"I’ve learned the things we end up loving are the things we struggle for."
I was reading 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' over the Easter weekend. Mark Manson makes this point - true joy comes when you solve problems. Life must suck a bit for you to make a difference in it.
To be happy, you need to know what being unhappy is.
I was quickly energized by your post today to push away the little voice in my head this morning about "Who am I to try to translate Swahili?" No one else is doing it and it needs to be done, so I will do it, doggone it!
Also, we get better by doing. No one is top flight right off the bat, to happily mix probably only American metaphors. Do I still look up words? All the time. Do I learn more words and secondary and tertiary meanings and synonyms that I did not readily think of before? All the time.
DOING IS LEARNING. ACTING IS INFORMATION. :)
Glad I read your weekly newsletter first thing this morning!
Nothing holding me back. I started a Substack about 2-weeks ago. I have been writing for years in exactly the way you describe: with no real focus or purpose; with a vague sense of maybe getting some attention, but not really taking seriously the work of getting eyeballs. I have posted on LinkedIn for business, started a blog, written for a few publications with unimpressive levels of engagement. I think I write well - sometimes - but I have never invested in learning to get better. I actually have an endless source of things I want to write about. I wrote a whole novel and it nearly destroyed my life - writing can get weird sometimes. I hate it - the novel, not my life. There was some great stuff, but overall I hated it. Fiction is another thing entirely. I have written a ton of poetry. Some of it I love and some of it is meh. So, not jumping into this 4/28 course of yours was ALMOST something I didn’t do - which would have been consistent with how I approached writing so far: something to do, but not to take really seriously because I need to keep focused on the day job. Well, the day job is my own business now and I can do whatever I want. But, finally I have realized that, whatever the day job is needs me to write better. What I have realized is that the real job is making sh**t up that ends up making money. There are all sorts of ingredients to that but writing is key and understanding that better is really, really important. So, buckle up. This is happening!! LFG
Thanks Tim I needed those heart-felt words which came as a wake up call to me! I’ve been letting the distractions of the world get between me and my the work I love.
Another irresistible post...a real page turner and my favorite line: "Keanu Reeves Jesus". What's getting in my way? Building the habit and riding the line between traditional writing (article, books, etc.) and newer forms like Substack. Substack=Freedom?
Whelp, now I've done it. Followed Tim's advice, opened my wine early and still drinking it... it's truly what I love. When will the money start flowing in? Hopefully before this box 'o' wine runs out...
Slowly but surely I am dismantling the belief that the Internet is too crowdee for newbies to join. Once I get started, I know the belief will come crashing down, but I am here to take 1 small step at a time. Also, working in public sounds terrifying, but the mindset to do it is liberating.
My largest issues is going from loving to write. Sharing my writing for years but not figuring out how to do more than just make people think for a second. To make my writing more helpful in such a way that I can create income from it. Without selling in the writing, which is a turn off for me and seems amateur.
Admittedly, I'm just discovering your work, Tim. But its effing brilliant. Thank you for your honesty and irreverence. It's refreshing and a much-needed kick to the pants.
Another dollop of gold - doing what we love is is easy - right there in front of you - and yet to quote you 'doing what you love for the rest of your life isn’t obvious. But when you understand the basics, it’s almost impossible not to make it happen.' Do what you love and be open to discovering what you love!
This is like a description of my life right now. Getting slapped and pissing my pants and embarrassing myself by consistently putting out shit. Several times a day I wonder why I even jumped on this train (it was this https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/how-to-create-a-masterpiece) but I just write the next piece and carry on. What will be will be. Thanks for sharing Tim!
"I’ve learned the things we end up loving are the things we struggle for."
I was reading 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' over the Easter weekend. Mark Manson makes this point - true joy comes when you solve problems. Life must suck a bit for you to make a difference in it.
To be happy, you need to know what being unhappy is.
"“Do what you love” is some of the worst advice in history. It’s thrown around like dirty underwear at a strip club..."
Man, Tim, I want to write like this too.
Tim. You're right. You're right. You're so right. And a cat lover in the mix. Now it all makes sense.
Hi Tim.
I was quickly energized by your post today to push away the little voice in my head this morning about "Who am I to try to translate Swahili?" No one else is doing it and it needs to be done, so I will do it, doggone it!
Also, we get better by doing. No one is top flight right off the bat, to happily mix probably only American metaphors. Do I still look up words? All the time. Do I learn more words and secondary and tertiary meanings and synonyms that I did not readily think of before? All the time.
DOING IS LEARNING. ACTING IS INFORMATION. :)
Glad I read your weekly newsletter first thing this morning!
Nothing holding me back. I started a Substack about 2-weeks ago. I have been writing for years in exactly the way you describe: with no real focus or purpose; with a vague sense of maybe getting some attention, but not really taking seriously the work of getting eyeballs. I have posted on LinkedIn for business, started a blog, written for a few publications with unimpressive levels of engagement. I think I write well - sometimes - but I have never invested in learning to get better. I actually have an endless source of things I want to write about. I wrote a whole novel and it nearly destroyed my life - writing can get weird sometimes. I hate it - the novel, not my life. There was some great stuff, but overall I hated it. Fiction is another thing entirely. I have written a ton of poetry. Some of it I love and some of it is meh. So, not jumping into this 4/28 course of yours was ALMOST something I didn’t do - which would have been consistent with how I approached writing so far: something to do, but not to take really seriously because I need to keep focused on the day job. Well, the day job is my own business now and I can do whatever I want. But, finally I have realized that, whatever the day job is needs me to write better. What I have realized is that the real job is making sh**t up that ends up making money. There are all sorts of ingredients to that but writing is key and understanding that better is really, really important. So, buckle up. This is happening!! LFG
Thanks Tim I needed those heart-felt words which came as a wake up call to me! I’ve been letting the distractions of the world get between me and my the work I love.
Another irresistible post...a real page turner and my favorite line: "Keanu Reeves Jesus". What's getting in my way? Building the habit and riding the line between traditional writing (article, books, etc.) and newer forms like Substack. Substack=Freedom?
Whelp, now I've done it. Followed Tim's advice, opened my wine early and still drinking it... it's truly what I love. When will the money start flowing in? Hopefully before this box 'o' wine runs out...
Slowly but surely I am dismantling the belief that the Internet is too crowdee for newbies to join. Once I get started, I know the belief will come crashing down, but I am here to take 1 small step at a time. Also, working in public sounds terrifying, but the mindset to do it is liberating.
My largest issues is going from loving to write. Sharing my writing for years but not figuring out how to do more than just make people think for a second. To make my writing more helpful in such a way that I can create income from it. Without selling in the writing, which is a turn off for me and seems amateur.
No I don’t have a ‘solid note taking app’ and I have a problem with locating notes which I take copiously because of my TBI. Any suggestions?
The Do what you love line is a perfect ass-backwards header.
You say its bad and then you say - you gotta do it.
...when you understand the basics, it’s almost impossible not to make it happen.
I'm going to own that pattern.
Seriously, I'm struggling with how to turn my love for helping people and writing into something more fungible than mushrooms
Admittedly, I'm just discovering your work, Tim. But its effing brilliant. Thank you for your honesty and irreverence. It's refreshing and a much-needed kick to the pants.
Is the voiceover generated by AI?
Another dollop of gold - doing what we love is is easy - right there in front of you - and yet to quote you 'doing what you love for the rest of your life isn’t obvious. But when you understand the basics, it’s almost impossible not to make it happen.' Do what you love and be open to discovering what you love!
This is like a description of my life right now. Getting slapped and pissing my pants and embarrassing myself by consistently putting out shit. Several times a day I wonder why I even jumped on this train (it was this https://unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/how-to-create-a-masterpiece) but I just write the next piece and carry on. What will be will be. Thanks for sharing Tim!