was being destroyed without giving away the birthday surprise?

On the afternoon of the ‘demolition’, I sat down with Logan and said: “Today, some people are coming to take apart the swing set. I know you’ve played on it a lot, but I promise it will be OK, and we will find lots of other fun things to do.”

He asked, “Will they be using saws and hammers to take it down?”

“Probably,” I replied.

Then, after thinking for a long moment, he said, “Can I help?”

I was shocked. I had prepared myself for tears, and panic, and fear. ‘Why would you take this from me?’ ‘This isn’t fair!’ ‘I need this, don’t take it way!’

But, instead, I saw faith.

Rather than fighting against the moment, Logan chose to believe in the journey and engage with it. He didn’t see it as a loss. He experienced it as part of the adventure of living.

Even though he didn’t know it and couldn’t see it - at that very second - a brand new swing set was in the warehouse being loaded onto a truck for delivery. It was bigger and brighter and more beautiful than the one being destroyed.

A new swing set was coming.

Today, you may be watching your favorite swing set being torn down. Perhaps the safe places, people, and things that you feel are essential to your existence are being ripped away.

I’m so sorry it’s happening. I know it hurts, and I wish I could make the pain disappear.

But don’t let it steal your faith. Your precious memories on that old swing set can never be replaced, but here’s the truth:

A new swing set is coming.

You can’t see it today. It is beyond your ability to imagine or predict. And it may not arrive as quickly as you’d like. But something beautiful is coming. Hang on, and keep believing in the journey.

A new swing set is coming.

 

A New Swingset is Coming

When my son Logan was little, we decided to get him a new backyard swing set for his birthday. He had worn out the old one, and it was time for an upgrade.

But, this was tricky. To build the new swing set, we had to tear down the old one. How would we explain to a 6-year-old why his favorite place was being destroyed without giving away the birthday surprise?

On the afternoon of the ‘demolition’, I sat down with Logan and said: “Today, some people are coming to take apart the swing set. I know you’ve played on it a lot, but I promise it will be OK, and we will find lots of other fun things to do.”

He asked, “Will they be using saws and hammers to take it down?”

“Probably,” I replied.

Then, after thinking for a long moment, he said, “Can I help?”

I was shocked. I had prepared myself for tears, and panic, and fear. ‘Why would you take this from me?’ ‘This isn’t fair!’ ‘I need this, don’t take it away!’

But, instead, I saw faith.

Rather than fighting against the moment, Logan chose to believe in the journey and engage with it. He didn’t see it as a loss. He experienced it as part of the adventure of living.

Even though he didn’t know it and couldn’t see it - at that very second - a brand new swing set was in the warehouse being loaded onto a truck for delivery. It was bigger and brighter and more beautiful than the one being destroyed.

A new swing set was coming.

Today, you may be watching your favorite swing set being torn down. Perhaps the safe places, people, and things that you feel are essential to your existence are being ripped away.

I’m so sorry it’s happening. I know it hurts, and I wish I could make the pain disappear.

But don’t let it steal your faith. Your precious memories on that old swing set can never be replaced, but here’s the truth:

A new swing set is coming.

You can’t see it today. It is beyond your ability to imagine or predict. And it may not arrive as quickly as you’d like. But something beautiful is coming. Hang on, and keep believing in the journey.

A new swing set is coming.

brett culp