Comments on: Reading Into It: Linchpin

By: steve cunningham

steve cunningham — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:06:08 +0000

So true – we are all remarkable and we can all be linchpins. And doing what you are doing (holding on to your passions) is a huge part of what makes us one.

Thanks for the thoughts!

By: Kat

Kat — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:57:39 +0000

This is sitting on my bedside table and I need to crack that bitch oooopennnn. .-= Kat´s last blog ..I have a crush =-.

By: Lesley

Lesley — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:44:06 +0000

Wow! Thank you so much for this post! It came at a time where I really needed to hear some of those words. I love your blog for the exact reasons you mention–you are different and aren’t afraid to expand on topics that are talked about on most ‘healthy living’ blogs. And you know what? I like it!!!

I’m definitely going to check out that book

By: Triz

Triz — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:03:15 +0000

I’ve now ordered the book so maybe I will find out!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:18:27 +0000

Triz–

I agree that I am pretty disciplined, but I think it goes back to discovering your passion and latching onto that. When it comes to doing things like, say, doing a writing assignment I’m not excited about, yup, I get on blogs and waste time and avoid doing it. But when it comes to doing things I’m passionate about — this blog, my book, exercise — then I don’t generally have to really fight a desire to procrastinate.

HOWEVER, there’s a whole section in Linchpin about the concept of shipping, which means getting the job done. To create art, he says, you have to ship. There are a lot of things that stand in the way of shipping, no matter how passionate you are, and fear comes into play here again! Sometimes if I can’t get myself to ship on the things I’m passionate about, it’s because I’m scared. Right now my vision board just says “SHIP SHIP SHIP” to remind me to stay focused on editing and not get scared that, holy shit, if I do well with this, in a very short amount of time, every guy I dated in college is going to know how I really felt about him. And my GRANDMA is going to know, well, EVERYTHING. But the book has advice on dealing with that fear and getting you to ship.

Sooo…I think procrastination comes from more than one place! I guess it’s all about figuring out what’s stopping you?

By: Triz

Triz — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:08:03 +0000

I don’t know Rachel … you seem to me to be astonishingly disciplined and self-driven, at least compared to me. On a non-work day, I’ll still be lounging about reading, then when I exert myself enough to check email and your blog, I discover that you’ve taught a class and cooked a meal and edited a chapter AND wrote a blog (or two!). Don’t you EVER feel lazy or procrastinate?

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:52:32 +0000

Yes! Thank you so much for saying this! I'm tired of people watering down their personalities and stifling their creativity because they think they have to act like some corporate drone to get a job. If a company doesn't like that I blog about my middle school diary, that I'm a bleeding heart liberal who loves gays and the environment, or that I once published erotica for a short story collection, then probably don't want to work for them anyway! Let's all strive to seek jobs who appreciate us for who we are, who understand and respect the talents and innovation we can bring. .-= Diane´s last blog ..February 26, 2001: Dial-Up =-.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:51:02 +0000

Hi! I’m a relatively new reader and just want to say I LOVE your blog – so keep doing what you’re doing. This was such a great post and exactly what I needed to hear right now. You’re a refreshing break in my google reader full of oatmeal blogs (which I still do love)…but I definitely always look forward to your posts!