Advice from George Lucas

Everybody knows Star Wars, the science fiction movie that has revolutionized the industry, did you know that George Lucas almost couldn't get it made? What led him to creating such out-of-the-box work of art? What can we learn from his experience?

Here is a short video where he shares some really valuable insights, enjoy!

"You know I went to film school, made a few movies then ended up where I am. But I realized (after a few years) that everything I did I was following something I really cared about. Something that I loved, something that I was passionate about. And that I kept on following that passion, whether it was cars, whether it was anthropology, whether it was art, photography, and eventually it led me to my huge passion, my real passion, which was making movies, which combine all of those things!

And I realized that had I gone to get my degree in anthropology, I would've probably made anthropological movies in New Guinea or some place. And eventually being on National Geographic and you know History Channel, then making features, then I would've done Star Wars just the same. If I had gone to art centre, and become an illustrator, I would've probably started doing animation and doing animated films, and doing animated things, and then ultimately would be going to right where I was. So no matter which route I took, because I cared about all of them, they all led to the same place.

Had I done what my father had wished me to do, which was to go to the office equipment business with him, which I knew I wasn't gonna do, I hated that, my life wouldn't have been pleasant. So I think it is very important not to do what your peers think you should do. Not do what your parents think you should do, or your teachers, but to do what you feel inside, or what your culture thinks, do what's inside you." (from 5:50~)

"Several speakers have talked about happiness, and I've discovered along the way that happiness, you live in two worlds here. Happiness is pleasure and happiness is joy. You can be either one, add them, and you either fall in the uber category of happiness.

Pleasure is short-lived, lasts an hour, lasts a minute, lasts a month. And it peaks and it goes down, it peaks very high, but the next time you want to get that same peak, you have to do it twice as much. You know it's like drugs, you have to keep doing it, because it insulates itself no matter what it is, whether you're shopping, whether you're engaged in any other kind of pleasure, they all have the same qualit about it.

On the other hand is joy. Joy is the thing that doesn't go as high as pleasure in terms of your emotional reaction, but it stays with you. Joy is something you can recall. Pleasure you can't. So the secret is, eventhough (joy) it is not as intense as the pleasure, the joy will last you a lot longer. And people who get the pleasure they keep on saying 'Well if I can jut get richer and get more cars..." (but) you'll never relive the moment you got your first car. That's it, that's the highest peak. Yes you can get three Ferraris and a new Gulfstream jet and maybe you'll get close, but you have to keep going, and eventually run out and you just can't do it. It doesn't work.

So if you're tryin to sustain that level of peak pleasure you're doomed. It's a very American idea, but it just can't happen you just let it go. Peak, great! Pleasure is fun, but you can't keep it going forever. Accept the fact that it's here and it's gone. Maybe again it'll come back, and we'll get to do it again. But joy lasts forever.

Pleasure is purely self-centered, it's about your pleasure. It's about you. It's about selfish, self centered emotion that's created by a self centered motives of greed. Joy is compassion. Joy is giving yourself to somebody else or something else. And it's a kind of thing that is in it's subtlety and lowness, much more than pleasure. You get hung up on pleasure you're doomed. If you pursue joy, you'll find everlasting happiness." (from 08:20~)