I was watching a Seth Godin interview today. He says to “find generous work that scares you”. He says to blog everyday even if nobody reads it because it’s a generous way to confront your fear.
I don’t consider myself a writer. I write when I feel inspired or if I have something I want to say or get out. Writing is a tool. I enjoy it but it’s not my most favorite thing to do.
I’m not sure writing scares me anymore. I practiced a lot with my morning pages to the point where I can write down my stream of thoughts fairly well. I’ve posted enough public articles now that I’m not so afraid of showing up.
I don’t often feel like writing because I feel like I’m wasting my time if nobody is reading. I hear the crickets chirping as I write.
I want to be useful. I want to create useful, entertaining, enjoyable things, whether they be stories or apps or drawings. I want to inspire and to spark thoughts.
Sometimes I really have nothing to say, so I wonder if I really can blog everyday. Should we write if we have nothing to say? Is that a sort of pollution? Do I become like those people who talk all the time but have nothing to say?
I guess it’s good practice. I guess it sparks creativity even in creative activities other than writing. So maybe it’s worth it.
A quote by Rumi comes to mind:
I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.
If nobody hears, it’s okay, I still have the enjoyment of writing and I still have the benefit of getting the stuff out of my head even if only for an imaginary audience. If nobody is reading, then it doesn’t really matter if I have nothing to say.
Of course, it’s much better to have real people enjoying my stories!
