When You Don't Write, Does Your Conscience Bother You?

First, let me say, “Same.”

Thoughts like:

You could be a better writer if you would only put more energy into it.

Other people are surpassing you. They’re releasing new books while you’re remaining stagnant.

Look at you. Still teaching when you could be writing.

Does some form of these thoughts flow through your head as easily as air to your lungs?

If you’re like me, most of your time and energy goes towards the every day grind of life and helping other people chase their dreams while relinquishing yours. And on days when I don’t work on my manuscript, I sometimes feel paralyzed, and I inevitably put off writing another day.

But I thought about this cycle today and said to myself, “Instead of looking for a solution to this problem, why not fantasize for just a moment?”

Put yourself in your ideal author situation.

Maybe you’re in your country home’s beautiful office surrounded by collections of your favorite books while you tap away at your next manuscript.

Perhaps you’re attending an author conference and fans all over the world are coming to your table to meet you and get a signed copy of your newest release.

For me, I dream about writing by the beach, soaking in the sun, and creating stories in a totally judgment-free zone.

Now, I’m no psychologist or expert problem solver, but I’ve read enough biographies to know how important these dreams are. Sometimes one person’s dream is enough to propel them beyond life’s most difficult challenges to achieve results 99% of people thought were impossible. Their stories are incredible.

Here’s an interesting thought about biographies to dwell on for a moment: Biographies are almost always written about people who’ve succeeded in some form or fashion, and this great. They inspire and motivate us and give us insight into the person and what they were thinking before they became who they are today. But think of how biographies would be written if they were about people who gave up or let the tides of mediocrity carry them away from their dreams.

We would be forced to ask ourselves, “What happened to this person that made them think they couldn’t accomplish their dream? And do they have any regrets?”

More than likely, their regrets would be that they wished they had spent more less time carrying about what others thought or wanted from them and more time pursuing what made them happy.

One thing I’ve succeeded in more often than not these past couple of years is learning how to identify when someone’s views or opinions are just projections of their own perceived limitations.

Before, I would look at people’s so-called “wisdom” and think that it was sound advice, especially if it was from family. But every time I’ve done that, I’ve regretted listening to them. My conscience bothered me. It was like my spirit was saying, “Why did you listen to them? I was guiding you the entire time.”

Here’s another interesting thought to contemplate: None of us were born with wisdom, but we all were born with thinking ability. Wisdom is not about shutting out every single opinion we don’t agree with but rather asking ourselves, “Would my conscience bother me if I listened to what other people said so much that I made it my truth, believed it as truth, and lived it as my truth so much so that the results they had became mine?”

Would your conscience be bothered by that?

I can’t answer that for you, but here’s what I know. (Btw, I’ll never tell you what I think. I’ll only tell you what I know.)

If your conscience is bothering you, you already know why.

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