The Write Time
Waiting for the "right time" has held me back from starting many things in my life. I studied print journalism in college, and worked as a business reporter for several years before shifting gears. But I always expected to jump back into writing, perhaps as a hobby or side gig. Even just journaling would be start. But something would always hold me back.
I would think about a possible project, and then become discouraged by what it would take to do it right – or perfect. As a reporter, I wrote hundreds, maybe thousands, of articles on topics I was unfamiliar with at first, let alone interested in. But whenever I thought about doing my own thing, imposter syndrome would set in. Or I would get caught up in the master plan instead of just starting.
A family member at Thanksgiving said something that got me thinking. He has been an accomplished runner for much of his life, but is aging out of the longer races. I assumed he would be likely to turn his nose up at "lesser" runners. But his encouragement for anybody was to just show up and be consistent. He didn't care about distance. A runner is a runner! If I run three times a week, even if it is just 1 mile at a time, I am a runner!
I've been listening to the audiobook "Meditations for Mortals" by Oliver Burkeman. It's designed to be read one chapter per day for a month. The main theme is that recognizing our limits will lead to a more fulfilling life. A few quotes from others he has offered up through the book:
"What would this look like if it were easy?" Tim Ferris
"It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." E.L. Doctorow
Don't overcomplicate this. It's just writing. I'm good at it, and I like doing it. This
I don't need to know how this will all turn out. I do know that if I never start, it will amount to nothing. Now is the right time to just write.