I’d Rather Be On The Beach Right Now

Summary

The author, René Junge, expresses the dedication required to pursue writing seriously, despite the daily temptations and the inherent difficulty of the craft, emphasizing that the fulfillment of writing outweighs the allure of leisure activities.

Abstract

René Junge reflects on the sacrifices and challenges of a writer's life, acknowledging that writing is often difficult and can be less appealing than alternative activities such as going to the beach. Despite this, Junge underscores the necessity of consistent effort and the rejection of an amateur mindset for those who wish to write professionally. The author shares a personal aversion to the predictability and lack of challenge experienced during 15 years as an employee and contrasts this with the self-determined, yet demanding, life of a writer. The article concludes with the affirmation that writing, despite its challenges, remains a chosen and fulfilling path for the author.

Opinions

Writing is a serious endeavor that requires discipline and hard work, with the author suggesting that it is a challenging task on nine out of ten days.
The author values the fulfillment from writing over the temporary pleasures of leisure activities, indicating a commitment to personal growth and challenge.
The article conveys a disdain for a monotonous and unchallenging life, as exemplified by the author's past experience as an employee.
The author believes that life is too short to be dictated by random whims and emphasizes the importance of making deliberate choices about how to spend one's time.
René Junge cherishes the freedom and responsibility that come with being a writer, viewing it as a self-imposed job that provides meaning and purpose.
The author implies that the ease of writing on any given day is built upon the foundational work laid on the harder days.
The article suggests that personal and professional fulfillment comes from embracing challenges and avoiding boredom and stagnation.

But I decided to write instead. That’s exactly what writing is all about if you take it seriously. You cut back, you work your way through it, and in the end, you’re rewarded.

Today it’s the beautiful weather trying to lure me away from my laptop. On other days there is a film I would like to watch, or the sofa looks very seductive.

On nine out of ten days, writing is hard. That’s why amateurs don’t write nine days out of ten. But if you want to make a living from writing, you can’t act like an amateur.

I could tell my wife right now that I’ve written so much in the last few days that I can take a day off from work today. Then I would sit on the terrace and have a glass of wine while the sun shines in my face.

Isn’t life too short to deny yourself such moments of relaxation and enjoyment?

I think life is too short to let random whims determine its fate.

Nine days out of ten, writing is hard. But the one day when it is easy comes only when you have laid the foundations on the other days. Besides, something that is hard is by no means unbearable.

If we would never challenge ourselves in life, one day would be like the other, and we would always be the same. At some point, you begin to be bored with yourself. The moment when you realize that boredom is the order of the day is the moment when you should react and look for a new challenge.

I would rather be sitting on the beach right now. But I’m not ready to live a life that would allow me to do that. That would be the life of an employee who can just go to the beach after work because he has nothing important to do.

I’ve lived this life for almost 15 years, and I hated it. I knew how much money I’d get at the end of the month, what time I’d have to be in the office in the morning, and precisely what I had to do.

There were no surprises, no challenge, and no adventure. After work, the only thing left to do was to escape boredom and fill your life with something until the next day when work started again.

Going to the beach was one of those things I could do to escape the emptiness and monotony.

Would I really rather be at the beach now? I think maybe not.

Here, in front of my laptop, I am where I always wanted to be and where I belong. The beach will get its chance when I finish the work I’ve chosen for myself. Because that’s what I’ve done: I’ve created my own job.

Nine days out of ten, writing is hard. But ten days out of ten, it’s still what I want to do.

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I’d Rather Be On The Beach Right Now

But I decided to write instead. That’s exactly what writing is all about if you take it seriously. You cut back, you work your way through it, and in the end, you’re rewarded.

Showing Up Makes All The Difference For An Artist

Between gifted talent and perseverance, I would always choose the latter.

If you want to be a writer, you can’t always have a clean home.

Or an impressive handicap in golf or high rank in World of Warcraft.