7 Running Quotes To Help You Hack Writer’s Block

“The moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow.” Henry David Thoreau

Let’s face it- writing can be tough. It can, on some days seem to be more of a marathon than a sprint. On other days the words flow from mind to keyboard effortlessly.

I write and I run and I have noticed similarities between the two ventures. Running, is a process of discovery, of healing and growth. It is magical, hypnotic and mind-expanding. And so is writing.

You can run in solitude or with a group, you can run a sprint or endure a marathon. You can write when you are sad, happy, inspired and inflated. Both activities leave you drained, help you sleep better and enhance your relationship with yourself. Any problem can be solved by a good run as well as a good writing session.

From Haruki Murakami to Ryan Holiday, Jeff Goins and Joyce Carol all appreciate the importance of running to help clear the fog and move their stories along.

Below is a collection of quotes from great writers to help you finish your article.

1.“As a runner, the real race is getting up and running every single day. Life is the marathon. The same is true in writing”. Ryan Holiday

If you want to see results, you need to show up every single day. Each day you show up builds your muscles, strengthens your resolve and helps you develop a focus for the long run.

2. “The moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow.”Henry David Thoreau

One foot after another, deep breath in and out, sometimes it can be difficult and sometimes it can be easy. You can’t question whether you are doing it right or wrong, you just have to keep going. The same is true with writing; you need to type one word after the other for the ideas to flow.

3.“A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk.”Helen Dunmore

Stepping away from your copy helps you find new connections to ideas, to structure a thought differently and tighten sentences. As you are out running your mind is busy at work forming connections you might have missed as you were writing. Running acts as the catalyst to the ideas that were marinating in your mind.

4.“In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.”― Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

There is only one person you need to compete with: yourself. You need to compete with the version of you that showed up yesterday, to tweak the process and learn new ways of getting better. Each day is an opportunity to better yourself.

5.“The twin activities of running and writing keep the writer reasonably sane and with the hope, however illusory and temporary, of control.” Joyce Carol Oates

Life can be unpredictable, messy and dark. Your best-laid plans might flop in ways you had not foreseen. But in between the stimuli and your response you get the choice to control your reaction. And therein lies your power. In writing and running you get to step away from the heat of the moment; to find solutions to the problems you are facing.

6.“If you don’t acquire the discipline to push through a personal low point, you will miss the reward that comes with persevering. Running taught me the discipline I need as a writer”. Jeff Goins

The challenges we face can feel insurmountable and we might be tempted to give up. But in pushing past the pain and discomfort, we are building resilience and patience. Through running, writers deepen their ability to focus on a single, consuming task and enter a new state of mind entirely. The deliberate act of moving forward each day reminds you that everything will work out in the end.

7.“For me, running is both exercise and a metaphor. Running day after day, piling up the races, bit by bit I raise the bar, and by clearing each level I elevate myself. At least that’s why I’ve put in the effort day after day: to raise my level…The point is whether or not I improved over yesterday.”Haruki Murakami

Word by word, mile by mile. All you can do is trust the process and put in the work despite your doubts, excuses, and fears. Once you start the fear begins to dissipate. You realize that the only way to finish an article or a race is to start. Just take one step and keep at it.

Creation, self-awareness and freedom. Running offers writers escape with purpose.

You start with a blank page or a blank trail and end up with a creation of your own.

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As always thanks for reading. Keep the comments and corrections coming.

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