ANECDOTE
I stopped to get a cup of coffee this morning and overheard two people in line behind me talking about the books they’re working on.
One said, “Wow, writing is such a grind.”
The other nodded and chimed in with how no one understands how hard it is to write and how long it takes to write a good book, etc.
I wanted to whisper to them, “Writing isn’t supposed to be a grind, coffee is.”
Einstein said we can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that caused it.
We also can’t solve a problem with the same language that caused it.
As long as we perceive writing as a grind, that’s what it’ll be.
As authors and creatives, we have a responsibility to ourselves and our body of work to change our language so it helps vs. hurts.
Next time you throw writing under the bus, do a pattern interrupt.
Shift to how grateful you are for this magical ability to express yourself in a way that reaches and benefits people around the world … in perpetuity.
Promise to never again take this mini-miracle for granted.
Writing is a gift, not a grind.
ACTION
What words are you using that make your work feel harder than it needs to be?
Next time you notice those words coming up, try a pattern interrupt. What could you say instead that reminds you of the gift, instead of the grind?
P.S. Yes, if we replace the word WRITING with LIFE, this observation still applies.