I have seen a lot of people sharing this New Yorker cartoon this week:
And of course, the comment to the right of cartoon showcases how much more difficult people’s actual reality is: “Just add 4 children and 3 dogs in that boat and that’s me.”
The implication of the cartoon (as I read it) is that people are dealing with so much crisis and responsibility now. Any suggestions of “since you are likely quarantined at home, now you have time to finish your novel!” miss the complexity of all that people are dealing with.
I know that many of you reading this feel that you are well past 100% in your life. That you are simply juggling too much, and have nothing left in the tank to use in order to create more or share more. I, of course, absolutely understand and respect that.
Whenever I consider this — how can someone find the ability to create something extraordinary — I always look for models of success. Real people, juggling their own complex lives.
This week I was honored to be a guest on the Write-Minded podcast, hosted by Brooke Warner and Grant Faulker. They described the episode as a “game-changing conversation about generosity, authenticity, and how to be heart-centered in how you share, engage, and promote.”
Among many other achievements, Brooke is the author of a whole bunch of books, and the publisher of She Writes Press and SparkPress. Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
It’s incredible to consider what they have each created. And on top of all of what they do, here they are producing a podcast as well.
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Brooke for years, but had only known Grant through his reputation at NaNoWriMo. I mean, the whole idea of this is a little bit bonkers. Every November, thousands of people write a novel, start to finish, in a single month.
That is 50,000 words written in a month that includes a major holiday, along with all of the other normal responsibilities in life: family, work, home, health, travel, and of course, so many dishes and laundry.
What I love most about the idea of NaNoWriMo is that it reframes what you think 100% is. Most people would say, “Look. I work a job. I raise a family. I can find time to write 1,000 words a week. But 1,700 words per day?!? And these words have to be strung together so they create one story — one novel? That’s simply not possible.”
NaNoWriMo pushes you to reconsider what 100% can be for you and your creative work.
I was reading an interview with guitar legend Joe Satriani who talked about how in 1988, Mick Jagger gave him the break that made his career, and what Mick taught him:
“I was on my very first solo tour. We were losing lots of money, about eight grand a week playing two club shows a night. I was all but done. So I was going to scrap the tour and just go figure something else out. Then I get a call about an audition for a Mick Jagger solo tour. I end up getting the job, then BAM – all of a sudden i went from all but total obscurity into a hyper world with a red carpet in front of me at all times. It was insane.”
When asked how this helped his solo career, Joe replied:
“It was Mick. See, not only was he the total rockstar I always dreamed he would be – but he was also funny, unpredictable, incredibly cool, open, and one of the most generous people I’d ever met. He said to me, ‘my staff is your staff – use all of my resources to help promote your record while we tour. Use this private room for interviews – use these people to help you.’ Then he gave me a big solo spot in the show. He was totally selfless and completely excited to help me with MY success as a solo artist. He would tell me all the time –you’ve gotta go all the way – you’ve got to take advantage of whatever you can and most importantly, connect with the audience. I just learned so much from Mick Jagger and he really allowed me to establish myself as a solo artist.”
What was the biggest lesson Mick taught him? This:
“Being on stage with him every night, I never failed to appreciate that this is a guy who always is trying harder than all of us to make a great show for the audience. We had an 11-piece band – so if someone wanted to kick back and relax a bit, it’d be easy to cover. But then Mick would run past you, giving 100%, 100% of the time, and you’d realize, if he’s doing it, we all have to do it. He would drag me into the spotlight with him so different parts of the audience could really see me. He loves his audience so much, and is so focused on pleasing them – that’s what I think I was the important thing he taught me – appreciating those who come and see you play – and working your hardest to please them.”
When I read stuff like that, I get inspired to clarify my work. To consider the people I want to reach and connect with, and meaningful ways I can do that.
But, perhaps you are reading that story and thinking. “Ugh. Why bother? I do so much already.”
This week I sat down with bestselling author Jennifer Louden to talk about her brand new book, Why Bother?: Discover the Desire for What’s Next.
In our interview, she went through her six-step process to figure out what is next for your creative work:
- Leave behind: Examine the excuses that you’re too depressed, anxious, old, or ill, that it’s too late, that you’re not good enough. See with love what needs to be jettisoned so you can start a new story.
- Ease in: Trust yourself to wonder, awaken self-compassionate grit, investigate habits that deaden possibility, and return again and again to the truth that you matter.
- Settle: Find the stillness that makes everything else possible. Settling doesn’t mean being static or putting up with less than what you desire.
- Desire: The heart of the why bother approach, the missing piece in your life. Make friends with the misunderstood quality and energy of desire, replace substitute desires, drop your diversions, and be amazed.
- Become by doing: Follow through with gentle, devoted action that helps you stay in the gap, check your head, and become the most human version of you.
- Be seen: Celebrate your desires in community and take refuge in belonging.
So much of what she talks about is finding the path that is customized for you. As a huge bonus, in our conversation, she also takes you behind the scenes of her book launch, and shares how she got more than 175 five-star reviews on Amazon in less than a week. She digs into what else she is doing to promote the book, discusses the biggest mistakes authors make in their book launch, and the things that surprise her most about marketing her book.
You can listen to our entire conversation here.
Your creative work matters. You get to choose if you work on it, how you do it, and the manner by which it fits into the vast complexity of your life.
Thanks.
-Dan