I'm still learning, even at 63 year old.
It's a simple lesson really, one I hope you'll think about for a moment. Because I think you'll get real benefit from this lesson.
Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, get a sheet of paper or maybe an envelope and find someplace quiet. Just for the amount of time it takes to finish your drink, do nothing else, think about nothing else.
Write down three good things that you've accomplished in life. Things that came about mostly because of you. Go ahead, I'll wait. ;-)
OK. Now be honest with yourself. How did you accomplish each of these? Think about what was happening at the time; before, during and when they were done. What were you thinking? Did you plan? Did you 'just do it', as an inventor friend of mine used to say?
For me, it turns out that virtually all the good things I've done in life came about because I decided I needed to get 'it' done. I needed to take a leap of faith that I could get it done. I hiked up my britches and just went for it, sometimes scared stiff that I would fail.
I can think of NOTHING good that I've done that was the result of worrying about the outcome or how I was going to do it.
Simple, right?
Too simple? Not really. Lack of confidence, for a lot of people, will keep them from enjoying a lot of life. If you don't walk through that door, you'll never see what's on the other side.
Do you want to write?
Do you worry about whether or not you're good enough, smart enough? What if people don't like your story? What if your friends laugh at it and you? What if....
Set your doubts aside. Put a lid on your bottle of worry.
Do relax.
Do enjoy a few moments everyday, writing your stories.
Do pat yourself on the back when you reread a sentence you just wrote and it's awesome!
Do let yourself finish that book and get it published.
Do celebrate the launch, even if it's only a glass of milk and some cookies.
Life is for living, my friend. Writing is living.
Just do it.
Be Cool. I look forward to your books.
