Go Ahead and Leap

Humans are known for procrastination. Frankly, it's the non-procrastinators in the population that draw attention and are considered successful. They didn't pause. They didn't wait. They didn't decide that time had to be perfect, the stars aligned and everyone holding hands singing Kumbayah before stepping into life.

Sometimes you just do it.

You're writing a book. You need a blog. You think you need the book to start the blog, to give yourself credibility. But you haven't completed the book. Just start the friggin' blog and commit to it! Own it! No, you may not know everything there is to blogging, but you will.

Sometimes you just do it . . . because you are then forced to learn how. 

You have this story in mind, You're afraid to write it. You think about publishing because that seems more tangible with all those rules and websites and steps posted on blogs. But you haven't finished the story. Sometimes it's by writing our story that we learn how to write, and how much of the story is worth the telling. Or even if it's worth telling at all!

Sometimes you just do it . . . because by the time you get done, you've taught yourself how.

You finally write a story draft. You get it critiqued. You hire an editor. You attend classes and workshop this manuscript. It was hard, and you're probably not satisfied with the product. So you start another story. It's amazing how you know to avoid passive voice now, how you open with a more profound statement. You recognize backstory. You realize when dialogue is stilted, or there's too little white space on the page.

Go ahead and leap. Learn to fly on the way down. You'll hit obstacles, get bruised and possibly land on your face. That's fine. Because you'll crawl back up and leap again, only this time with more sense. The next time with more skill. And ultimately, after doing it over and over again, with finesse.

Yes, just do it. But realize that the finesse comes from doing it A LOT.