Hi! Welcome to the 4 CreativeWheels newsletter — your weekly dose of insights on creativity and fuel for your creative journey.

We did it! We are in Week #20! And we are in Episode 3 of our “Take it, Learn it” series.

It has been ten years since the Damien Chazelle chef d’oeuvre Whiplash was released. It has been among my most favorite movies of all time from the first watch. So, I couldn’t miss an opportunity to take inspiration from it for a newsletter issue.

In this week’s issue, our guests are Andrew Neiman and all of those who have been in his shoes.

Without further ado…

Let’s start the ride!

(Missed Episode 2 Part 2? Here you go!)

Main Wheel

What comes to mind when you think of the movie "Whiplash"? Is it the drums? The sweat? The tension?

For many who got to watch this film, it is a combination of the three. For some, it's Andrew's journey. They are inspired by it. For others, they are simply saddened by it.

They can't help but see the unhealthy route Andrew chose. They see how his obsession with drumming led him to unfortunate events. Though this is a fair view to hold, they lack an acknowledgment of a crucial thing. Andrew was not just obsessed, he was misunderstood.

I have been and know many are in similar shoes. It's an aspect of his journey worth exploring.

Andrew was not normal. He wasn't an average person. What is considered normal or average is what most people do and engage in. When you don't abide in that spot, you are, by default, not normal. You don't fit in.

Who in the world would want to be a musician in a dying genre? Not just any musician, but a drummer? At least be a pianist for goodness' sake! To be a Jazz drummer is not a common ambition. It doesn't fit in society's expected aspirations.

Somehow, this is what Andrew Neiman loved and desired. He wanted to be a Jazz drummer, the best Jazz drummer ever. No one could really relate nor understand Andrew, including especially his family.

Most of those who don't fit in are misunderstood. Often, the reason they are misunderstood resides in the place they do feel understood. It's a place where despite life's lemons, they can taste the sweetness out of existence. Commonly that place is a craft, a creative outlet.

It just makes sense to indulge in it. Not only because you love it, and even passionate, but because it's the place you sense that understanding. There is no harsh judgment of what or who you are. It does not look down on your aspiration. It accepts it.

It usually starts when you are young. You are a young kid and people don't like your interests. No matter how much you try, the majority pushes you aside in one way or another. Even when you succeed in being part of the majority, you still feel down.

Then you find something. You discover a door. The door leads to understanding and acceptance combined with a north star to look up to. It's too daunting to not open the door. When you open, you find that craft, that outlet.

The more you're being misunderstood, the more you want to get lost in that space, in that craft. In return, it creates an obsession. And you grow even more misunderstood.

Andrew was there. It does suck a little to be in that place. But, it's still fulfilling. It still feels better to be in there than conform to something you are not. To escape the unpleasant emotions and go to where you get that understanding is a no-brainer.

However, it is true that Andrew abused it. He pursued it in an unhealthy way. A way that could have cost him his precious life. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. We can learn from his journey.

Firstly, we need to embrace our unorthodoxy. Even though Andrew loved drumming, there was a constant struggle with the extrinsic. He did not truly embrace his unorthodoxy. And even when he did embrace it, it was from a place of anger and desire to get approval from Mr. Fletcher. His aspiration was a mix of intrinsic motivation and uncontrollable and hurtful extrinsic ones.

It does not have to be that way. You can embrace being unconventional without resentment. You can be unusual and accept that most would not get you. Truly, there is no problem if people do not understand you. No worries if they do not support you. At the end of the day, we all feel, to some extent, misunderstood.

Moreover, we need to stop striving to convince others to be on our side. Andrew struggled with that. He had multiple arguments with people close to him trying to make them understand his perspective. Unfortunately, when he saw people couldn't see what he saw, he burned bridges.

You don't need to burn bridges. Some people truly care for you, like Andrew's dad. Even though he did not understand his son, Mr. Neiman was with Andrew at his lowest. We can see how much Mr. Neiman's support positively impacted Andrew.

Now, this doesn't mean everything will be alright. You'll face hardships. We'll all face difficulties. And in this truth, the healthiest action to take is to accept them. Not fight them, but let them be part of your journey. Accept the difficulties and use them. Do not push when you should not. Do not dig deeper when you should stop. And most importantly, do not give up.

Ultimately, you'll find people similar to you. The people who match your unconventional nature. They will uplift you. They will energize you and your craft. They will make the love for your craft even stronger.

Would the story have been different if Andrew had a supportive group on his side? I think so, but I don't know. What I know is that we all can form that group for ourselves if we are patient enough. There is not even a need for a group. Just one person is enough.

In the meantime, you can pursue that craft. But let your pursuit be far from being damaging. It defeats the purpose. You cannot enjoy the craft if you are not alive.

Feel free to get lost in that outlet because it's part of your life. You'll find joy in doing so. And maybe just maybe, you will find similar people in the process. For now, here's to being misunderstood!

Fin! See you next week for Episode 4!

Inspiring Wheels

Here are two (or more) creative works that you’ll not regret checking out:

• "The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done" - Colt Kirwan | Beautiful story, well told! No more comment. Just another wonderful video from Colt.

• "Hollywood's Obsession with Ambition" - Thomas Flight | A really interesting and mind-opening piece! It’s full of reminders we all need to hear from time to time. And it goes well with our week’s theme. The writing and editing are top-notch. A wonderful video to watch and rewatch.

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Thank you so much for reading! 

As always, feel free to reply to this email & share your thoughts, stories, and any experience related to this topic. I’d love to hear them!  

C ya next Week! 

Embracing Creativity™,

Richard M.

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