Writing

“I wasn’t scared of missing, looking bad, or being embarrassed. That’s because I always kept the end result, the long game, in my mind. I always focused on the fact that I had to try something to get it, and once I got it, I’d have another tool in my arsenal. If the price was a lot of work and a few missed shots, I was OK with that.

I never felt... See more

I’ve found this a remarkably useful practice in the early stages of drafting, because it reverses the usual order of things. Instead of holding back from writing until you know what you want to say – which leads to a vicious circle of stopping, deleting, and rewriting everything a hundred times – the commitment to keeping moving means you just... See more

As a creator, your job is to find ONE idea that resonates, and then say it a thousand times.

By contrast, “deep freewriting” describes a practice in which you set a timer, then commit to writing without stopping or deleting until it goes off, while staying mentally present with the process. Importantly, that needn’t mean writing fast, and could even mean writing very slowly – just as it’s possible to run very slowly yet still be running,... See more

The key is understanding that each part serves a purpose:

• The opening breaks their mental pattern


• The body makes them see themselves in your words


• The payoff gives them something they'll remember (and save)

Writing is the process by which you realize that you do not understand what you are talking about.

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something—a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things—that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out and taken yours.”

"The bad workouts are the most important ones. It's easy to train when you feel good, but it's crucial to show up when you don't feel like it—even if you do less than you hope.

Going to the gym for 15 minutes might not improve your performance, but it reaffirms your identity. It's not always about what happens during the workout. It's about... See more