For this month’s newsletter, I wanted to expand on an idea from last month – about the privilege of writing.
When we write anything, whether a novel or an end-of-week memo, we reinforce the inner belief that we have something to say worth someone else’s time and attention. But, it also requires that we dedicate our own time, categorize our thoughts, and often be vulnerable in front of strangers. So, how can we appreciate the privilege of writing and become better writers in the process?
Here’s a quote from James Clear, best known for his book Atomic Habits – you can also check out my conversation with him on episode 190 of the Disrupt Yourself podcast.
“Your habits are often a byproduct of convenience. Humans are wired to seek the path of least resistance, which means the most convenient option is often the one that wins. Make good choices more convenient and bad choices less so. Behavior will improve naturally.“
If you, like me, aspire to write more – dedicate more time to the art – then it’s in our best interest to make it as easy as possible. Not the writing, because the difficulty of putting words down on the page fluctuates every hour, every day, but the process of writing. A clean desk, a laptop on the charger, a space free of distractions, a specific time set aside. The less you have to worry about the minutiae around writing, the more convenient it becomes and the more that habit solidifies into routine.
Another tidbit of wisdom from Clear – “Use what you already know. People are so busy searching for a shortcut — or hoping an easier path will reveal itself — they let numerous moments slip by when they could get results simply by doing what is right in front of them.”
Maybe you’ve been tinkering with an outline for months, or searching for that perfect anecdote that ties your thinking together in a neat bow; or flitting between cafes, waiting for inspiration to strike. Ask yourself – when’s the last time I put words down on paper? What was my word count this week? The vulnerability of writing can get so overwhelming that our brain searches out any distraction, telling itself that you can’t start before you get this one thing just right. Whereas the first note from Clear is about reducing external barriers to writing, this is about confronting your internal barriers.
So, let’s say you’re finally ready to use that privilege of time, ready to string words together and make your point known to the world. Now ask yourself – why?
“Because right now, there is someone out there with a wound in the exact shape of your words.”
That’s from the poet Sean Thomas Dougherty. In the process of getting ready to write, don’t lose the reason why you wanted to set aside the time in the first place. Writing allows you to conjure up something of value where nothing previously existed. You can turn a white void into laughter, into tears, into revelation.
It physically costs very little for you to write down the lessons of your life, and yet, for the right reader, you can change a life’s trajectory. You might end up changing your own, too. For more of this concept in practice, I’d recommend episode 121 of the Disrupt Yourself podcast with author Julie Berry.
One last line from Clear. “The world is richer because we write, and nobody is made poorer in the process.”
