No one has what you have
On creating your own personal challenges … 1,160
Oh, hi friends!
To pick up yesterday’s thread of habits versus challenges, I wanted to say this: No one will know what a challenge feels like to you.
This is why comparing ourselves to someone else is always a losing game.
One person’s fast mile is another person’s first mile.
One person’s daily five pages is another person’s monthly average.
How fast are they? What can they do?
Doesn’t matter. Who cares.
You have to know yourself and know what feels like a challenge to you.
Everyone might think you’re killing it, but you know you’re only giving 60 percent.
Remember that you are your own tally-keeper. You know what feels like a challenge to you, regardless of how it looks to someone else.
This is why we get stuck in jobs that look fulfilling or enviable to other people. No one else knows what makes you fulfilled.
So keep your own tally marks. Change what you want to change. Reach as high you want to reach.
But if you really want a challenge, don’t look to others.
Challenge yourself.
#18: You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.
Obsessed with the 22 rules of storytelling, according to Pixar (thanks Sara Wordsworth for bringing this gem back up in the workshop on Monday!).
And again, the call to know yourself and what you are doing.
They’re all gold, but this one is also speaking to me today:
#13: Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.
They’re all worth memorizing.
Stranger Connections
What do you need right now? Who — or what — would you like to be connected to?
Drop your ask in the “Do you know someone who” form and hopefully we can find a positive connection for you! And if not, I still hope making a direct and intentional ask is helpful to you.
Ideas:
Do you know someone who teaches in-person guitar lessons in New York?
Do you know someone who knows how to produce short podcasts?
Do you know someone who can help me edit my book proposal?
I'm just catching up on your posts from last week. I absolutely love the message of this one. I especially liked the "everyone thinks you're killing it" but you're only giving 60%. Made me wonder if that's the genesis of my imposter syndrome? Also, I love lists. I love the reminder to do it for yourself. Create your own challenges. Love it all. Thanks Kara.