"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them." - Orison Swett Marden
This particular Marden quote should be posted above my desk. Like many, I often let obstacles stand in my way instead of plowing through them. The scary part is that sometimes when my husband finds a solution for dealing with that obstacle, I immediately come up with a new one, so that once again, I cannot move forward. Sound familiar?
I have struggled with this aspect of my personality for years and it is through helping others that I found I have been able to help myself. While encouraging writing friends to pursue their dreams, I actually find a way to encourage my own.
An aspiring author faces many obstacles, and they often aren't easy obstacles to overcome; especially with self-doubt and fear of failure looming close by. But if we take the advice of Marden, who believed that our thoughts influence our lives and our life circumstances and that we have the ability to "...make the world we live in and shape our own environment," then we soon realize that the only thing stopping us from achieving success is us.
Does that mean that everyone who dreams of being a writer can do so right off the bat? No. Maybe we have to take classes to hone certain skills. Maybe we need to spend time networking and surrounding ourselves with people who can help us achieve our goals. Maybe we need to get organized first and really decide what our goals are.
What Marden's quote is saying is that you can do all that as long as you decide to tackle those obstacles instead of being afraid of them. I know I can do it...and so can you!
3 comments:
My father told me when I was about 8, and Eva (my family name) never gives up. That has always stuck with me. Be it in sport, health, writing whatever do your best and never give up. No matter how dark times seem somewhere, someday things will get better. After all it is always five o'clock somewhere or is that another motivational thought.
When I decided to return to college and finish my Bachelors degree at the age of 39, I had a number of concerns. Primarily, it had been years since I'd stepped into a classroom and now, most of my classmates were half my age.
Working full time, I knew it would take 7-8 years to complete my studies. The encouraging words that kept me going then and continue to push me forward today came from one of my co-workers who said, (I'm paraphrasing) "...in eight years, you'll be 47 whether you complete your education or not. The choice is yours--you can be eight years older and remain in the same place that you are now, or eight years older, degreed with a chance to move forward."
That did it for me. And now ... 47 looks pretty darn good! ;)
You said it Barry. Never give up has to be a writer's mantra.
You're exactly right, Marta. I can get older and no wiser or I can get older and wiser. Which do you want to be?
Thanks for stopping in guys!
Cheryl
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