Here’s a routine that many writers are familiar with:
- Set aside time to write with no distractions: no spouse or kids in the house.
- Make a cup of chai or coffee. Take a sip.
- Straighten up the writing desk.
- Sit in front of the computer, or typewriter, or pad of paper.
- Stare at the blank screen or page.
- Fidget in the chair.
- Take another sip of hot tea or coffee.
- Dust the living room.
- Glance at the blank screen or page on the way to start a load of laundry.
- Rub the dog’s tummy.
- Sit back down at the desk.
- Look at the clock.
- Begin typing or writing.
- Play with the first sentence until it is perfectly written, yet flat.
- Put the dog out.
- Write the next sentence, which is uninspiring.
- Google “writer’s block.”
- Let the dog in.
- Put the laundry in the dryer.
- Shut down the computer or put away the paper, feeling defeated.
Why, when writing feels like plugging in to the electricity of the universe, when creating a story makes you crackle with purpose, do you sometimes resist doing it?
When you’re stuck in the kind of resistance that keeps you from doing something you really want to do, it feels like you’re fighting an invisible force inside yourself.
So what is that force, exactly?
Think of an archer pulling back on the string of a bow, increasing the energy to propel the arrow toward the mark.
The arrow is anything you intend do to. (Like write a new story.)
The mark is the target you’re aiming for. (Like completing a first draft.)
Resistance is the part of taking focused action where you pull back a little and pause.
Its intention is to help you gather energy and get clear on the mark. So resistance is actually helpful.
However, when you hesitate past the moment when your energy and focus are in alignment—past the moment when you need to take action—you lose energy and focus, and you may give up.
So how can you make resistance your ally? Remember that it’s simply a moment in a process. When you feel it, think of it as a messenger telling you that you are poised to act. And you are the archer. You are the one in control of how far back you pull that string, how long you take aim, and when you let that arrow fly. When resistance shows up, don’t overthink it. Make the conscious decision to let go.
How do you know if you’re overthinking it? You might have thoughts like:
- What if the arrow falls short or over-shoots the target?
- What if the arrow hits the target, but misses the mark?
- What if an asteroid is hurtling toward the house this very second? (Okay, that was a bit of sarcasm to make a point.)
Staying resistant might make you feel like you’re in control. But you’re really letting your fear control you. And when you do that, you’re not getting anywhere.
It’s time to channel your inner Robin Hood! Let the outlaw in you write—or make any kind of art—despite the mistakes you will make. Don’t do the laundry. Face the blank page and stay put!
Let your inner Robin Hood take from your rich inner life and share the bounty with the rest of us. We want to read, or hear, or see, or taste, or feel, or know your art.
There’s only one you, and we’re curious about how you see the world.