3543: On Giving Birth and Pursuing Dreams by Eric Teplitz on Personal Growth and Building Resilience

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Living Daily on Giving Birth and Pursuing Dreams by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com and I'm Justin Malik. And we're gonna jump right into today's post as we optimize your life. On Giving Birth and Pursuing Dreams by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com. 25 years ago this month, I gave birth to an album of original songs.

[00:00:30] Back in those days of yore, the internet, at least in terms of wide usage, was in its infancy, and the compact disc or CD was the go-to format for both purchasing, yes purchasing, and listening to recorded music. I finished the album in September of 1996 shortly after turning 24 years old and held the finished product,

[00:00:53] a shrink-wrapped, professionally packaged CD direct from the manufacturer, in my hands for the first time that December. Though the moment of opening the box and pulling out a record store ready disc was strangely anticlimactic, the achievement it represented was nothing short of the realization of a lifelong dream I had spent years actively working toward.

[00:01:15] Having been rejected or ignored by 75 record companies, I released the album on my own small label, Hominid Records, which had a business license, P.O. box, toll-free number, checking account, and staff of one yours truly. The label operated out of my bedroom in the single-floor house I was sharing with a drummer roommate in Nashville. Though the disc did receive some airplay on radio stations across the U.S.,

[00:01:43] the hoped-for-with-all-my-being music career that I believed the CD would help me launch never came to be, despite Herculean efforts on my part. That said, I was, and still am, proud of it. I made the best album I was capable of, and on quite a limited budget. I took painful personal experiences and feelings, mixed in some hopes, philosophies, and a heap of musical influences and inspirations,

[00:02:12] and fashioned them into my own words and music. I collaborated with a seriously talented friend to realize my vision for each song in his recording studio. I gathered amazing musicians, most of whom I met at writers' nights or day jobs all over Nashville, to play on the album. Without being beholden to any record company executives or financiers, I claimed total creative freedom over the project. I paid for it myself.

[00:02:39] I put my heart and soul and countless hours into it, on the studio clock and off. I made a ton of decisions and stretched myself in myriad ways. I learned by doing. I then did everything I could to get it out into the world, to see what would happen. Pursuing your dreams is risky business. No matter your dedication, drive, hard work, talent, or anything else, there are no guarantees of how things will turn out.

[00:03:09] Life owes none of us anything. When you invest yourself wholeheartedly, when you allow yourself to care deeply and passionately about something or someone, you risk incredible heartache. It comes with the territory. Music not panning out as a career for me, despite giving it my all until I had nothing left in the tank, broke my heart. The wound cut deep. My confidence took a major hit. I suffered a crisis of identity and experience,

[00:03:37] what some refer to as a dark night of the soul. But you know what? I regret none of it. We are here for a short time. Why waste the precious gift that is your life, not pursuing your biggest dreams and most heartfelt desires? Do you think you'll spare yourself heartache by not doing so? Maybe you will. Everything in life, after all, is trade-offs. We must each decide for ourselves what trade-offs are worth it to us to make, what we're willing and not willing to risk or attempt.

[00:04:07] These are personal decisions, and ones only you can make for yourself. Whatever you decide, you, after all, are the one who must live with the consequences. My personal opinion is that if there is a goal to aspire to for this bizarre situation we find ourselves in, called a human life, it might be to minimize regret. Yes, pursuing your dreams is risky business and could very well lead to heartache.

[00:04:34] But what about the heartache of being on your deathbed and realizing you never even tried? From that vantage point, not pursuing your dreams is perhaps the riskiest business of all. So why not be courageous then? There's no such thing as guaranteed safety or permanent security. These may be compelling illusions, but they are illusions nonetheless. Incidentally, the heartbreak we experience in life, while not something most of us would ever seek out,

[00:05:02] has the capacity to transform us in profoundly positive ways. We can become stronger, wiser, and more resilient people for it. We can shed old ideas of ourselves that may have been misguided, unhelpful, or incomplete. We can feel a closer connection to other souls everywhere, dead or alive, because most, if not all of us at some point, experience some form of heartbreak.

[00:05:29] Giving birth to a literal child, a piece of art, or a new version of yourself is an act of courage. No matter how devoted a parent you may be, you have no idea how the child you raise will ultimately turn out or fare in the world. Your control over such things is limited. That could be a hard pill to swallow, but it's the truth. Yet, you love your child with all your heart anyway, and do the best job you can on her behalf,

[00:05:57] and this alone will likely shape you into a more loving, capable, mature, compassionate, and overall better human. Your child, whatever becomes of her, may become your greatest teacher. And she just might grow up to be a blessing to others as well. You just listened to the post titled,

[00:06:22] On Giving Birth and Pursuing Dreams by Eric Teplitz of ericteplitz.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. You know what I love about optimizing my day? Finding snacks that work as hard as I do. And that's why I love Wonderful Pistachios. It's become my go-to snack lately. Wonderful Pistachios is one of the highest protein nuts. Each one ounce serving has six grams of protein, giving you over 10% of your daily value.

[00:06:48] I love that Wonderful Pistachios is a complete protein providing all nine essential amino acids. That satisfying crack of opening each shell is like a snack meditation for me. If you're always on the move, their no-shells options are perfect on the go. I'm really loving Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted. It holds the salt, but not the flavor in a snack that packs a protein punch.

[00:07:11] Pistachios are known for their protein power, fiber, and better-for-you unsaturated fats for a combination that may help keep you feeling fuller longer. Whether you're running between meetings or optimizing your day, get snackin' and get crackin' with Wonderful Pistachios. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more. Thank you to Eric. Thank you to Eric. A great, inspiring article that hopefully had you thinking about your own dreams. I could definitely relate.

[00:07:40] Almost felt like I wrote some of this because I went through something similar with music myself. I also released an album, a couple actually. And not having it reach as many people as I thought it might was difficult, just like Eric talked about. And just like him, I definitely don't regret it. I have very distinct memories of recording in our home, other homes, garages, and an actual professional studio up in the Hollywood Hills,

[00:08:09] with Tommy Lee walking in randomly hearing our music. I'll never forget it. It reminds me of the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, and how a big one, a big regret from the book, is not living a life true to themselves, but instead living the life others expected of them. So I think he's right. And there's a great quote in there, Eric said. My personal opinion is that if there is a goal to aspire to for this bizarre situation we find ourselves in called a human life,

[00:08:38] the goal might be to minimize regret. Hard to argue with that. So thank you to Eric, and thank you for being here and listening. It means a lot, and I couldn't keep going without you. Wishing you a great rest of your day, and I'll see you tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.