Follow Your Bliss

Weekly wisdom to level up your creative life in 3 minutes, for free.

A SHORT STORY

When I was 20 years old, I first encountered Joseph Campbell’s work through his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Not long after, while working at George Soros’ foundation, I had the chance to meet Bill Moyers—the journalist who famously interviewed Campbell in the PBS special - The Power of Myth. 

After he had finished his meeting with George, he was heading toward the elevator, and I worked up the courage to say something.

As he neared the elevator, I called out, “Mr. Moyers?” He turned around with a big, welcoming smile and said, “Yes?”

“I wanted to let you know that The Power of Myth changed my life. I just wanted to thank you—it gave me the language and confidence to pursue my dreams.”

He asked for my name, and I told him, “Michael.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Well, thank you, Michael. You know, Joe was a really special person, and I learned a lot from him myself.”

We had some short small talk where talked about the power of faith in one’s life. Soon after, he thanked me again and went on his way.

I share this story now because I’ve been reflecting on Campbell’s famous advice to “follow your bliss.”

People often interpret this as a call to be self-indulgent or even selfish. But really, it’s quite the opposite.

This week, as I dug into the word “bliss,” I discovered that it traces back to the French word blessure, meaning “wound.” Bliss, in this sense, isn’t just about joy. It’s actually where our greatest gift and our deepest wound intersect. It’s where we’re most open to the world, sometimes beyond our control, in that tender place where our inner life meets the larger world.

Many ancient traditions echo this idea, suggesting that we live our lives balanced between grief and joy.

So, what does it mean to follow your bliss? Perhaps it’s a calling to stay open to life’s fullness and vulnerability, to give ourselves over to whatever it brings, and to find meaning in that exchange. Ultimately, in my opinion, it’s about embracing both joy and vulnerability, letting them guide us toward a life of purpose and connection.

How are you following your bliss this week? How can you embrace both the joy and vulnerability of that process?

A CREATIVE TOOL

For podcast lovers, Google's NotebookLM turns any documents you upload into an AI-generated 'deep dive' podcast. Which is great if you learn better through audio than written.

But, when I came across this example - I found this both funny and a bit of a preview of Generative Artificial Intelligence - which some say is only a few years away?

A PIECE OF ART

“Don’t Hesitate” by Mary Oliver

If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy,
don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty
of lives and whole towns destroyed or about
to be. We are not wise, and not very often
kind. And much can never be redeemed.
Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this
is its way of fighting back, that sometimes
something happens better than all the riches
or power in the world. It could be anything,
but very likely you notice it in the instant
when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case.
Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid
of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.

Grateful,

Michael