It’s funny how easy it is to assume that our circumstances will somehow magically change our habits. While it’s true that sometimes certain conditions can be more conducive to certain practices and really you don’t have time to do all the amazing things you want more often it is our own reservations and rationalizations that keep us back more often than our circumstances. Don’t worry I do this too.
I’ve often heard and occasionally seen demonstrated the analogy of the jar of rocks I’m sure many of you have too. In the analogy the jar represents our time while the rocks represent all the things we want to do. The rocks are different shapes and sizes. There seems to be too many to fit in the jar and the demonstrator usually reinforces this belief by pouring in the little rocks then trying to put in the big ones. As was expected not all the rocks will fit. We’re about to give up on the rocks left on the table but wait! The demonstrator has a trick to their sleeve and a valuable lesson about priorities.
The big rocks are the big things we have to do, our top priorities if you will and the key to making the rocks and jar analogy work. The demonstrator piss the big rocks in just as we have to do the things that are Moody important first. He pointed out that there are holes between the large irregularly shaped stones. The demonstrator pours the little rocks into the jar and to or amazement everything fits. Some demonstrators might go on to add same then water just to show how much one little jar can hold but the big and little rocks are sufficient to get the point across.
Andwhat is that point? There is enough time to do ALL the things you need to do. Simple right? All it takes is a little prioritising and Bam! You’re a star in a perfect life. If only it were that easy.
Even with all the time in the world developing discipline is difficult. You might sure down and say to yourself, “I need to do this, this and this,” but without discipline those goals will remain a graphic list on a piece of paper left on the desktop.
Can I be candid for a moment? Sometimes writing is hard and it is way too easy to let other things get in the way of putting pen to paper — more likely it’s fingers to keyboard but you get the gist — even when you have all the time in the world. That’s why it’s not only important if you want to be a writer to not only decide to make writing a priority but start developing habits now that you will carry throughout your career.
The last few months I’ve had the opportunity to really work on this and like I said before even with all the time in the world it is not easy. I had a very fun and engaging internship at a museum that recently ended and I have yet to find another day job so in my new found “free” time I’ve had more time to write but doesn’t mean I always have. I’m getting better but it was a challenge at first to get into good writing habits. Turns out the more time you have the more time you waste.
I’ve found making myself write almost every day and testing my writing like a business has really helped me. Now I just have to stop distracting myself with all these new ideas so I can get my current draft of Mark of the Thief done. 😊
Until next time.
