On Avoiding Mistakes

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. The fear of being imperfect or sounding silly will paralyze your creativity, not allowing you to find the needles of greatness in the haystack.

I think it's far better to just accept the fact that we will make mistakes. This way, when they happen, we can see it as a learning and growing opportunity. Over the long run, enough mistakes will result in a lot of successes.

Keep writing (and learning),

Ben

The Four Seasons - Winter

Like a lot of days, yesterday I found myself listening to NPR's Tom Ashbrook as I drove to my co-write (catch the audio from the On Point show here). The conversation was about how our emotions are affected by the changing of seasons. Being winter, I began to consider the things that pop into my head when thinking about this season:

Snowy.
Cold.
Grey.
White.
New Year.
Resolutions.
Lack of green plant life.
Fireplace.
Cozy.
Book.
Cancellations.
Home.

To me, winter is an opportunity to begin a new rhythm in life. Gained a few pounds over the holidays? Get a Y membership. Been wanting to read more? Go to the library. Hoping to wake up earlier? Get out of bed without hitting the snooze button.

New rhythm begins with the excitement of a fresh start, and is sustained by the fruit of the rhythm itself. We continue going to the Y if we are diligent and work out enough to see a change in physique. We can't help but discover a new favorite author, and we read the rest of their work. We make waking up on time easier by going to bed at a decent hour.

So I encourage you, when looking for a new rhythm, to trust in the process. Sometimes progress isn't seen immediately, but one day you can look back and see something beautiful: growth.

Keep writing (and finding rhythm),

Ben

Odie Blackmon - Humility Into Growth

Odie Blackmon - Having Humility from Music Starts Here on Vimeo.