#188 Predictable pathways

Who you are and what you do consistently always coincide. After all, your repeated actions create your identity.

But who you want to be and what you consistently do don’t usually coincide. Otherwise, you would already have become who you want to be.

You want to be a writer, but you’re not consistently writing? Writing consistently will bridge the gap between your current and desired identity.

You want to be a guitar player, but you’re not consistently playing the guitar? Practicing daily will bridge the gap between your current and desired identity.

Could you make your actions coincide with your desired identity?

It’s hard to predict the perfect moment to write, where the stars align and inspiration strikes.

But you can make sure you’re there for it when it happens.

And the only way to be there for it is to write today, no matter the circumstances.

Because maybe the act of writing today is what makes the stars align.

An aspiring writer who doesn’t believe writing is a valuable skill in our current society and focuses on building a traditional career instead.

An aspiring runner who doesn’t believe running is a good use of their time in our current society and goes out for drinks every night.

An aspiring classical musician who doesn’t believe society will ever appreciate their art – and goes into pop music instead.

If you want to turn aspirations into achievements, you’ll have to decide for yourself what’s valuable, even if it goes against what society and tradition prescribe.

So to make writing a valuable skill, write.

To make running a good use of your time, run.

To make the world appreciate your classical music, practice classical music.

To make anything worthwhile, show that it’s worth your while.

Because going against the mainstream is not just necessary to achieve your aspirations – it’s what makes your aspirations valuable in the first place.