Seize the moment(um)
I’ve been wanting to write for a long time but keep shutting myself down for many reasons, one of which is not acting on momentum.
There are times when I can get really excited about something, particularly when I’m hit by a new insight. My mind will chase the thought relentlessly, eager to dig deeper and uncover the insight in full. Those moments are the best to write—when you’re brimming with energy and passion. And yet, I don’t.
Why?
Well, life tends to get in the way. Sometimes I’ll simply be low on energy, other times I self-sabotage. One way I do this is by making my writing “efficient.”
At any given time, I have a few partly written posts lying around. Some might be crude, others might have a lot of my time invested in them. Those are the troublesome ones.
Because whenever I do have time and energy and am in the mood to write—a pretty rare combo to come across as a father of two young kids—my mind goes: “Better work on that post you nearly finished, dontcha think? At least then you’d have one crossed off the list—something in return for the time invested.” Which sounds sensible. But sensible isn’t what motivates me to write. Finishing those posts covering thoughts that have long lost their momentum is a chore1.
What I do write for is a spark. I write best, and enjoy it the most, when I follow the ideas that light a fire in me, and that is when a thought has momentum.
Momentum is like a wave. It comes rushing at you at its own pace, and you can decide to seize the opportunity and ride it or let it pass. After it’s gone, it’s gone, though. I’m going to ride the wave more often. Seize the momentum.
I love writing. Writing whilst feeling that spark? Those moments are magical.
Yes, this is a glaring example of sunk cost fallacy. Realizing it doesn’t make it easier, though…↩