Ep162: Stop Waiting For Permission to Make Sh*t Happen | with Mark Gantt

<blockquote> <p> “I want to make sh*t happen, but it can't happen at the cost of the people around me.”<br /> - Mark Gantt</p> </blockquote> <p>Working in Hollywood as a creative professional can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand the freedom to express yourself and tell stories that motivate, inspire, and entertain others can be a dream come true. But on the other hand the pressure of having to create on a grueling daily schedule can lead to doubts, insecurities, imposter syndrome and perfectionism (especially the days when you’re just not feeling it), all of which lead to feeling out of balance and out of control. (Been there. Done that. Still living it.)</p> <p>There is no one who knows this dichotomy better than my guest today, <strong><a href="https://www.markgantt.com/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Gantt</a></strong>. Mark is a multi-medium visual and performance artist who has worked in the industry as a graphic artist, a painter, a prop master, a photographer, an actor, a producer, and a director. He is best known for co-creating, writing, producing, and starring in Crackle’s groundbreaking, Streamy award-winning series <em>The Bannen Way</em>. (And if you are a long time listener, you may recognize that title because it is where I got my start in editing scripted television.)</p> <p>But it wasn't an easy ride to success by any means (and if you ask Mark, he still struggles to call himself “successful”). There were many moments he wanted to give up on his passions and quit. And there were more moments when he wasn't even sure what his passion was after veering so far off the path (a path which includes countless drinking benders and cocaine). This episode is a conversation about persevering in times of doubt and failure. We candidly discuss how it really feels to fail and what it takes to dig deep, forge ahead, and make sh#t happen in your career - no matter the obstacles - and most importantly without sacrificing the most important people in your life along the way.</p> <h3>Want to Hear M