So, since I quit WOW there’s a sense of looming time to the world, like an hourglass is slowly spilling my life away. In a positive way, of course. I don’t know if it’s a late-20’s thing, but a realization of inevitable death is quite motivating. 😀 So, what has this spurred me to do?
Make to-do lists.
Yes, I’m an EXPERT at organizing myself to GET READY to do something. I subscribe to all the gem-like sites whose purpose is to keep me in a state of constant self-organization:
Real Simple (for the day I will actually cook things rather than clip recipes to GET READY to cook)
And about 50 more under my Google Reader feed category: OrganizeLazyAss!
There’s NOTHING better than finding a new way to organize my files, or browsing a “500 ways to motivate yourself” list, or downloading a new app every day to make to-do lists with. Last month I found myself buying a 65 dollar paper cutter and making a Hipster PDA. I spent about 4 hours setting it up and hand cutting about 50 pieces of card stock into quarters before I though, “WTF AM I DOING?!”
I realize now that, for a time earlier this year, I was addicted to motivating myself. There’s nothing better than that high you get when you make a new, clear plan about taking charge of your life, and plan to head out in a new direction. It’s addictive enough that just moving from self-start idea to self-start idea is enough: The hard work of actually ACCOMPLISHING those goals is a total drag. Why bother when there’s a new person telling you how much potential you have right around the corner? Why do work when you can feel good about yourself for the decision to get ready to begin doing something? Ugh, that sentence was confusing but if you read it a few times it makes sense. 😀
At any rate, a few sites/books I’ve read have actually helped me and made me ACT on all this organizing (sometimes) and I thought that I’d share them.
http://www.profitwar.com/16-rules.htm
For some reason the clear, simple wording of this site really gets to me, and it boils everything down to self-responsibility rather than the ethereal universe giving you whatever you desire (Yes, “The Secret”, I’m talking to you 😀 ) I’m a big fan of ruthless self-starting. I realized one day that I needed to be my own parent when it came to scheduling and doing things that weren’t necessarily fun, and things started to become more of a habit for me.
And a thread started by Paul under my Ultima poem post made me want to post about this book.
This book is truly inspiring. It was written in 1938, and the writing is so clear and so wonderful, it makes you want to pick up a pen and write a novel immediately. It makes you feel like, just possessing this book, gives you the strength to try anything, and fail at anything as long as you’re being true to your soul.
The first chapter’s name is: “Everybody is Talented, Original and Has Something Important to Say.” Ok, your hokey meter is on high alert, I know. But this woman made it a mission while writing this book that everyone would find their inner passion and show it to the world. And through her words she does. I found myself highlighting ever other line sometimes, because her words strike you in a way everyone wishes their mother had talked to them as a kid. If you ever had a passion you were afraid of following, or find you can’t get started, not only writing but anything creative, I really urge you to read this book. You will realize that it is almost your obligation to show the world that you are unique and have something to say. I mean, why else are there so many kinds of people on the planet but to celebrate our differences? 🙂