Passion, persistence and perseverance.
If at first you don’t succeed then try again. This is all
very well, however, the word ‘trying’ implies forced effort and repeating the
same type of effort. The image of a blue bottle colliding repetitiously with a
window comes to mind. If I have learned anything, then doing the same thing over
and over again never enables a different outcome. So if at first you don’t
succeed, find another way to do what you love or an alternative route to the
success you desire.
So what is the success you desire? Why are you doing what
you are doing? Is it because you desire a certain outcome? Is that specific
outcome realistic? If that outcome does not happen then would you still do what
you do for the enjoyment of it? If the answer is yes then you can stop trying
and simply enjoy your creation as you enjoy the journey to your intended
outcome. If the answer is no, then do you carry the belief that without pain
there is no gain? Do you really have to put yourself through pain to achieve
your goal? Really? If there is pain aren’t you likely to stop? Isn’t that when
the mistakes happen? Obviously the old cliché of learning from your ‘mistakes’ is
always apt for progress. Yet mistakes don’t always have to be painful. Instead they
can be regarded as diversions - where you come to a road-block and are enabled
to experience something new or an alternative way of doing things. Another
thing to consider is what you consider a mistake. Personally I don’t generally
consider any part of working on what is essentially a passion a mistake unless
I don’t enjoy it. So what if what you are creating is not internationally successful
over night? Isn’t it about the joy of creation?
So with regards to passion and perseverance, this is also
how we perceive what we want to achieve. In the last years I have come to the
conclusion that the time I spend writing is more about having the opportunity
to step into my creative landscape. At one time I would have felt as though I
was pulling a jumbo jet up a mountain using a rope because of the unrealistic
expectations I had on myself. That has since transformed and nothing about
creation is a chore, instead it is a joy. That was the pain that I was causing
myself by have huge expectations of sales and general concepts of success. When
I shifted those expectations I realised I simply loved writing stories and
putting them out in the world. Writing became easy because there was no
pressure. Of course, that is when the shift began and books began to sell. I
realised I was creating works that were an absolute enjoyment to create without
pressure. That changed the quality of my creation and meant that I could persevere
without feeling as though it was a struggle. I hope that will help you. These
are a few of the questions I asked myself:
What so you enjoy?
Where is your creative passion?
Ask why you are putting pressure on yourself.
Are there more fun ways to achieve your success?
Ask yourself why you do what you do.
Find out what motivates you.
Create a habit of what you are doing regularly.
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