Valley of the Muse

While waiting for the bus yesterday, a guy in a minivan honked at me. I always wonder what the men who do this are trying to accomplish. Is it just the attention? Is it a remote hope that I’ll decide to hop in their car despite the fact that they’re travelling 50 km/hr in a school zone?

It always strikes me as a waste that people engage in attention-seeking behaviour that doesn’t lead to anything other than a moment of instant gratification. I understand the desire – it’s something I’ve always struggled with, but I know that if I want to be successful, then I need to learn new behaviours and see the benefit in waiting.

Here’s a personal example of what I mean. When I first started writing again (after a 5-year hiatus in my early twenties), I quickly filled 3 notebooks with story ideas. It felt good getting them all out of my head. It felt productive. But none of those are real stories because I didn’t have the patience or follow-through to complete any of them. My muse was always taking me in a new direction and it was fun imagining all the possibilities.

Since those early days, my goals have changed. It’s no longer about seeing where a story will end up, but instead my goal is to be published. There are a million reasons why I may never achieve my goals including the quality of my writing, luck, timing, etc. I’m ok with the fact that I may never see my name on the cover of a printed novel if there are legitimate reasons. But if it’s because I lacked focus? Or because I was distracted by a new video game?

This brings me back to the man who honked at me today. Sure, it may not take more than a second to press on the car horn. There may not even be a decision involved and the man may have just acted on impulse. But if I lead my life based on instant gratification, I won’t achieve my goals, and I’m no longer ok with that. Are you?

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EDIT: I came across a blog post today about Elizabeth Gilbert’s incredibly inspiring speech (which I originally posted here).  The post describes how much work she put into appearing so relaxed and casual – well worth it! Read the entry “Sprezzatura” by Derek Sivers here.

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Tags: Advice, Coaching, Just Get Things Done, Personal Development, Productivity