Monday, August 3, 2009

What Keeps Me Going - Starting Over #5

WHEN I'M TEMPTED TO QUIT?


I so totally stole this title from Michael Hyatt's blog posted Friday July 31. It was a great blog with a great question that started me thinking. [Michael Hyatt]

What keeps you going when you want to quit? I fight this malady all the time. Sometimes its too hard to get up. It's too hard to go to the gym. It's too hard to bypass the ice cream and eat the salad. It's too hard to park my rear in the chair and work on the current scene. And lately it's too hard to shut off all the nifty internet sites like, myspace, facebook and now the really addictive Twitter. (So pulled in by the twittering of TweetDeck. Who knew!)

Like Michael Hyatt says, "Everything important requires work. Hard work. And sometimes there is a long arc between the dream and it’s realization. That is where the work and the transformation occur.

In my experience, the thing that keeps me going is answering this question, “Why am I doing this?” I then try to remember the dream. “Why I am doing this hard thing that I am doing.” I try to get connected to the original vision, because that keeps me going when the going gets tough."

And sometimes even the dream needs a little help. Family, friends and fellow writers are valuable supports. I have several. If I list them, I'm certain to leave somebody out. So just know you are very appreciated.... all of you.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You go, Deborah! You can do it (again!)

Unknown said...

I'm just too stubborn to quit (and I wonder where my kids get it).

Pop on over to my blog where you've won a "major award"

Miles: Mon - 3 miles running
Tues. 15 miles spin class

Lori-ann said...

RAH RAH RAH! You can do it!!! You can do it!!! You can do it!!!

A big part of being successful is not how many times you made it big, but how many more times you can pick yourself up out of the dirt, dust yourself off, and limp out there again. It's hard, but if you keep at it, you WILL be where you want to be.

1.2 miles elliptical

Anonymous said...

I have to be honest .. I found your blog because we seem to like the same music band - Manic Bloom. Listening to your playlist I began to read the profile description and I found out that we are similar in other reasons. Like you, I dream of becoming a writer, only that in my country, this is a really hard thing to to. This article of yours really helps. I am in a dark period, and I'm thinking of quitting ... but ... then , you came along with the answer, hidden between the lines...The Dream ... and suddenly it popped out again.

Thank you

Deborah Talmadge said...

sarmanuldionis - The dream is sometimes all we have to keep going. Never, ever give up on your dreams. Situations change. Sometimes very slowly, but they do change. Plus, there is a legacy you can leave for those who follow.