I’ve been really focused on a couple of major writing projects these days. And maybe it’s just the fact that I’m at my computer all day, but I’ve also been doing a lot more reading online, clicking links and just generally exploring as I love to do.
I’ve been watching how I’m walking the line between reading just enough stuff out there to keep me motivated for my own work vs letting the exploring cross the line into “avoiding writing” territory. A few avoidance moments, but not too many to throw me off track completely, so I’ll go with it.
And today, I got into some really cool and interesting stuff about designing online learning programs at ‘Teaching Sells.com‘. Seemed more motivational than avoidance, and I was definitely getting pretty fired up about new possibilities for sharing with people.
I stopped to make lunch, my head starting to swirl with new visions,product ideas, ways to create support & community, and suddenly it struck me…
I’ve done this before!
I could immediately think of several times when I’ve been tightly focused on my website, or an e-book or improving something current, and I’ve been “exploring” and suddenly found myself in ‘Visionary’ mode, all inspired and looking down the road at a future full of possibilities.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever done Marcus Buckingham’s Strength’s Finder, but one of my top strengths is ‘Ideation’, the process of coming up with new ideas.
I LOVE this part!
I get all excited, I grab a pen and paper, or open a new Word doc and start writing frantically, capturing as much as I can of the vision while I have it.
And, to my credit, a lot of my current stuff is coming from re-visiting writing I did years ago in just such a state. (Fortunately, I’ve kept absolutely everything!)
But what I can suddenly see with jolting clarity, is how many times I’ve turfed the current project I was tightly focused on for the excitement of the new idea and vision.
I’d say it’s been a crap shoot over time, a 50/50 chance, that I would actually get back to what I was working on and finish it completely.
And, when I REALLY look at this pattern (Yikes!) I realize that there were whole areas of expertise that I was ready to share that I threw out the window just before they were ready.
OK, breathe. Now breathe compassion to the horrified part of me.
I know that all the things I’ve ever worked on were stepping stones to what I’m doing now, and I still have all the writing I did on them, so all is not lost.
But what I think I really lost was the opportunity to experience success with each one of those. To bring them to fruition and know the sweetness of the completion and the harvest.
And I think I missed out on a way of seeing myself in the light of those successes that would have me in a different place in my life now.
And then, of course, with compassion, I know I’m in the exact right place right now, and I do have a deep feeling that couldn’t have claimed this new way of seeing myself any earlier that I have.
We get it when we get it. And not a moment before.
But now, please excuse me while I get back to my writing!
How about you? Does being a visionary every get in your way?
Join in the dialogue below.
