How You Do One Thing Is How You Do Everything

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How you do one thing is how you do everything. You may have heard this, but what does it mean?

Take creative writing. For many writers, starting a new story is always exciting.

But then you get to the "messy middle." Now the writing process becomes arduous, and the story is no longer so fresh but a muck you have to wade through.

That's why so many writers -- myself included -- end up abandoning stories partway through. Right now, I'm working with a young woman --extremely talented, but again, has a habit of not finishing what she starts.

Her latest story is incredible. But I can tell she's already ready to quit.

So what I'm doing is giving her a one word prompt -- any random word, like "umbrella" or "basketball." I set a timer for 10 minutes, and somewhere within that time, she has to introduce the word. Then I give another prompt, set the timer for another 10 minutes, and so on.

This does a few things. First, it takes some of the pressure off of the completion, because she only has to write for 10 minutes.

Also, by giving her a word to focus on, it reduces that overwhelm that typically accompanies writing and other creative acts, where there's basically infinite options.

Finally, the word prompt introduces a pivot. Even if you keep the same general storyline, you have to alter it at least somewhat for the inclusion of the word to make sense. So if the story is starting to feel stagnant, then the prompt redirects it, bringing new life and movement.

One step in front of another (like this song says).

Just 10 minutes at a time. And so on and so on, until you have a complete story.

This concept can be applied to any hurdle we face in life, especially when we feel overwhelmed or stagnant. When there's (seemingly) too many options or no options.

If you have a huge project ahead of you and don't know how to get started, breaking it into chunks can make it so much more manageable. If you're feeling bored or just generally dissatisfied with life, sometimes one tiny scene change can turn things around for the better.

Another writing exercise I really like is called 100 Sentences. If you're writing a story and again, you feel stuck, you write 100 sentences about that story. They could be about a particular direction you want to take the story in or a character you want to develop.

I really like this exercise because at the beginning, it's pretty easy. But as you continue, it gets more challenging.

And having to come up with those 100 sentences basically forces you to come up with new ideas, and you end up discovering exciting new possibilities for your story.

It really pushes you beyond your limited thinking. At the same time, it sets parameters. Even though 100 sentences may be a lot, it's not one million sentences or "write forever."

So it provides some structure, which I think is an essential component for creativity. Otherwise, the creative reservoir can turn into this huge morass.

Once again, this can be applied to anything in life. If you're facing an issue -- one where it seems there's no appealing options -- try writing 100 sentences about the issue.

When I do this exercise in a creative writing context, I eventually find myself writing sentences that have nothing to do with the scene in my story, yet somehow it ends up relating back to my story. Such sentences can be even more enriching than the more obviously "relevant" ones.

You may find that the same thing occurs with the issue you're facing.

Remember -- you always have options. And when you have too many options, there's always a way to narrow them down.

We are all creators. It's just that we forget sometimes. But by doing simple creative processes like the ones I've described, you can rediscover your innate power as creatOR of your reality!

Intrigued? Want to learn more about how to get in touch with your inner creator, break through your blocks, and write your ideal life into existence? Don't hesitate to reach out!

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