Yes, you're allowed to do that!
But once we leave the world of institutions, permissioning shifts dramatically. Our life becomes a series of checkpoints demanding self-permission-ing—that is: allowing yourself to do the thing. Or: telling yourself that you are ready. If you keep waiting for permission from some external source long after anyone is responsible for giving it to you... See more
Isabel • on being ready
Be ambitious about the process, not just the outcome. (To use my own hobby as an example, when I bake, I put on some good music, I take my time, I eat too much batter. That way, if the recipe implodes–like when I accidentally mixed up powdered sugar and flour–the whole thing isn’t a wash.)
Let more than one thing hold your ambition, or meaning. (Th... See more
Let more than one thing hold your ambition, or meaning. (Th... See more
Anne Helen Petersen • This Will Change the Way You Think About Ambition
Can you learn to enjoy the process as the end in itself, not the means?
In the beginning, the dissonance between the scale of your aspirations and the reality of your days will riddle you with anxiety. You will be tempted to strip the unknown of its surprises and travel to the future: What if my customers churn? What if a competitor introduces a be... See more
In the beginning, the dissonance between the scale of your aspirations and the reality of your days will riddle you with anxiety. You will be tempted to strip the unknown of its surprises and travel to the future: What if my customers churn? What if a competitor introduces a be... See more
Sari Azout • Check your Pulse #49
“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT
Jeff Goins • You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)
This is your life. You do not have time to wait for the revolution to begin living it. You will always be able to find someone to give you permission not to live it. But no one is coming along to live it for you.
Gawker • Failure to Cope "Under Capitalism"
The essence of play is being fully immersed and joyful in what you’re doing, without being constantly distracted by concerns about the outcomes.
Dave Evans • Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
We’re not playing to win, we’re playing to play. And ultimately, playing is fun. Perfectionism gets in the way of fun. A more skillful goal might be to find comfort in the process. To make and put out successive works with ease.
Rick Rubin • The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Read this list of permissions. Check the ones that make you want to pump your fist and shout, “Yes, I do!” Skip the ones that make your eyes go wide or your stomach jump. As you read, you may think of some new ones. Add them at the end.
Janet Conner • Writing Down Your Soul: How to Activate and Listen to the Extraordinary Voice Within
Seriousness saddles the work with a burden. It misses the playful side of being human. The chaotic exuberance of being present in the world. The lightness of pure enjoyment for enjoyment’s sake. In play, there are no stakes. No boundaries. No right or wrong. No quotas for productivity. It’s an uninhibited state where your spirit can run free.