One more mile, one more word - motivation from running, show tunes & more

This morning I ran three miles.  As a sporadic and fairly novice runner, this is a challenge for me.  I'm always ready to give up at the two mile mark.  Today's excuses included - "I only slept six hours" and "It's pretty hot out here" and "After a busy weekend, I deserve a break."  Those things might be true, but none of them can prevent me from running another mile if I push myself to do it.  Which I did.  Music usually motivates me to keep running.  I like to include show tunes on my running playlists.  I've been a fan of the "Big Fish" soundtrack ever since my daughter performed in the musical at her school.  It's a story full of good life lessons.  I appreciate the lyrics from the song "What's next" -

"What's next?" is all anyone needs to begin.
"What's next?" has been a friend to you.
What's next to do?
One word and then suddenly one more again,
Just like a pen writing a perfect tale.

"One word and then suddenly one more again," reminds me of an anecdote from Anne Lamott's book Bird by Bird.  She relates the story of her father encouraging her overwhelmed brother to complete a daunting school assignment - a report about birds - by saying, "Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird."  If we think too much about the whole distance we want to run, the entire story we want to write, or the big project we need to do - we'll likely be overwhelmed.  We're better off bird by bird, word by word, page by page, step by step, mile by mile.  I remind myself at the beginning of any big task that "what's next" - the single next step - is all I need to get started.

The opposite of one step at a time is taking on too much at a time or multitasking.  Both of which are incompatible with the sort of focus that helps us reach our goals.  Blogger and author Cal Newport writes about these ideas.  I mentioned his book Deep Work in my reading notes from a year ago.  I've been reading his blog and skimming his book So Good They Can't Ignore You which details the idea of the "craftsman mindset" versus the "passion mindset."   One becomes a craftsman, Newport suggests, through deliberate practice.  Deliberate practice means not just working hard but also pushing and stretching yourself beyond what's comfortable.  Running one more mile, for example. Or writing a piece that is challenging due to the technique or topic.

This leads me to another source of inspiration - getting things done.  I often think I'm "too busy" to write or exercise or do other things that are important to me.  In April and May, I participated in an online writing course.  I wondered if I would have time to write the twice weekly assignments, read the other writers' pieces, and contribute to the discussions on top of work, volunteer commitments, end-of-school-year events and my son's graduation.  I did.  Because I was busy and didn't have time to overthink and keep revising, I believe I participated in a more focused (and less perfectionist) way.  I benefited greatly from the experience: I learned new ideas and techniques; I wrote at least twice a week, producing new drafts or revising existing pieces; I received support and feedback from a talented group of writers; and I realized that, in fact, I am not "too busy" to write. 

My last bit of inspiration comes from a book.  In my most recent reading notes, I refer to Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser.  Fraser writes:

"Wilder was not always in full command of her material, but in turning out a column every two weeks she was learning how to tell stories, introduce characters, and craft dialogue.  She was becoming comfortable in the public realm, serving up advice to a cohort of women who craved connection, encouragement, and sensible counsel.  She was beginning to taste the gratification that came from seizing control of a narrative, summoning beloved figures, settling scores, and addressing grievances."

I'm not comparing myself to Laura Ingalls Wilder in any way, but I can relate to being "not always in full command" of my material.  Fraser observed that Wilder's regular column gave her the writing practice she needed.  There it is: "deliberate practice."  I experienced deliberate practice in the online writing course.  And it's something I can continue with committing to a regular writing routine and posting regularly on this blog.  "One word and then suddenly one word again.."

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Whatever your plans or goals, I hope you've found some inspiration here.