A good friend of mine, Heidy Chong, recently produced a DVD called Real People Cook (www.realpeoplecook.com) where she features 17 Stanford students preparing their favorite healthy dish. (You've got to try the jalepeno pizza with nuts and dates!) Forget bi-racial; Heidy is tri-cultural (Mexian + Chinese + American) and she believes that her purpose is to unite people of all cultures through food. Without any background in Final Cut, she self-produced and self-financed the video in less than a month.

During a 3 hour conversation with Heidy last night, Heidy said that "More people have come up to me and said how much they were inspired by my commitment and passion than have actually bought or watched the DVD." The question "What's the true final product?" immediately popped into my mind. Is it the DVD itself? or is it Heidy?

Oftentimes when we create something (ie. produce a film, write an essay, organize an event, cook a meal, paint a picture, etc) or manifest an idea, we think about that which we've created as the final product. However, I've discovered that if the creation process was truly meaningful and challenging, then it is actually the creator (you) that actually gets shaped by the process. Therefore, you are also a product of the creation process, which is life.

When we hear "S/he was just a product of their environment," that implies that someone allowed the world to shape who they are by not adding to the creation process. Heidy is one of many examples of someone who by initiating her own creation process through the production of the Real People Cook DVD has:

1. helped shape the world by creating a material product, the DVD, while simultaneously
2. shaping herself through the process of creating the DVD as she seeks to reach her fullest potential, which is the final product of herself (or divine self).

All in all, the process of creation shapes the creator as much as the creator shapes the creation. So know in advance that you will be transformed through the manifestation of your ideas for the final product of all creation is you at your full potential.

Inspired by HC