That bit about a day job being easier is so true. I sit down and write/edit my novel before anything else for at least an hour and a half each morning and 99% of the time it’s really hard and I have to force myself to focus. It would be so much easier to just switch to work mode. I’ve been feeling this a lot lately so it was nice to see someone voicing it!
I have the exact problem with my hobby. While I'm passionate about art, it's a time consuming hobby and I've put it aside so many times. Yet art to me is like an ex I can't rid of, I always come back at it.
There are times when I saw it as a means to an end, where I only want the final product and not the process.
It's the most harmful thought process, because art is not something you get good at.
Art is like reading, it's as easy to draw as it is easy to read a trash novel. I can draw, I can also finish 600 chapters in 3 days because I get so obsessed I don't sleep or eat.
But mindless reading and mindless drawing is the same, I get nothing but dopamine. I will never improve unless I'm actively practicing. I force myself to practice, I get bored, I leave my art aside, and rinse and repeat.
You share about the beauty of impermanence, I dwell on the addictiveness of it.
You struggled to think "it's ok to take a break", I struggle to find a way back from the break. It's funny how it's difficult to just enjoy living haha
I also struggle with consistency in some things, and I think as long as I have it in a few things / periodically commit to hard processes (which builds the confidence that I can maintain it), I actually enjoy the ebbs and flows. I wrote about something similar a while back. I do like your emphasis on building the self-confidence by consistently showing up for yourself!
Lovely writing Minh.
'The journey to mastery is filled with unglamorous and unexciting days'
Agree! And yet the end result of putting in the work is a tangible skill which can bring a lot of joy
They are all worth it in the end :) Thank you Edward
That bit about a day job being easier is so true. I sit down and write/edit my novel before anything else for at least an hour and a half each morning and 99% of the time it’s really hard and I have to force myself to focus. It would be so much easier to just switch to work mode. I’ve been feeling this a lot lately so it was nice to see someone voicing it!
thank you for sharing! Kudos to you for prioritizing writing like that, it's admirable
I have the exact problem with my hobby. While I'm passionate about art, it's a time consuming hobby and I've put it aside so many times. Yet art to me is like an ex I can't rid of, I always come back at it.
There are times when I saw it as a means to an end, where I only want the final product and not the process.
It's the most harmful thought process, because art is not something you get good at.
Art is like reading, it's as easy to draw as it is easy to read a trash novel. I can draw, I can also finish 600 chapters in 3 days because I get so obsessed I don't sleep or eat.
But mindless reading and mindless drawing is the same, I get nothing but dopamine. I will never improve unless I'm actively practicing. I force myself to practice, I get bored, I leave my art aside, and rinse and repeat.
You share about the beauty of impermanence, I dwell on the addictiveness of it.
You struggled to think "it's ok to take a break", I struggle to find a way back from the break. It's funny how it's difficult to just enjoy living haha
Haha I feel you - constant tension between starting/stopping and maintaining the journey with satisfaction
I also struggle with consistency in some things, and I think as long as I have it in a few things / periodically commit to hard processes (which builds the confidence that I can maintain it), I actually enjoy the ebbs and flows. I wrote about something similar a while back. I do like your emphasis on building the self-confidence by consistently showing up for yourself!
If you're interested in reading more: https://postcardsfromvish.substack.com/p/pacing-in-figure-eights-outside-juliettas