Patti O’Shea twittered this morning about The Randy Pausch last lecture on Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, and I watched it over breakfast. Passionate, moving and inspiring, Professor Pausch’s message really hit home for me:
Brick Walls are there for a reason: They let us know how badly we want things.
Many people dream of writing a book in their lifetime. Few people accomplish it. National Novel Writing Month participants have taken the first big leap of faith toward achieving that goal. As we round the hump of NaNoWriMo and make our way toward the finish line, keep in mind that dream you’ve carried with you for so many years: to write the book of your heart. Keep going. You may be getting tired. You may think there’s so much to do to get ready for Thanksgiving in addition to jobs, kids, errands, housework, that you just can’t find time to write anymore.
Remember: These are brick walls. They are there to let us know how badly we want it.
Instead of all the excuses you have not to write (and believe me, even though my primary job is “writing” I can dream up a mountain of reasons not to do it), think of how good you’ll feel when you accomplish this one goal.
Motivation is key. For me, NaNoWriMo has been the magic ticket I needed to get my act together. This month I’ve gone from thinking 2,000 words was a hell of a lot to write in one day - practically an unattainable goal to write every day, as Stephen King recommends - to writing 5,000 words in a single day.
NaNoWriMo has given me Discipline. Forcing myself to write everyday has helped me strengthen that writing muscle. Just as running gets easier when I do it regularly, writing every day has become a well conditioned reflex. When I skip a day it’s that much harder to sit back down and start again.
NaNo has helped me attain the freedom to banish my internal editor, instead of over-analyzing every word. My first book took almost a year to write mostly because I spent every day editing. This time I’m writing a complete first draft before I edit a single word. It’s a relief to let go of my anxiety about making it perfect the first time through. (As a card-carrying member of the overachieving perfectionist club, the ability to let go of this anxiety is a huge step.)
Ciara’s Childhood Dreams, in no particular order:
- Save the World
- Marry Prince Charming and Live Happily Ever After
- Be President of the United States
- Be a Disney Imagineer
- Write & Publish a book
Surprisingly, I’ve actually managed to accomplish #2 on that list, though my HEA is ongoing. I have anxiety about not working toward #1 and no longer have any interest whatsoever in achieving #3. I never figured out how to work for #4. It wasn’t Doctor, Teacher, Lawyer, so I simply couldn’t imagine the path to get there. I’m working hard on #5. Wish me luck!
What were your childhood dreams? How many have you accomplished, and how many do you have left to reach?
I considered entitling this post “In which I discover an Old Skool Romance that I actually liked.” A few pages in, I thought to myself, “Oh NOOOoooos! This can’t be Lisa Kleypas!” but I continued reading…and continued reading…and read right to the end in one sitting. I quite enjoyed it. This book has every romance trope you can think of: Purple prose! Virgin widows! Forced Seduction! Honorable pirates! Mistaken identity! Irritating nicknames! Anachronistic sensibilities! But somehow, despite it all, I fell for the characters and was swept away by the adventure.
Stop by the 
