{"id":352,"date":"2013-06-09T14:48:34","date_gmt":"2013-06-09T21:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=352"},"modified":"2013-06-09T14:48:34","modified_gmt":"2013-06-09T21:48:34","slug":"what-price-passion-and-what-are-millennials-willing-to-spend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=352","title":{"rendered":"What Price Passion? …and What are Millennials Willing to Spend?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Opening<\/a>

Opening Ceremonies Gay Games VII – Chicago<\/p><\/div>\n

You may have been told that one should not choose a career to make money. Rather one is best served by listening to one\u2019s heart and following one\u2019s instincts; choosing a pathway of passion and fulfillment…making the difference in the world in a way that speaks to and nurtures oneself.<\/p>\n

Do this, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve been told, and the Money will come<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t. You. Believe. It.<\/p>\n

While I fully endorse the authenticity and validity of the first part, I\u2019d be very careful of expectation inherent in \u201c…the money will come.\u201d That\u2019s not necessarily a Bad Thing, depending on one\u2019s definition of \u201cmoney,\u201d and it applies, I dare say, to pretty much any career choice. If you love the Law, be a lawyer; if you love cars, drive, design or repair automobiles…do what feeds you, feeds your muse, keeps you excited and inspired about what you do.<\/p>\n

Be aware, though, that there are no guarantees of financial security, job security or what one might describe as \u201csuccess\u201d – especially in the realm of Entertainment and Creation of Experience – if such success has a material quality of life attached.<\/p>\n

While it is possible to make a lot of money in this \/ these fields; the overarching reality is that a few do fantastically well, some do very well, many do comfortably well, most get by and no small number scrape-by from gig to gig with absolutely no security, at all. For many, the price of a can of tuna remains relevant for a great deal of their lives.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d best absolutely love what you do; as that is from whence the fulfillment must flow.<\/p>\n

If creating an experience that makes audience gasp or cheer or cry out or laugh or go so deeply into their heads that the silence becomes palpable or leap from their seats before they know what they are doing fulfills and excites you; then, Come on Down! There is plenty of room for you, here.<\/p>\n

If, on the other hand, you seek to make Big Money as a Producer, Director, Creative Director or Designer…and that money is important to you…perhaps you ought to look for something else; as you\u2019ll sweat blood before you make Big Money in this spectrum of occupations and careers.<\/p>\n

Not attempting to throw cold water on a career choice. Realism is, at the point of entry, a good discipline to exercise before setting oneself up for disappointment. While the perceived Gold Standard of Walt Disney Imagineering will always (we hope) offer long-term opportunity for hundreds of creatives and producers and short term projects for hundreds if not thousands more; that remains, still, just one company.<\/p>\n

Outside of WDI, Disney and Universal there are hundreds of entities that hire for thousands of jobs of longer and shorter duration, better and poorer compensation, sporadic to regular work all of which is in support of creating experience to move and inspire people. That world outside of The Big Guys is a panoply of opportunity for the peripatetic; those willing to travel and move from project to project, month to year\u2026<\/p>\n

During a recent sojourn in Dubai, I worked on three shows. On the first – a huge spectacle for National Day – we had a team of Independents from all over the world. The show-caller came straight from the London Olympics, one of the choreographers came directly from the Eurovision contest, the Production Manager came from South Africa – departing for Hong Kong the day after the close of the show. Even one of my stage managers, within two weeks of the show close, was on the production team for the New Year\u2019s Eve broadcast from the Burj Khalifa.<\/p>\n

These are short gigs, and there are thousands, out here, who make a fair living – not a GREAT living – by moving from place to place, creating something where there was nothing, then moving on to the next thing.<\/p>\n

On a larger scale there are installations of all sorts taking place all the time, all over the world: resorts, theme parks, civic installations, museums and even churches are creating experiences that take months and years to create and build. On one of these teams, one might find oneself in Shanghai or Dubai for sixteen months to a couple of years, then on to Brazil to work on an Olympic Ceremony.<\/p>\n

For me, this is exciting and fantastic…and it is not<\/i> secure. At all. Be sure you are in this for the Passion.<\/p>\n

Recently, I spoke on a panel of Themed Entertainment Association Board Members before an audience of students at the Savannah College of Art & Design. What struck me, most, was that the first questions after the presentation were about quality of life in The Business…from both male and female students. Questions that never even occurred to me, back in the day(s) of career launch\u2026<\/p>\n

What about family? What about travel? Questions that pertained to the personal, the family environment, downtime and regenerative activity. Not overwhelmingly, but notably, these questions shed light on a bit of a new perspective on career and where it fits in one\u2019s life\u2026<\/p>\n

A friend of mine, the VP of Sales for a company in Southern California, recently vented with me about the point of view of her millennial sales staff. She was getting questions about how many hours a day and time off at a level and a time frame that would have been unheard-of a decade or two ago. They were asking how much time they would need to put in to meet their goals, she said, \u201c…they just want to know when they can get off work; it\u2019s more important for them to spend time with their friends than to meet quota\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Of what is this a harbinger?<\/p>\n

Observing these questions in the context of the larger conversation articulated in trade mag after business blog after panel discussion in myriad iterations of \u201cHow to Deal with Millennials,\u201d I sense something positive out of this gradual (or perhaps not-so-gradual) tectonic shift in the work culture as Millennials come of age. I sense that they seem to want fulfillment, they have a passionate and achievable sense of morality and fairness (and Equality), they want to be fulfilled in their professional pursuits…but…they want to have energy left over to enjoy what they\u2019ve done and time left over to enjoy their families and friends<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Can you imagine?!<\/p>\n

So, as I write these words of caution to those about to enter the work force, a part of me is aware that making \u201cMoney\u201d may not be the priority for Millennials as it was for the Baby Boomers and the following generations. I am also not experiencing the sense of Entitlement experienced of the GenX and GenY\u2019s – those who wanted it all; seeking a big salary and expected to be on a first-name basis with the CEO from Week One. While some did get that, most did not and they were not<\/i> happy about it.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Business Leaders and writers seemed to keep analyzing the dynamic as though the young people coming up were the problem to solve. How to enlighten \u2018em to How It Is so that business can continue to be run \u201cright.\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know; perhaps this refreshed consciousness will manifest in other ways\u2026<\/p>\n

Looking closer, working alongside 20-somethings on my own production teams and teaching Apple Workshops, I see a fresh-faced, aspirational population that may have a more profound effect on the American Work Ethic than many might envision. For the most part, these kids (I say that affectionately and respectfully – even enviously) are happy with less of the material\u00a0and seem to find more value in personal experience and levels of intimacy. In my experience, relatively few are motivated to acquire; more to enjoy.<\/p>\n

This could change the infrastructure of Society in a healthy way, perhaps.<\/p>\n

Rather than feeling pressure to succeed, I sense a desire for the freedom to accomplish. Rather than needing to make a lot of money, there seems a deeper desire to enjoy and be fulfilled by what they do.<\/p>\n

This being the case, what it perhaps portends is that our Quality of [Material] Life may in fact diminish as the Quality of Living increases as a result of this evolved perspective. And that just might be a very good thing.<\/p>\n

Somewhere in there is a great future for the world of Experience Design, of Creation of Compelling Experience. If one is protective of, a contributor to, the resonant qualities of one\u2019s own life; will that person be even better equipped to create powerful and resonant experience for others? Will they be able to conceive of more effective ways of immersive storytelling, of weaving narrative, of new ways to express narrative or story that can engage on deeper levels? I\u2019m thinking, maybe so.<\/p>\n

I am struck by something else in these New Kids…a level of respect for those who have gone before that I have not experienced in a long time. A desire to learn what is or was combined with a complete absence of fear of sharing their own ideas and approaches that yields some brilliant, collaborative energy; teaching everyone and benefitting all.<\/p>\n

Is it a New World? I dunno. It\u2019s certainly a new ethic.<\/p>\n

At the close of one of my Stanford Show Tours, I wrote an epic poem about the 12-city journey, closing with this:<\/p>\n

But there was a moment, in every city<\/p>\n

When what we did went to profound from pretty.<\/p>\n

When guests became silent, when hearts skipped a beat,<\/p>\n

When each person settled more into the seat.<\/p>\n

The air in the room became quieter, still;<\/p>\n

And breath was abated as hearts took the thrill.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when we touched them, that\u2019s when we knew<\/p>\n

We\u2019d delivered completely on our Mission, true.<\/p>\n

No one will ever accomplish again<\/p>\n

What we have given to those where we\u2019ve been\u2026<\/p>\n

…and it is That Moment that keeps me in this business. The thrill of being able to create an experience that takes people so far into their heads that they are no longer conscious of their mind, they aren\u2019t thinking, they are feeling and seeing through some deep, personal portal to which I have found the key.<\/p>\n

Rarely will you ever be paid what you are worth; the choice is to let go of, to relinquish any such expectation and to embrace what you do realize from it. This work must nourish you; then, while \u201cThe Money\u201d may not come rolling in, you may find peace with the compensation you do receive and find yourself wealthy for having touched others.<\/p>\n

imho.<\/p>\n

Please download the eBook, “imho” for iPad2 and beyond from iTunes or the iBook store. It’s free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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