CREATIVE ADVENTURES — 59
Imagine That You Will Write Or Die
In this exercise, you will imagine that you will write right now, or you will die. In a way, this is true anyway. If we do not write and create regularly, there will come a day that we will die without sharing our stories with the world. I believe withholding our stories from the world is a tremendous waste of our talent and creativity. That is why I present some writing exercises today that will create urgency for you.
Please respond to the following prompts:
- Go to the Write or Die website. This website has an unforgiving app that forces you to write. If you stop writing or pause long, it will start deleting what you have written. So, this is a harsh writing experience where you are practically writing with a virtual gun to your head. If you find yourself distracted or procrastinating, consider using radical methods like this one. This is surely scary and it is not a pleasant experience. However, who says writing should be a pleasant experience? Perhaps you need to start writing automatically and jump into the process without waiting for inspiration. I want you to practice writing on this website for a minimum of one hour — you can customize your settings and set your own targets. If you are seriously stuck and you cannot think of anything, consider writing some anchor phrases or swearwords in order to save yourself from losing your written words.
- Imagining your own death is immensely powerful: It helps you to prioritize and focus on things that really matter in your life. What are the most important things in your life? What do you want to accomplish before you die? Make your own bucket list.
- Now, imagine that you are dead. Create your ideal obituary. Look back at your life and what you did with your time in this world. Imagine that you lived your fully — without any embarrassment, petty hassles, and fear. This will be your fantasy life driven by mission, contribution, creativity, freedom, entrepreneurial drive, and courage. Imagine that you learned and created a lot. For example, you could imagine that you have written many articles and books that inspired millions of people. You could imagine you have established an amazing company that made the world a better place. Write down all your dreams you wish to realize. Be courageous and fearless putting your desires into this obituary.
- Now that you have written your ideal obituary and reflected on your ideal life, what changes do you need to make in your current life? Think of at least 30 ideas and actions you can take forward. Write them in your diary.
- Now, please write a letter to yourself on how you can actually enact and live this ideal life. How can you make your life fascinating, colorful, impactful, creative, and adventurous, one day at a time? Create your own mindset and philosophy in this long letter.
- Write your own laws and principles to turn this life into reality. How many laws do you have? Summarize your insights, ideas, and principles. Have fun as you create your own quotes. This will be your manifesto. Turn it into a poster and put it on your wall.
- Create your own legacy box that you wish to leave for your beloved ones. In this box, you will write and leave letters for your beloved ones. You might also include your will, trust, certificates, memories, and passwords. Write a letter to someone you love.
- Write the story of your life. You can write this in a series of Medium blog posts. Make sure you include significant events, turning points, unforgettable memories, lessons, insights, and wisdom.