"VISION: Even if the way forward is unclear, we must still build the bridges to reach what lies ahead."*
I'm sorry, what? What does that mean? I mean, yes, I understand the use of metaphor or whatever but my point is, how does that help me in my day-to-day life? In what I'm doing right now? It doesn't. Thus, I don't like them. I'm much more partial to the hilarious--and, all too often, more realistic--gems at www.despair.com.
However, a strange thing happened today. I saw a motivational poster that...wait for it...motivated me. Well, perhaps that's not the correct word, but the point is, I connected with it.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Winners never quit and quitters never win"? Yeah, how does that make you feel? Because it makes me feel like saying a big "fuck you." I'm trying to win at something here. Quite a few things, actually, but we'll focus on writing for the sake of brevity. I'm trying to "win" at writing - to write a truly great story, to get it published, to get it in the hands of thousands of people across the world and have it reach into their chests and fucking pull at them.
But you know what? This business of writing, of telling the true story, it's hard sometimes. I lose perspective. I don't know what the future will hold. Sometimes I feel like quitting--in a way. I've never had the urge to stop writing, but there are ways of quitting without walking away from something entirely, if you know what I'm saying (which I hope you do, because that's a whole other post). I want to put this particular story aside. I don't want to keep the promise I made myself today, or this week. I want to give in to the temptation of the voice that tells me my first book isn't good enough and that the rejections are right and that I'll never land an agent. And so on.
And sometimes I do those things, for a while.
Does that mean I'll never win? Oh, really? Here. Let me carve open my chest so it's easier for you to rip out my heart.
The poster I saw today said something different. It said, "Winners may rest but they never quit." Ah. Now that is something different. Now, I am okay. I have not yet lost. I have not quit. I have rested from time to time. I have pushed and pushed until I reach a breaking point, small or large, and I've rest accordingly. But my determination never really wavers. I can feel it simmering beneath the fatigue, beneath the despair and the false longing for the old, quiet times that were free of this responsibility to win.
I am still a winner, so far. I am learning, struggling, triumphing, toiling, learning, and, sometimes, resting. But still winning.
*Poster from www.motiv8-usa.com
However, a strange thing happened today. I saw a motivational poster that...wait for it...motivated me. Well, perhaps that's not the correct word, but the point is, I connected with it.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Winners never quit and quitters never win"? Yeah, how does that make you feel? Because it makes me feel like saying a big "fuck you." I'm trying to win at something here. Quite a few things, actually, but we'll focus on writing for the sake of brevity. I'm trying to "win" at writing - to write a truly great story, to get it published, to get it in the hands of thousands of people across the world and have it reach into their chests and fucking pull at them.
But you know what? This business of writing, of telling the true story, it's hard sometimes. I lose perspective. I don't know what the future will hold. Sometimes I feel like quitting--in a way. I've never had the urge to stop writing, but there are ways of quitting without walking away from something entirely, if you know what I'm saying (which I hope you do, because that's a whole other post). I want to put this particular story aside. I don't want to keep the promise I made myself today, or this week. I want to give in to the temptation of the voice that tells me my first book isn't good enough and that the rejections are right and that I'll never land an agent. And so on.
And sometimes I do those things, for a while.
Does that mean I'll never win? Oh, really? Here. Let me carve open my chest so it's easier for you to rip out my heart.
The poster I saw today said something different. It said, "Winners may rest but they never quit." Ah. Now that is something different. Now, I am okay. I have not yet lost. I have not quit. I have rested from time to time. I have pushed and pushed until I reach a breaking point, small or large, and I've rest accordingly. But my determination never really wavers. I can feel it simmering beneath the fatigue, beneath the despair and the false longing for the old, quiet times that were free of this responsibility to win.
I am still a winner, so far. I am learning, struggling, triumphing, toiling, learning, and, sometimes, resting. But still winning.
*Poster from www.motiv8-usa.com
2 comments:
Brilliant and inspiring :)
Just like you! :)
Hope you guys are well...
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