Resistance

Is it human nature to resist doing what we love? I know a lot of people who, when faced with doing something they love vs. doing something they should, they will always pick the should, not the love. I mean, even if it’s something as silly as picking up the living room vs. driving to get some ice cream. Even if the love thing doesn’t cost much and takes nothing but time and the should thing is really not that important. They put obstacles between themselves and what they love.

It of course has applications to writing, though writing is more complicated because it can be a love/hate thing.

One of the big ways I see it apply to writing is the way people get into writing. They don’t do what they love. Instead, 1) they deny that they love it, 2) they consistently put other people and other things first, 3) as they get pulled toward it, they find related things to do to fill their time (e.g., if you want to write fiction, you do book reviews because, you reason, it will give you publicity and get you closer to where you want to be, instead of just facing the music and doing it, dang it), 4) when they finally admit it to themselves and have time to do what they love, they find as many excuses not to as possible.

So what happens is that people spend years getting around to it. They rationalize themselves out of it instead talking themselves into it. They fill their time with related tasks but never screw up the courage or give themselves permission to just go for it!

I say, as one who is very guilty of this, go for it! Don’t put up obstacles. Embrace who you are and what you love!

What I’m Reading Today: More drafts of my and my friends’ work.