Today we’d like to introduce you to Cinzi Lavin
Hi Cinzi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Manhattan and raised in Texas, which provided me with a lot of perspective on American ideology. My family were European monarchists who fled to the U.S. before the second World War, so I grew up in a mixed culture. That may explain why so much of my work revolves around uniquely American subjects, such as my biographical musical drama about Captain Joshua James, the so-called father of the U.S. Coast Guard, or my novels, The Taciturn Sky and Nemesis of the Great, that deal with the twilight of American aristocracy; my play Dividing Line addresses Indigenous land rights. I’m especially honored that several genealogical heritage societies whose members are descendants of this country’s founders have chosen to recognize me for my contribution to American culture.
As a musical dramatist, playwright, and author, my career is a combination of everything that came before: experience as an actress, singer, theatrical producer, instrumentalist, choral conductor, educator, and composer. I became a professional musician in my teens, working regularly while I was still in high school, and despite having no formal education in music, in 2010, I performed by invitation at the White House.
I’m very proud of the diversity amongst those who enjoy my work, and I feel a tremendous sense of loyalty towards my fans. I’m truly honored to be inspiring and educating people, opening their minds to what is possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My book, Making Bread Out of Straw: Achieving Success with Almost Nothing by Helping Others, Thinking Creatively, and Ignoring Obstacles is all about my experience in overcoming struggles.
Just because something is universally acknowledged doesn’t mean it’s real. Obstacles—and I don’t even like using the word—fit squarely into that category. Sometimes they’re imposed from without, but often, they’re created in our own minds, or the minds of those around us.
People like to be helpful—bless their hearts—and some of the worst and most fearsome obstacles you’ll ever encounter are generated by well-meaning people in your midst. They offer up these obstacles as a way of protecting us from disappointment, or getting us prepared to deal with them. Their intentions are good, but that means little if they unwittingly construct a stumbling-block and warn us of its supposed existence, getting us to buy in to their fear.
Someone once pointed out that it’s very easy to envision exactly how things will go wrong. Within seconds, we can create an idea of the very worst happening in such realistic shades that we actually experience a physical response, such as tightening of the stomach or increased heart-rate. Meanwhile, if we ask ourselves to picture everything turning out wonderfully, it’s much harder.
Making something out of nothing may already be a skill you’ve perfected, just in the wrong way. You may be making mountains out of molehills, seeing impediments to your success or possibly creating them out of thin air. Now if you can just use the same mental process to do that with success, seeing advantages and opportunities everywhere, you’re all set.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m probably best known for the variety of genres in which I work (plays, musicals, novels, non-fiction, composing) and the diversity of subjects I choose. I’ve done biographical musicals about the father of the U.S. Coast Guard and a pacifist Japanese animator who became famous during WWII. I wrote a thriller featuring an LGBTQ+ main character, and a play about Indigenous land rights.
A great deal of my work is historically based, and often has to do with uniquely American subjects.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Persistence.
One of my favorite quotes is “In the battle between the rock and the stream, the stream wins, not because of strength, but because of persistence.”
Anyone who gives up forfeits knowing how close they were to succeeding. Once you develop the outlook that it’s essential to keep going–even if you’re only measuring success in inches rather than yards–you become unstoppable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cinzilavin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinzi_lavin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CinziLavinOfficialFacebook/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinzilavin/
- Other: BOOKS BY CINZI LAVIN: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cinzi-Lavin/author/B08WJH8ST5
Image Credits
Anna Zuckerman-Vdovenko @AZV PHOTO/MEDIA
