Here are two little exercises to try. They are actually VERY big.
1. Intending to Matter
Your ability to create is intimately connected to your intention to matter. If you don’t really think that you, your ideas, or your work matter, you won’t have the motivational juice to create. So I would like you to say ‘I intend to matter’ or ‘I matter’ twenty or thirty times a day. Will you do that?
To do right now: Say “I matter” loud enough for me to hear you. Keep saying it, out loud and without embarrassment.
2. Introducing the ‘big but’ into your life
There are always things up that get in the way of our creating. You might try using the following sentence whenever you hear yourself offering up a reason not to create. ‘Yes, I am tired tonight, BUT I will write anyway.’ ‘Yes, it’s been a stressful day and my nerves are raw, BUT I will write anyway, at least for a few minutes. ‘Yes, I can’t stand it that I’m fighting with John, BUT I will write anyway, even though I don’t feel like it at all.’
To do right now: Take a few minutes and identify two or three obstacles, internal or external, that regularly prevent you from creating Write each one down and append the 'big but.'
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4 comments:
Thank you! I will do this. I underlined similar exercises in your books and this is a great reminder. It really helps.
But what if you don't matter? How can you possibly say something which is antithetical to your self-belief. Not everyone matters. At least I don't.
People generally do what they really want to do!
I've met many "screenwriters" over the years who spend more time saying that they are writers than they do actually writing. It seems that "but" is their constant companion. However, as you know, "but" is just a temporary bump in the road for the true creative writer. Writers write because they need to tell their stories.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
I really liked this exercise...I have been struggling with the "I matter" thing. Not that I believe I don't matter (and I am so very saddened by the comment from anonymous who believes they don't matter...we are here because we DO matter!)
Mine is more of a "do I have anything to say?"
But, I do know how much can change when one makes statements of intention...and the "I matter" one I think is great!
Thank you!
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