Someday I'll perfect my skills
Someday I'll finish a project
Someday I'll submit my work
When I was younger (ahem), I used to say Some day I'll go on a fancy vacation and Some day I'll take my writing seriously. The fancy vacation part hasn't happened yet, but circumstances changed and I had the opportunity and determination to attack my writing goals with gusto. My Someday had arrived.
Oftentimes "someday" seems more reasonable, as if things will get easier in the future. The kids will be grown, we'll have more time, or we'll strike it rich and be able to write while lounging on a Caribbean beach.
But unless we take action, "Someday Syndrome" will weaken us, and leave behind a trail of regret. Our "someday" is now, and here are three ways to put Someday Syndrome in its place:
- Surround yourself with writers who are just as, or more, motivated than you are. My writing buddies *waves to Lisa Green and Leslie Rose* are super motivated, and we challenge each other and help push each other toward our goals. If not for these two lovely ladies, I might be cowering under my kitchen table, afraid to chase the dream.
- Embrace mistakes. With each project I start, I keep thinking "this will be the one where I stop making mistakes." (Stop laughing! I seriously think this) Sure, I'm making less mistakes, but I've learned to embrace these errors, knowing they can be fixed. Fear of mistakes cannot hold us back.
- Dive in and just do it! Having a "what's the worst that can happen?" attitude helps because really, what's the worst that can happen? If a piece is horrible, and we can't salvage it, we can consider it a learning experience. Not bad for a worst case scenario.