Yes, it’s spring time here in the UK finally, after a long and chilly winter that’s been dragging on for months and not letting go.

And on todays blog I would like to talk about why the number 22 is such a promising start to all you filmmakers out there and the relevancy it has to your mission in life.

22, apparently, is considered the most powerful of all the numbers. A number which enables you to turn your dreams into a reality and strive to serve the greater good of humanity.

The downside of this number is being overwhelmed by the potential and the fear of failure. It can take some time before you’ll be able to manifest your dreams because of the trials and learning experiences you’ll be going through and the maturity you’ll need to incorporate into your life to find your true calling.

Okay, some of you may be thinking this is all hogwash but the reason why I’m writing about this is because to 22 or not to 22, we as filmmakers, have to appreciate the fact that in order to make a path for our lives we require to take the correct steps to manifest our career.

And there are 7 steps to adhere to which are worth mentioning since most of us only seem to accomplish a couple of those and then wonder why we’re not getting anywhere in our film careers.

So, without further ado here are the 7 steps which I believe can rock n roll your film career into the stratosphere:

1. WHY – Why do you want to do what it is you want to do? Deep down inside of yourself what is it really that is tugging at your heart strings? You have a desire to pursue your dream as a filmmaker but there should be a good enough reason behind it. Dig deeper if you have to. Carve out that hidden gem deep within you, then chip away at it further, dust it off and present it to the world to see. It doesn’t have to be big, just big enough to make you realise why it is that you’re doing what it is that you want to do.

2. Purpose – What do you want to be remembered for? What achievements do you want to aspire to? It’s not enough to say I want to make great movies, narrow it down to specifics. If you look at the famous filmmakers out there most of them had a singular purpose of mind, whether they were auteurs, originators, differentiators or ball busters. They created a brand onto themselves. Work on your brand too.

3. Action – Yes, it speaks for itself but the amount of times that we tend to think about taking action but not actually doing it is a hindrance to our moral and self esteem. The thing to do is to make a decision and follow it immediately with action, no matter how small it may be. Most of us wait for the right moment to take the action but it may never come. Perfection is a barrier and causes us to rest on our laurels. You must drop expectation of perfection from you head and jam with what’s going on instead. Remember that the time to do something will never be perfect so just go ahead and do it anyway. Worse case, if you fail you will have learnt from the experience and will know how to do it better… next time.

4. Commit – After you take the action make certain that you follow through on it and commit to the path you truly and most passionately believe in. You will get buffeted, pushed, kicked, shoved from side to side. Squeezed & trodden on along the way but if you just stick with it long enough you will eventually see the results. Harrison Ford said it best when he started out as an actor ‘All I have to do is outlast everybody else’ and he did. He committed to his path and gradually came through.

5. Focus – Having goals set out is crucial to your success but more importantly then that is focusing on them too. We tend to get distracted from day to day and eventually some of us even lose our course and path in life. The objective is to focus on the goal at hand, preferably one goal but it can be two. Focusing on too many goals can counterbalance your objective and haywire your system. So as long as you concentrate and put your full time and effort into achieving those one or two goals, on a daily basis, focusing on them, you will steadily get there. Step by step you will get ahead but not necessarily in fast spurts. Therefore, focus on the few not the plenty.

6. Accountability – Surround yourself with people that will hold you to a higher standard. Find people, partners, friends, companions that will keep you accountable to your goals. Stay away from the naysayers, the suckers, who want to suck your energy dry and keep you at the safe harbour of the known. Cultivate new relationships with filmmakers who you either aspire to be like or feel that there’s a mutual understanding between you both. Get the support that you deserve when the going gets touch and it will sometimes. Find the great places to network, mastermind and meet people who are similar to you.

7. Fun – Enjoy the journey. Make the most of your trip. Discover the new you and have fun doing it. Letting go of expectation is tough but seeing life for what it is – an actual journey rather than a destination – will bring on a calmness and understating which should change your perspective on life and gear you towards further enjoyment and happiness.

Oh, and lastly, if you still happen to be a little apprehensive about the number 22 then you’re more than welcome to move on to no. 23.