Monday, June 6, 2011

Day 7 - #Trust30 writing challenge

Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson


Day 7 prompt

Matt Cheuvront - Dare To Be Bold

“Next to Resistance, rational thought is the artist or entrepreneurs worst enemy. Bad things happen when we employ rational thought, because rational thought comes from the ego. Instead, we want to work from the Self, that is, from instinct and intuition, from the unconscious.

A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. Its only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” - Steven Pressfield, Do the Work

The idea of “being realistic” holds all of us back. From starting a business or quitting a job to dating someone who may not be our type or moving to a new place – getting “real” often means putting your dreams on hold.

Today, let’s take a step away from rational thought and dare to be bold. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue? Write it down. Also write down the obstacles in your way of reaching your goal. Finally, write down a tangible plan to overcome each obstacle.

The only thing left is to, you know, actually go make it happen. What are you waiting for?

I really need to stop saving these for the evening.  Its getting harder to put my all into it when I'm tired from a long day, but here goes.  What is something I've always wanted to accomplish but have been too afraid to pursue?  Hmm...... Just one thing?  Ah, what the hell, I'm just going to say it.  I've always wanted to be a real writer.  I want to write a book.  There! I said it.  I wrote it!  Or rather, I typed it.  I'll write it down when I'm done here.

Obstacles in my way?  Me, me and me.  Yup! I'm the only thing that stands in my way.  If I stepped out of the way I could work on things like learning how to write.  (I guess its a good idea to have good grammar and punctuation skills.)  I lack these things, but they aren't obstacles.  I can improve those skills.  I can learn anything that I need to learn to be a writer.  However, not if I am standing in the doorway blocking the entrance.  Remove my fear and I can do anything.

So that brings me to a tangible plan to overcome these obstacles.  Easy peasy.  Step down out of the way.  Quit blocking the door so that I can step through it and see what becoming a real writer looks and feels like.  I know it will be a lot of work and it will take time, but I've got time and I can do the work.  I just got goosebumps.  How exciting to know that I can do anything. 

When I let myself. 

Just my thoughts.

This has been day #5 of the #Trust30 writing challenge. #Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey. You can see the details here.

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