Hold on.
Before I tell you the reason, let me ask you:
Are you still waiting to have that thing, to know that thing, to have the time, to wait for the person…?
In order to.
In order to do whatever you want to do in this world, whatever you want to be in this lifetime.
Let me tell you something. You better sit down. You better sit down and don’t move. Don’t you dare move! But, yes, keep on lying to yourself until the only thing that is seated beside you is the company of your own excuses.
I know. It is so uncomfortable to not feel ready. That I know.
But you know what’s more uncomfortable than that?
The alternative.
Which is. Time passing by. Looking at yourself in the mirror and then, all of a sudden, without you even noticing, five, ten, twenty years have passed by.
Isn’t that amazing?
Isn’t that terrifying?
Now.
Let me share with you this gem of a quote:
‘Growth happens by doing things you are unqualified to do.’
I don’t know who wrote it. But, as always, the important thing is the message, not the messenger.
What the quote is about is: Don’t wait to ‘feel’ ready to do something or aim for something, for you will never feel this way.
I insist: you will never feel this way.
Okay, I’ll repeat it again since you are clearly not paying enough attention: You will never feel ready to do something that you haven’t mastered yet.
Never.
You can forget about it.
Stop wishing upon a star.
Never.
That magical feeling of easefulness, of flow, of not resistance that you desperately want to feel won’t come until you master the thing. Whatever the thing is. And, even after you master it, you’ll have bad days too.
‘Get ready’ while you do it, while you are at it. Allow yourself to be clumsy, to make a first draft, to produce something unpolished, hasty, or rudimentary.
Give yourself that permission.
One of my favourite writers, Nora Roberts, once shared insights into her writing process. She structures her novels in three phases, with the initial phase being the first attempt to shape a new story—a stage she labelled as the ‘POS first draft’.
Do you know what that stands for?
Yes, you got it right: The Piece of Shit first draft.
And I just looooooove this concept. For this means: just lower your expectations!!!! Let yourself be. Sit down and do the work. DO THE WORK. Do not expect it to be perfect, but just let it exist, let it take form.
Another quote that I love regarding literature was from the book ‘Writing down the bones’ by Natalie Goldberg. She said:
‘When you write, don’t say “I’m going to write a poem.” That attitude will freeze you right away. Sit down with the least expectation of yourself and say: “I am free to write the worst junk in the world.”’
Just brilliant.
Allow yourself to do that piece of shit first draft. That first clumsy step into the direction of your goal. That stupid first comment when you approach someone you like.
Baby steps are the only steps that walk you from nothing to magical creations.
Love,
Noemi
