Yesterday was a wonderfully productive day, though not in the primary path I’m working on. But productivity builds confidence. I’m approaching today excited to write my short story of the week and work on deckplans, which are the two goals I set for this week.
My father used to say that nothing succeeds like success. That saying had a few meanings to him, but one of them is that arranging a pattern of success gives one the confidence to create more success.
I think this is true. So often I create nearly impossible goals so that I fail even as I succeed. Perhaps I should do the opposite: create incremental goals that I can succeed at and take the good energy from those to pour into new projects.
The writing world is filled with opportunities to write for publication. From anthologies to book publishing, the world is awash in potential. This fact makes it very tempting to take on too much. When that happens the burden of all those unrealized opportunities drag on the soul. I can feel I am always failing. This leads to depression, which kills productivity.
By contrast, a day like yesterday, filled with abundant, joyous work, lifts my spirits. I’m ready to take on the world, excited and psyched to write. I’m in the flow.
Today I’m going to keep my eyes on my own work and let myself get lost in the fertile flow of creativity. For today I’m not going to compare myself to anyone else or my progress to my loftiest goals. I’m just going to write and do the art we need for our second secret project. I’m in the game today, exulting in the fun of my writing life.
I hope you are also uplifted today with success and satisfaction. Be well, friends.