Baby Steps

I'm listening to an audiobook right now called, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. The first misconception she tackles is the notion one can't teach someone how to be a better writer.

Instead, she argues how an insight or two from someone who's already trodden a similar path may make all the difference. After listening to a tip of hers last night, I must admit I now agree.

Writers, like many artists, often approach new projects with a sense of dread; looking at the whole mountain instead of through signposts along the way. She references a writer she admires saying, writing is a bit like driving in the dark. You can only see past the headlights, but it can still be done.

Rather than writing or creating anything by looking too far ahead simply look beyond your headlights. Tell yourself, "I'm just going to write this one paragraph as best I can." Or, "I'm just going to focus on committing the first line of this soliloquy to memory." Whatever it is, take baby steps without being overwhelmed by the complexity and scale of the project.

Inch by inch, step by step, you'll get there sooner than you think. Just break it down and be sure to give your best effort along the way without fear of how great or imperfect it turns out to be.

"Messiness," she says, "means that life is being lived."