Sketches

Sometimes, a sketch says more than all the words I like to use as a writer. Below are a few napkin sketches of ideas I've thought a lot about.
Image of author sitting in windowsill

A personal favorite. When the voices of others—strangers, friends, family—are loudest in your life, it's hard to hear yourself think. You may be living an amalgamation of all their opinions and preferences.

Way more fun is making your voice loudest in your life. It (your life) was given to you after all, and to live the best version of it, it's time to make your voice loudest by a mile.

Image of author sitting in windowsill

There's nothing neat and tidy about having or pursuing your dreams. What others see of yours is only the tip of the iceberg that's readily visible—often including your failures, delays, and mistakes.

What they don't see is how wonderfully big this thing is, and just how hard you are willing to work, and are working, for it.

Image of author sitting in windowsill

There is a truth every entrepreneur has to learn, often the hard way, and that's this: launching a business, especially a creative one, involves a lot of circles and pivot points.

Things like business plans and MBAs make us think that a business is launched with a handy checklist of steps 1-2-3. And when reality doesn't match, we feel like we're not "doing it right."

You totally are—changes, refinements, returns to where you started, pivots, and all.

Image of author sitting in windowsill

You can claim enough confidence to inspire action, but the bulk of your confidence you're going to earn by taking action.

The longer you sit on those of dreams and ideas of your, the longer you're putting off the confidence it's going to take to do your best work.

Action generates confidence and that's where dreams get really fun.

Image of author sitting in windowsill

A common myth goes like this: "have a dream and pursue it until you get it."

In reality, some of our dreams are only the best we can come up with right now. Some of our best dreams have to be explored their way into. To reach them, you've got to start down the path of any dream you've got.

Image of author sitting in windowsill

It's such a charming thought that we're going to feel good about the things our dreams require of us.

And while there is usually some enthusiasm about certain of our creative ideas and tasks, way more common is the experience shown in this sketch.

Motivation is usually a late-comer to the party. Turns out it, like most worthwhile things in life, is earned.

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