I’m a huge fan of the Olympic marathon. When I admit this, most people say, “The Marathon!?! It’s so long—and so boring.”
That’s true compared to the more visually dramatic events, like diving and the one-hundred-meter dash (also on my favorites list). But I’ve always loved the marathon.
During the twenty-six-mile event, athletes’ stories are shared alongside the race, rather than in the lead-up to it. Dramas unfold from injuries and dark horse surprises to athletes hitting the proverbial wall, that point where they don’t think they can go on.
We all experience the ecstasy of medal winners, like Sifan Hassan, Tigst Assefa, and Hellen Obiri, while honoring the athletes who cross the finish line after them, a group whose sole consolation prize is the glory of participation.
All of this mirrors the challenges of the writing life.
Books are long-haul projects much like a marathon. They require immense training and endurance as the months and years pass.
Like all lengthy races, more than half of the training is mental. We must believe we have what it takes, envision our success, and learn when to push, rest, and get back up, so we can break past the brick walls of doubts, setbacks, and rejections.
Only a few win the most coveted prizes, like six-figure book deals or spots on the New York Times bestseller list, while writers who are just as talented and work just as hard experience more modest results.
But making it to the Olympics is its own victory. It’s proof that you are the best of the best in your field—an honor only a few people can claim.
According to this New York Times article, eighty-one percent of Americans say they want to write a book. Only three percent do so. Typing the end or signing a contract means you’ve endured.
Yet when we’re in the messy middle, we can lose sight of our achievements, especially if they don’t measure up to our dreams.
Recently, I hit a brick wall that was stalling my progress. Then, while playing the game Uncommon Questions with my husband, I encountered a question that helped me flip the script on my doubts: What about right now will you miss in the future?
I realized I’d miss a lot of things about right now: the warm (okay swelteringly hot) days, the strength of my body, the ideas that appear while I’m in the shower or drying my hair, the things I have achieved, and the chance to accomplish future goals.
Sharing this shattered my brick wall.
If you’re in a funk, looking for another way to build a beginner’s mind, or want to connect with your mental fortitude, ask yourself this question. What about right now will you miss in the future?
Write down your answer in your journal, so you can refer to it anytime a brick wall looms. Let it serve as a reminder of the successes you carry with you as you work toward the finish lines you’ve set for yourself.
Until next week, may this knowledge inspire you to always write on.
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