What would you do if you could do Anything?

Shooting in Bedoin, France this past September. Left to right: Director of Photography, Brook Aiken, me, and Director, Dean Del Calzo. CREDIT: Brook Aiken

The question was not, “what would you do if you had a zillion dollars?” or “if you had a super power”. (Mine would be invisibility.) It was, right now, at this point in your life, “what would you most love to do?" Earlier this year, Jay and I asked ourselves this exact question—and Anything changed everything. 

Exploring My Ikigai

Finding myself in a position to think big and deep about my career, I had become intrigued by the clarity that can come from the Japanese concept of Ikigai where you discover your reason for being, and find a path forward by considering your: Passion—What you love Mission—What the world needs Vocation—What you’re good at Profession—What you can get paid for, ‘cause you know, lattes…

My best work memories are days spent on a photo/video set or location with creative, hard-working people producing beautiful, effective, and thought-provoking work. Even during my time at Deloitte, I was fortunate to collaborate with incredible friends and crew to produce award-winning videos, short documentaries, and engaging corporate content.

Allowing everything else to fall away, the answer was clear. If I could do anything it would be storytelling through film.

And Jay? He’s a lifelong raconteur. He can enthrall you equally whether he’s telling you all about building and launching a new product or that time at school when his boa constrictor Cleopatra was lost then reappeared suddenly and startlingly. Enter Eros Over the past couple of years we’ve gotten to know another great storyteller, the larger-than-life Italian, former pro cyclist, Eros Poli. 2024 was the 30th anniversary of his unlikely Tour de France stage win on Mont Ventoux—one of the hardest climbs in the Tour— which also happens to be one of the most difficult sporting events in the world. Eros frequently shares the story of how he, a big guy built for speed on the track and the flat stages, defied all odds by climbing and winning on Mont Ventoux. We loved hearing him tell it, found it funny and inspiring, and felt a lot of other people would too.

I thought, "wait, this is a great story in a beautiful location and, if I could do anything, it would be to TELL THIS STORY as a short documentary and submit it to film festivals."

Brook shoots Eros Poli on Mont Ventoux. CREDIT: Dean Del Calzo

Thinking dangerously Here’s where it gets dangerous. Deciding to pursue this project meant investing time, money, and heart into something risky. We weren’t making money. We’d have to find sponsorship. And we weren’t sure where it would take us. As I was considering all of these possibilities, I was inspired by a young filmmaker whose passion to tell a particular story was so overwhelming, he was willing to bring all of his resources, everything he had, into making it happen. If we were serious about this, we should do the same, even if it was a risk.

Jay, as always, was fearless. He believed in the story as much as I did, and together, we committed to bringing it to life. With a few incredible filmmaking friends, and an adventurous partner on board, we set out to make this happen.

Heading into the Monday market in Bedoin at the foot of Mont Ventoux. CREDIT: Dean Del Calzo

In France And that is how, six months after sitting in my living room considering the possibilities of Anything, I found myself in the quaint village of Bedoin in Provence part of a small but passionate crew following Eros back up the mountain. Along the way, Jay crossed cycling up Mont Ventoux off his bucket list (twice) and I found myself checking boxes on my Ikigai.

Passion? Absolutely

Mission? The world needs uplifting stories of resilience and positive outcomes about now

Vocation? I’m good at this

Profession? I’m a lot of things, and one of them is a filmmaker

After shooting in France, the team traveled to Tuscany, Italy. Here we are in Lecchi in Chianti. Left to right, Me, Producer Jed Mortenson, inGAMBA marketing guru, Leesa Eichberger, Executive Producer, Jay Crain, and Director, Dean Del Calzo. CREDIT: Brook Aiken

There’s no moral here, and the story isn’t over. While there are certainly dreamy aspects, honestly, this hasn’t been easy. All sorts of expensive, deadline-pushing things we couldn’t have anticipated have, and continue, to crop up. We’re still elbow-deep in editing this film that we can’t wait to share with everyone. But I’m already proud of one thing: I’m actually doing the thing I said I’d do if I could do Anything. And, if life really is about the journey, then this has already been one hell of a ride.

What's your anything? Maybe it’s closer than you think. Maybe it starts like I did. Thinking a little dangerously.