Last week saw the tragic passing of one of cinema’s great artists, David Lynch, director of mind-bending and unforgettably stylish films such as Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet and Eraserhead, and the much-beloved TV show Twin Peaks.
Through his tireless work ethic, surreal cinematic worlds and a bold and unapologetic vision of the darker side of the “American Dream”, his work moved and inspired countless fans and artists, and his upbeat, down to earth and hard-working approach to the artist’s life has much to teach us.
I’ve written previously about why doing an annual review can be more effective for achieving personal and business goals than attempting new year resolutions in January.
So, looking ahead to 2025, here are some quotes from David Lynch’s iconic career to reflect on as you plan the year ahead.
Stay positive: “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.”
Winter in the UK can be a dark and dreary time of year, and with all of the Christmas celebrations now behind us, January can feel like the longest month of the year.
Even if you ended the year on a high, the January blues and post-Christmas comedown can make it all too easy to dwell on the near-misses and failures of the previous year, and what we wish we’d done differently.
Instead, focusing on who and what we’re grateful for, perhaps by taking the time to write a short journal entry each day, can help shift our January blues and look ahead with confidence and positivity.
Don’t be afraid to learn from your failures: “In a way failure is a beautiful thing, because when the dust settles there’s nowhere to go but up, and it’s a freedom.”
At some point you may get a bit of fed up of trying to stay positive when you know that 2024 maybe didn’t go exactly as planned with your business. Sometimes things are out of our control, or don’t go as expected, and that can hurt.
But as Lynch counsels, these negative experiences can also be seen as a gift that enable you to gain more in future. For example, what did you learn about yourself and your business from that experience? Did pursuing a dead-end teach you something about your values, and how you’d approach it differently in future?
Perhaps simply getting through those tough times taught you that you, your business, and your colleagues were more resilient than you thought.
You don’t have to be an expert in everything: “I’m not a real film buff. Unfortunately, I don’t have time. And I become very nervous when I go to a film because I worry so much about the director and it is hard for me to digest my popcorn.”
You’d expect that such a great icon of cinema with so many awards to his name would also be a dedicated cinema-goer, and knowledgeable about all areas of his craft.
But Lynch actually owes a lot to his collaborators.
While he was the source of ideas and drive, bringing his unique vision to life drew on collaboration over many years with a range of artists and cinematographers, actors including Jack Nance, Naomi Watts, Laura Dern, and Kyle MacLachlan, and the composer Angelo Badalamenti, among others.
In other words, he couldn’t have done it alone.
So, when it comes to your plans for 2025, you may have ambitions for your business but lack the specialist skills to make them a reality. That’s why calling on the help of experts to make that dream a reality can be the best choice.
Get in touch
If you want expert help branding and marketing your services to make your business thrive – or want to hear our theories about the mysterious finale of Twin Peaks – we can help.
Email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300 to find out more.
