17 Comments
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Miche Priest's avatar

And it’s okay if you do the work and take a step on another path and come back and step off again. It’s the doing that matters. The destination will be there or not be there, but the journey is always yours.

Alec McNayr's avatar

100% this. Showing up is the thing. Not the end goal.

Becky Leonard's avatar

LOVE this! ok...going back to Do The Work! lol

Tim Sweetman's avatar

This is one of those essays you love and hate. Love it because you heard what you need to hear. Hate it because...you can't un-hear it, and you have to DO THE WORK. Thank you Alec!

Alec McNayr's avatar

Thanks man - to be loved and hated all at once. A DREAM!

Norman T. Leonard's avatar

The simplest principles are always the best (and often most difficult) Related, I heard Oliver Stone give this writing advice once: "Ass meet seat."

Alec McNayr's avatar

Or the videos of Jerry Seinfeld going around, where he talks about sitting down daily at a yellow notepad: "you don't have to write jokes, but you can't do anything else."

Norman T. Leonard's avatar

Nothing slips you into a creative sauna like focused silence.

Alec McNayr's avatar

I have updated the post with your request. :)

Bill Southern's avatar

Three words of advice, just like Nike - magical.

Alec McNayr's avatar

You’re so welcome! What’s the work you’re doing?

Sarah Wettberg's avatar

I’m working on a couple short stories. My very first short story is getting published at the end of this month! So between that and trying to come up with interesting things to write for my substack... I can get caught in analysis paralysis.

Alec McNayr's avatar

Amazing to hear. Congrats on the short story. I have a few of those up my sleeve and don't know where to put them. Trying to not worry about those details and just (you know) show up and do the work.