Ditch Creator’s Block By Doing This One Thing I Learned From Top Gun

It’s always astounding the amount of time I will spend not doing something creative I say I want to do. Upon that carousel of purgatory I often look for a movie analogy to shed light on why I’m bobbing up and down on a plastic horse to nowhere.

Today, it’s an entirely forgettable scene from the original Top Gun that splashed water on my face.

For those (inexplicably) forgetful of the basic plot, let me refresh. After Goose dies (Newsflash: Goose dies), Maverick struggles to regain his confidence. The Brass keep sending him up in training hoping to kickstart the verve fighter pilots surely need careening well past the speed of sound while being shot at by other jets going just as fast.

So that’s the backdrop for this interaction between Maverick and his new co-pilot, Sundown (who, for you movie nerds out there, was also a bad guy in the movie Die Hard), when Maverick can’t seem to get in the game. (Only watch to the 1:00 mark.)

Why am I sharing this? Because this chat is exactly what happens when zest debates fear endlessly in my mind.

Zest: (talking to myself) We can engage anytime, Buddy.
Fear: (sheepishly removing itself from an opportunity)
Zest: Hey, where the hell are you going?
Fear: It doesn’t look good.
Zest: What do…