Say yes, but don't do it

Mel Brooks on protecting your art

Mel Brooks has a suggestion for dealing with bosses and other people who just don’t get it — You say yes, and you never do it.

When told to fire Gene Wilder on the set of “The Producers,” Brooks said, “Yes, he’s gone. I’m firing him,” but never did. When the head of Warner Brothers said “No farting” in Blazing Saddles, Brooks said “It’s out,” but we all know how that ended up.

When it came to making his films, he knew that clinging to his vision and fending off those worried about ratings and palatability would make for the best work. He just had to buy some time until the moment passed and he could continue in the original direction.

We don’t all have the luxury of forgetful bosses or prior success, but the technique still holds for protecting your creative identity and saving your strength for the right battles. While Brooks actually did these things on the job, taking notes from producers and throwing them out on the way back to the set, naysayers can pop up anywhere. The counterintuitive key is taking the easy way out of these confrontations so you can get back to the hard work of making your art.

So say yes to the people who need attention, to the conversations that will drain your energy if you say more, and get back to creating whatever it is you want to create. It might be friends, family, critics, or even inner demons. Mel’s advice?

Don’t fight them. Don’t waste your time struggling with them and trying to make sense to them. They’ll never understand.