#198 Would you be free at last?

There’s nothing wrong with chasing quick wins, as long as you define them well.

Because the first quick wins are usually internal and invisible.

Only when you’ve won some battles against the inner critic who wants you to give up do the external quick wins kick in.

And that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Question: Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn to play the piano?

Answer: The same age you will be if you don’t.

Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

Some skills take years of practice before I’m any good at them. But I’m living those years anyway. And while society and systemic pressure might push me down a certain path, I still have a say in how I spend every day.

Whether I publish a blog post today or not, I’ll go to bed tonight and the sun will still come up tomorrow.

Whether I write every day in the coming 10 years or not, in 10 years I’ll still turn 40.

The only difference: will I feel that my actions were aligned with who I want to be? Or will I feel regret instead?

Some aspirations are worth the time you’re living anyway.

I can worry a thousand times until my worries come true.

I can envision my dreams a thousand times until my dreams come true.

Not because of the act of worrying or the dreaming itself.

But because my worries or dreams will incite different present actions taking me down different paths.

Whatever future I focus on a thousand times, I’ll be drawn towards.

Choose wisely.

To become consistent, you have to go beyond wanting. You have to need it.

It’s not about figuring out where you’d like to end up – it’s about deciding where you must go.

It’s about creating a driving force within yourself.

A commitment so strong that you can’t ignore it anymore.