The Scariest Moment

You know that thing you need to do? That thing that scares you? That thing that everything within you dreads doing?

That thing is only scary and fills you with fear because you haven’t jumped in. You haven’t started yet. 

“The scariest moment,” King said, “is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”

Most of the things we dread don’t turn out as terrible when we get up close and personal with them. Once you overcome your fear and begin things only improve. 

So hear’s to getting started. To rolling up your sleeves and taking the first step. That's the hardest part. It's all down hill after that.

On the other side of that first step is the freedom that comes from beating fear. The freedom that comes from engaging discipline and doing things inspite of fear. 

Thinking About Vomit Can Make You a Better Writer

“There was no hesitation as I vomited.” Pamela Hodges said. You don't read opening sentences like that often. For some reason, few writers choose to lead with vomit. There is something about that word that packs a punch. I couldn’t turn away from a blog post opening with such vivid imagery. My inner child no doubt was jumping up and down with glee. Grabbing the reader's attention is key, and Pamela had done her job.

It took only seven words to reel me in. There wasn’t a chance I was going to miss seeing how this story played out. What followed was a torrent of writing advice I need to remind myself of on a regular basis.

Don’t think, write. This is my number one struggle. Most writing sessions comprise a dance with words on a screen that’s painful to watch, much less perform. I start and stop, pause and think, delete and rewrite. It is a wonder I ever finish a piece of writing.

‘When you write a first draft,” Pamela said, “you have one mission: Get your words on the page.” Nothing else matters during your time behind the keyboard. You go in with a blank page and work to fill it with words that convey real, deep emotion and truth.

You’re not there to mess around, play games or kill time. You’re there to write.

What makes this so hard? Why is our writing life overflowing with moment after moment of head-numbingly painful episode after episode?

We want everything to come out perfect the first time. If anyone asked, we wouldn’t admit it, but deep down that's exactly what we want.  

“No wonder you tighten;” as William Zinsser said, “you are so busy thinking of your awesome responsibility to the finished article that you can’t even start.” It’s this preoccupation with perfection that keeps us from moving forward.

We’re many things, but perfect isn’t one of them. Perfection is a crazy standard we’ve got to let go of. We must ‘embrace the suck’ as I once heard a guy say. We have to be ok with our first draft being terrible. It’s a first draft for a reason. It gives us the chance to say everything we’re thinking without fear.

Writing is a process consisting of two parts; writing and editing. We can make it more complicated, but at its heart, these two remain. Despite what mom told us, we can’t do two things at once. Multi-tasking isn’t a real thing. It’s only a way to look busy without getting stuff done.

Why do we suppose writing is any different?

It’s not. Trying to edit while your write, will only lead to heartache and frustration.

So what’s a guy to do?

“Writers, never waste a good first draft,” Jon Acuff said, “by trying to edit as you write it. Get it out first. Cover the page, don’t correct the page.” Let it all hangout. Write whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or anything else except trapping everything swimming around in your head on the page. You can return to tinker, fiddle and fix it later, but approach your first draft without hesitation.

The next time you sit down to write, give it a try. Write for ten minutes without correcting or editing anything that comes out. Let your mistakes remain on the page. Focus on writing, editing can come later.

Four Things That Will Increase The Likelihood of Working On Your Dream

Tim Ferriss has a phenomenal podcast, on which he peels back the layers on today’s top performers. He scores big name guests like Kevin Costner, Jamie Fox, Malcolm Gladwell and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Each intriguing conversation yields powerful advice and entertaining stories you can learn from.

I’ve listened to The Tim Ferriss Show, since reading The Four Hour Work Week a few years back. That book was so helpful and inspiring in my journey from corporate life to small business owner. Tim’s podcast has been little different. Each time I throw my headphones in I find something of value and interest, no matter the subject or guest. A few of my favorite episodes are conversations with Mike Rowe, Pavel Tsatsouline, Kevin Costner, and Derek Sivers.

I'm taking a page from Tim in today's post. I'm sharing the tips, routines and habits that constitute my writing life. I’m not a big-time author, published writer or anything close to famous. I’m a guy dedicated to his craft, seeking to get better every day and who wants to help you do the same. What follows are thoughts and snapshots of my world, I hope you find it helpful.

Get Out of Bed

For most of my life, getting out of bed has been a struggle. In middle school and high school, this was especially true. My mom would have to poke and prod me for what seemed like hours to get me up each morning. In college, little was different. I would stay up far too late and sleep as much as I could the following day. On more than one occasion, I slept through my 7 or 8 am classes. I lacked the self-discipline and drive to get up early.

Then came real life and with it the responsibility and accountability of my first job. I couldn’t hit the snooze, roll over and sleep in any longer. I had a defined place I had to be each morning. Being late, was no longer an option. This change was good for me. When I had a reason to be up, and a plan for what I was going to do, getting up wasn’t a big deal.

I roll out of bed at 5:30 am, most days. I walk to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of bulletproof coffee and sit down at my computer to write. I write until my wife gets up at 6:30 am. At which time I pour a second cup of coffee and spend thirty minutes to an hour reading God’s word. By 8:00 am I’ve written for an hour, spent 30 minutes to an hour in the Bible and walked our two sweet pups. I’m locked and loaded to start my work day.

I treasure this morning routine. It feeds my soul and helps me win the day. Before I started this routine, I struggled to find the time to write. Attempting to fit writing into any other corner of my day wasn’t working. Too much was going on once the work day started to squeeze writing time into the day.

Then it hit me. I could be selfish at 5:30 am. There would be nothing to distract me. No email, phone calls, or meetings. I could work on exactly what I wanted and that’s exactly what I did. I started getting up early.  

No matter how crazy my day gets or what curve balls get thrown my way, I will have spent time working on something personal. The craziness of life no longer remains an excuse for not getting things done. Of course, I miss days here and there. Maybe we were up late shooting a wedding, or traveling with family and I don’t get up as early. Grace abounds in those circumstances. I’m not going to beat myself up for sleeping in, I’ll just make sure I get up the next day. Getting out of bed and tackling a small piece of writing each day has become too important.

Prime the Pump     

I enjoy watching good movies on the couch with my wife but would rather read a good book if given the choice. Reading fuels my writing. It gives me ideas to ponder, words to look up and examples to follow. “If you don't have time to read,” Stephen King said, “you don't have the time (or the tools) to write.”  I’ve taken King at his word and have come to agree. As a writer, you prime the pump by reading good and sometimes bad writing.

“You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life.” Austin Kleon said, “You are the sum of your influences.” Reading is only one form of input. If you are going to grow as a writer, you are going to need more influences than great books. You’re going to need to fill your mind with exciting and fun experiences, music, and more. It is from this well, your ideas spring.

I call this priming the pump. Before any bit of writing goes out into the world countless hours get spent hiking, listening and reading. Input precedes output. We must tend to the things that influence what we create if we want to improve our creative endeavors.

Do Something Every Day

“What you do each day,” Sonia Samone said, “becomes what you did last year.” The truth is, the things you get done, come down to the small habits and routines you do daily. Change and growth are incrementally obtained. The only way I know to get something written is to sit down and write. There isn’t a hidden formula. You have to actually write.

The things you’re good at in life, take time and practice. Writing is no different. If you want to improve and get more out there into the world, you must consistently write. You need to be writing every day. The time of day isn’t important, time spent writing is.

As I’ve shared, I write daily. Writing daily doesn’t mean publishing daily. I write many things that will never see the light of day, most of it for good reason. For every one good page of writing, I stumble upon, there are dozens of terrible ones. You don’t get to write only good things, often the road to the good runs through the bad along the way.

“You always throw out your first pancake,” Seth Godin said, “so get cooking.” Don’t let a few mangled sentences and dry prose stop you, keep at it. Show up every day committed to your task. Do the work required. If writing is an inspired thing, make yourself easy for inspiration to find. Consistency is inspiration’s best friend; they hang out a lot.  

Don’t Think About the Final Product

Few things suck the life out of the act of writing or creative work quite like the tyranny of the finished product. You have this picture of what it’ll look like, what people will say about it and even how it’ll improve your reputation. No wonder you tighten up and have trouble finding the ‘right’ words. You’re so concerned with the final product, that you can’t get anything done.

Pay little attention to your finished product while working. Get your idea on paper or canvas. Vomit it all up on the page, every last piece. Once you’ve got it all out there, you can then go about the work of crafting it. The best way I know to write is to work without the end in mind. I don’t develop any preconceived notions of what completion will mean.

What I’ve given you here is one aspiring writer’s guide. It isn’t definitive or even groundbreaking. It’s a quick run through a few of the habits and routines I use for writing.

1. Get up early

2. Read a lot

3. Write every day

4. Don’t focus on the final product

These four steps have helped me grow and develop as a writer. It's my hope they’ll do the same for you, whatever your creative goals may be.

Where Do You Find Inspiration?

“Every artist,” Austin Kleon said, “gets asked the question, “Where do your ideas come from?” The honest artist answers, “I steal them.” Inspiration is that spark of genius that sets your heart to racing, and your hands to moving. It propels you forward as you strive to create something genuine and true. At least, that’s the way I see it. You may have a varying take on what inspiration is, but there it is striking as it will. It has no master, no owner. It comes and goes as it wishes, leaving behind only that which we make of it.

My sister-in-law gave me a copy of Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon for Christmas. I’ll share some of what I’m enjoying and learning from this great read with you in a few weeks. Today I want to talk about another product Austin’s put out there, The Steal Like An Artist Journal. It's filled with exercises and creativity prompts to bring out the creative in each of us. I noticed it online while reading Steal Like An Artist, and decided to order it.

I’ve always struggled to call myself an artist, writer, or creative. It’s been a lack of confidence on my part, with a dash of imposter syndrome thrown in for flavor. Who am I to publish? Who am I to claim the mantle of an artist? Doubts like these have plagued me, as I’m sure they have you at one point in your life.

The greatest help I've found is to show up every day and put something down on paper. It gives me confidence, and hope that I’m getting better. Sitting down to create something—anything—is more important that the finished product. The journey is more important than the destination.

The journal has served as a helpful tool in training my mind to be on the lookout for new and different ideas. To make connections between things that at first glance have nothing in common. “We are all having ideas all the time.” Philip Pullman said, “But I’m on the lookout for them. You’re not.”

The Steal Like An Artist Journal has helped me improve at being on the lookout for good ideas. In short, it is where inspiration finds me each morning before I write.

Enough about me and my journey for one day. What about you? Where do you find inspiration? Are there any tools, or routines that you find helpful?

Story: The Amazing Fall of '69

October 1969, New York City

Patrick stood there stunned, not moving a muscle. He was still breathing as well as he could tell. He wasn’t dead, he was sure of that—or else heaven looked a lot like his favorite bar on 53rd & Lex. He grabbed an arm hair and gave it a yank, he wasn’t dreaming either. No, it had to of happened. The Mets had won the series. 

Patrick loved baseball and started following the team in ‘62. After averaging over a hundred losses per year since he hadn’t entered the summer with high hopes. Each night he’d meet Bill, Stu, and Bruce at his favorite pub on 53rd to have a few beers and watch the game. The Mets usually resembled the Three Stooges more than a professional baseball team. 

“How,” Patrick had said, “could they be this bad?” 

“It’s like they do this stuff on purpose,” Stu said, “every night for the past six years. They ain’t never had a winning season.” 

“Yeah and it looks like, they won’t have one this year either.” Bill now chiming in, “I’ll have another beer Tommy, maybe it’ll help me forget all about this team.” 

“Remind me.” Bruce said, “Why we watch these guys instead of the Yankees? The Yanks at least win.” 

“Didn’t they win,” Patrick asked, “back to back titles back a few years back?” 

“In ‘61 & ‘62 yeah,” Stu replied, “but, they ain’t our team. You don’t go jumping from team to team, they got a name for fans like that you know.” 

“Uh huh, but this team stinks.” Bruce said, “I mean really stinks. They don’t have a shot at ever winning a title.”  

“Maybe, but they're at least close to .500 this year.” Tommy the bartender jumping in, “Better than last year.” 

Patrick and the guys had gone back and forth all summer. One thing they had all been sure of, was that the Mets weren’t ever going to win the series. How could they? The Mets had exactly zero winning seasons, since arriving in Queens. Most of the way through the summer it didn’t look like this year would be any different. Forty-one games into the season, the team was hovering around .500 with an 18-23 record. 

“Go, go, go!,” Patrick said, “They're waiving him around third. He’s gonna score, he’s gonna score. The throw. The slide. YES, YES, SAFE!” 

“Ahhh! I can’t believe it.” Stu said, “I simply can’t believe it.” 

Everyone else in the bar was going as crazy. The Mets had managed to pull off what seemed impossible two weeks earlier, they’d started winning. In the intervening weeks between that late night and the bar and this one, they’d won eleven in a row. 

“It’ll never last.” Bruce said, “They’ll find someway to ruin it, always do.” 

“Oh, shut up Bruce,” Stu said, “You don’t have to be such a downer. Enjoy the damn streak like the rest of us.”

“Just watch,” Bruce replied, “Wait and see.” 

“I for one,” Patrick said, “Don’t care if they lose the rest of the way. I’m going to enjoy this one. It’s the most remarkable turn around I think I’ve ever seen.”        

The guys would continue to argue back and forth over the several weeks. That’s what men do in bars. It’s crazy what a little winning will do though. They had a new pep in their step, and something positive to look forward to each night at the bar.