THE WRITING CRAFT
I’d Rather Love it Than Crush It — Life’s Too Short to Hustle
Falling in love with writing all over again
I woke up feeling off. I pushed the feeling away, logged on to Medium, and started skimming the headlines. And there it was. The undeniable feeling of, Ugh. I don’t want to do this today. I don’t want to “hustle.”
Oh, how I loathe the term, “hustle” when it refers to working toward something. It means to hurry. Get things done. Crush it. Be the one in charge. Be the best. Power through. Keep on keeping on. Show up no matter what, even if it means propping your eyes open with toothpicks.
Some days, I find myself sitting in front of the computer and gettin’ ‘er done because there’s a should and a have to, attached to it.
What am I writing for? I ask myself. Is it recognition? Validation? Fame? Money? All of it, to some degree, and yet, I feel most on point when I’m in the flow of writing.
Are you like me? Tired of crushing it? Tired of pushing through, showing up, making lists, setting priorities, and being on 24/7?
I don’t disagree that it takes discipline to succeed. I have a sort of discipline going on, in that most days, I sit and write every morning, and most days, I produce something.
Today, I ask, is it about the process or the product? Is it true that if I enjoy what I’m doing, I’ve hit upon my purpose?
But what about today? When I just don’t feel it? Do I need to whip myself into shape?
We are inherently lazy
Studies have shown that humans are inherently lazy and that choosing to watch Netflix in your jammies over getting your writing done or working out, may be a trait left over from our ancestors’ days of conserving energy for the next hunt.
If I would get the same payoff from passively watching Netflix and eating popcorn while cozy in my fuzzy robe and slippers, as I do from a focused, hour-long writing session, which would I choose? (Today, it’d likely be the sofa and binge-watching Married at First Sight.)
But as humans, we are blessed with the pre-frontal cortex which provides us with the capacity for higher thinking and logic. We are not slaves to the lizard brain that insured our survival by speed-wiring, fight, flight, feeding, fear, freezing up, and fornication into our nervous system. We have the privilege of choosing what is best for us.
Rolling it Forward
Before I decide to do or not do something, I’ll chat with my future self. I’ll say, Judy, if you watch FB reels for half an hour, you’ll feel disconnected from your soul, disgusted by humanity, disturbed by what you see and what people consider important. You know this to be true because that is how you felt every time you sat on the sofa and scrolled through one video after another. Is that really how you want to feel?
Usually, the answer is no and I short-circuit the desire to participate in a mindless, passive activity that has no rewards.
My timing vs. God’s timing
For most of us, God’s timing often feels like a long, desperate delay. You should be further along, I often hear my inner critic lament.
Really? I snap back like a petulant six-year-old. God’s timing is always perfect. (I say this to placate myself more than anything. Of course, I’d welcome earning thousands from my writing. Wouldn’t you?)
But God, I say, I’ve worked so hard and Jane over there, look how many friends she has. She always has new ideas, and thousands of claps, her profile is so pretty and I’m in the corner, writing by myself. Don’t I deserve glitz and glamor? A teeny bit of recognition?
I imagine maintaining constant glitz and glamour isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. You’ve got to be “ON” all of the time and it’s impossible to be authentic 100% of the time without taking a break to check in and refuel.
Nature operates in rhythms. Sleep, grow, produce, slow, and repeat. Imagine a tree that has been modified to siphon all its energy into a large crown, rather than first growing healthy roots and a strong trunk. It will not last. Its foundation won’t hold the weight of the crown.
Authentic writing is not a production line. It requires practice, perseverance, and patience. I feel it in my bones when I write with a product being my focus rather than from the heart. I feel cheap.
Inspire means to take something in
Aside from validation, my primary purpose for writing is to share a story and a message; to feel the emotions that arise, and offer up something to the reader. It could be a shared experience, an aha moment, or a connection. And once I do, to give thanks for the inspiration for the idea, for it did not come from me alone.
Showing up
Every day, I want to show up respectful of the writing process, my energy, and my mood. In that order. Maybe today, I’ll write a 150-word, Shortform article highlighting a longer story I wrote when I had more energy. It’s still working on my craft, but not tapping a vein that collapsed from overuse.
It’s likely that I will always keep an eye on the product to some degree. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t. But in addition to that, my wish is to nurture the love of the process, and the joy I feel after having written.
What is your experience with writing burnout? What do you do to re-fuel and get your writing mojo back? Let us know in the comments below.
Here are some reads I enjoyed reading on Medium this past week:
Loving the stories on Medium? Reached your free reading quota? Click here and for $5 per month, you can read to your heart’s delight and support me as a writer.
