Kicking the Pants

The Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the day is “ice worms.” (Which is two words, so technically “term of the day” would be more appropriate, but who am I to argue with the august institution that is the OED?)

ice worm, n. – OED Word of the Day: ice worm, n. An imaginary creature which flourishes in icy conditions https://t.co/IRhWx0dkDw

— The OED (@OED) February 6, 2017

The current temperature is 31°, up from 23° when I crawled out of my crypt this morning. The mercury is supposed to keep rising until it hits 60° sometime tomorrow afternoon, with severe storms possible. And yes, I’m still talking about the weather, not politics.*

So if they were real, ice worms might have flourished this morning, while I pondered Serious Things and a stray thought lodged somewhere in the gray meat. And it’s before coffee, and the idea still seems like a good one, so I’ll jot it down here and let you decide.

The thought — and it’s probably not original, by the by — is this: What would you be doing differently if you could remove the biggest internal obstacle in your path to success?

Let’s say your internal biggest obstacle is self-doubt. You don’t believe in yourself and your talent. You think everything you write is crap. You think you’re not a “real writer.”

Imagine what you would do if you didn’t have that doubt. If you thought you were a great writer — a real writer — what would you be doing differently? Picture your imaginary day-to-day life in vivid detail. What would you do, getting out of bed? While drinking your first cup of coffee? Would your morning be different, and if so, how? What would you be doing in the afternoon? In the evening?

Write down everything you imagine. Make a list on paper, in pen.

All external variables remain in place, by the way. You still have your same job, your same house, your same everything — except you’re removing that one internal obstacle.

Got your list? Okay, now start doing the things on it. Keep imagining you don’t have that internal obstacle. Fake it, and see what happens.

My guess is, if you fake it long enough, you will, as they say, make it.

It seems like this could apply to other internal obstacles, as well. Not happy? Imagine you were happy, with all other external things still in place, and picture what you’d do differently as a happy individual.

The usual caveat applies: Everything in this blog may be wrong, and possibly utter bullshit.

But what have you got to lose?

Make the list. Do the list. See if it helps.

Be an ice worm, and flourish despite the harsh conditions.

 

* I know we’re all sick of politics — and, if you have half a brain, you’re sickened by the current administration — but don’t ignore the news. Don’t ignore the awfulness that is happening. America is being torn down faster than I could have imagined possible, and your representatives in Congress are doing nothing about it. Pay attention, call or write your congresspeople, and do not go gentle into that good night. Do not let America die on your watch. 

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(Photo Credit: Patrick Michael Chin, via Death to Stock)