Saturday, February 4, 2017

Writing and other projects

Any time I have been engaged in a big project, especially a creative one, I have reached a certain point. 

At that point, it feels like I can look back and see the starting line way closer than I hoped. When I look the other direction, there is neither a finish line nor a guarantee that there even will be one. For all I know, the path ends after a blind corner and a steep drop. 

It's miserable. 

I doubt if I can finish the project. And then I go ahead and doubt if it will be worth a damn even if I do manage to finish it. 

I just want to quit. 

There are a thousand more enjoyable things I could be doing. I could sit back, pop open a tasty adult beverage and watch TV. I could go see a movie. I could take videos of the cat and post them on the Internet. 

These moments, and there are many, are the reason why most people never write a book or run a marathon, or climb a mountain. Because these things are hard, really hard. At various times they suck profoundly. 
 
This is where I try to think about the long game. I think it will hurt more to someday wonder if I could have done than it would to try, even if I fail, and find out.

So what can you do to get past these times? What can I do?

One positive thing. 

One more word written. Sure it's a terrible word that obviously doesn't go there, but write it anyway. Sure the pace for that last mile was well behind goal marathon pace and it's only a five miler, but run it anyway. One positive thing. 

Just enough to say you are still doing it. And, if it turns into a full sentence or another mile or another climb, awesome. 
 
After all, how do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.