As a writer, I practice my craft all of the time. Besides writing this blog, I write quite a bit in my career, I write stories (beginning to post these online now), letters, and help others with the art of writing. I'm an editor as well as writer in this life. Each writing project presents me with new crossroads to navigate. What is the purpose of the project? Who will benefit from the finished product? How much of 'me' should I invest in the piece? Each of these questions and more present a moment of truth; a place where a decision is needed from me to move forward. They are all important, but unless I put word one down on paper (or computer) the answers to those questions are useless. I love building a plan to get things done, but I've also had to learn that planning can just be another way of procrastinating. Taking action is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
Recently my sister commented on how interesting (at least I think she meant interesting...she may have meant weird...who knows) it was that I was always doing something. She secretly fears that I don't get enough rest, but I assure you, I do! Anyway, yes, I'm usually busy with something. This is because I've learned in business that we shouldn't always wait for the BIG project delivery date to see some results. For example, I was once asked to build a dashboard for associates in my company so that they could quickly/easily see their previous day's work performance. This was a HUGE job that I was really not the right person to tackle, but I went on out there and started the planning. Very quickly I found myself bogged down in the process and presenting a timeline that wouldn't have us seeing any portion of a dashboard in my lifetime! Okay, not quite, but close!! The key stakeholder shot back, "Why can't we see this in pieces?" Well, why not indeed! Mainly because I limited my thinking and was investing action in the big picture instead of moving us forward. I mistook my 'planning' as action when what the key stakeholder wanted was a dashboard and he didn't care if it came in pieces or not. Since I love to write, it is easy for me to think that writing a plan is action, but I had to learn a tough lesson; that what is important is identifying what your customer thinks is action and then doing that. So simple!
So, what crossroads am I facing today? Thankfully, I don't think I have any major turning points on the horizon. Middle-age is probably my most recently felt turning point. I can remember being back in my late teens/early twenties and thinking about being 53 and how OLD that was and how FAR away it was. Little did I know then that the years between 20 and 53 would fly by without the slightest how-do-you-do! Here I sit at 54, nothing special, but very happy. Would I do anything differently if I had it to do over again? Well, yes, probably. But who's to say that I'd make better decisions or that the outcomes would be better if I did? I'm not perfect and I haven't had a perfect life, but I'm also not done yet! In the end, whatever happens will be because I stepped out and made it happen. I take action. There is chatter running in my head all of the time. No, not like the guy who says a little voice in his head told him to do some horrible thing! I think it's really self-talk that's going on in there. Some of it is just stuff that people have said to me over the years that rang some bell or was just valuable stuff to know. One of these 'self-talk' things is the phrase, "Don't just stand there! DO something!!" Now, God only knows who said that to me, but honestly I hear that all the time. I may not always do the right thing or I may have to go back and edit myself or even start over, but I wasn't idle and I bet I learned something about myself along the way!
In the end, if there is something to be feared it is inaction. Life does not 'owe' you anything. It doesn't owe you a chance, a living, a story, a dime or a THING! If you want success in this life, "Don't just stand there! DO something!!" Create something that at least needs a good editor. Action is what gets noticed and is what a customer, bless their little hearts, pays for. I have a family member who is 51 years old and has wasted 51 years doing nothing. It is more of a shame than you can imagine. I often wondered how this happened and I've come to understand that it is simply the results of inaction. With so much time wrapped up in inaction, this family member doesn't have a clue what to do and can't even hear the voices of people trying to help get them out of the mess they have created.
I know you love a pretty picture and I wish I had a great one for you that represented this blog posting. Can you take a picture of a turning point? Just let me say that I had a nice day, worked at what I do, tried to eat reasonably and thought about how to help the people around me find their own brand of happiness. I think those were all really great actions for a splendid day on planet earth. For your viewing pleasure, may I present the last rose of the season (I think) which is currently fighting for it's last breath on the bush in the front yard:
I don't know a thing about that bush except that it puts out the biggest, hot pink blooms on the planet! I love it!! Now, it's time for me to go refurbish myself (as my husband puts it) and get ready for bed. Until tomorrow when I will, no doubt, make you think again or at least read, sweet dreams, Sweeties!!
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