What’s out beyond your headlights?
A recent post, How to Start, by my friend Phil Bolton of Less Ordinary Living got me thinking. In his post, he shares his struggles writing his blog posts and ponders what it takes to overcome the hurdles and get started.
At first, I reflected on my own writing process, the fits and starts I go through writi
ng blog posting and content for my newsletters, workshops, exercises and website. But after the initial chuckle of recognition wore off, I found myself reflecting on how getting started in writing is a lot like getting started in other parts of my career and life.
While I was reflecting, I picked up one of my favorite books, Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott and skimmed through the chapters. In my flipping, I found a quote I’d never noticed before. Lamott references E.L. Doctorow who is quoted as saying, “writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. “ The quote hit me like a ton of bricks and I couldn’t help but whole-heartedly agree with Lamott’s remark that this was the best advice she ever got about writing and life.
Even if you only have a vague idea of what you’d like to do or where we want to go, get started. Drive the first 200 feet and see where it takes you. See what your headlights illuminate in those first 200 feet. There may be a bridge-out that forces you to turn around or find a new path. There may be a crossroads that forces you to make a new choice. But you might also find a road sign that says you’re on the right track.
My mind jumped back to Bolton’s blog, “The blank page. The blinking cursor.” They mock us when we’re trying to get started and can defeat us if we let them. Too often we believe that we have to know the whole story or the destination in order to write the first word or take the first step.
The same can be said of our careers. For many of us, the blinking cursor is the daily grind of waking up and going to a job we detest. The blank page is our deep desire of wanting a new direction but not knowing what our new destination is. We feel mocked. Eventually we feel defeated.
But if we go back to the words of Doctorow, we can find liberation in them. It’s not necessary to know the final destination. Perhaps it’s not even possible to know exactly what the final destination is. All we can do is shine those headlights and see what the next 200 feet reveal to us. Slow down. Explore. Take notes.
What clues can you find in what you see in front of you?
In what’s working and not working in your current job.
In what you like to do; dislike to do.
In what you’re passionate about.
In what you have a natural talent for (and what you don’t.)
In what your preferences are for the ideal environment that will nourish you and allow your best to shine.
Follow the signs. Take it one exit at a time. Correct your course along the way. Make a left turn if your attention is grabbed by something you like. Trust that you will make it to your destination by progressing 200 feet at a time, no matter which direction you take. You may find that the destination changes along the way. That’s ok. The key is to get started and keep taking it 200 feet at a time.
Action is the best way to overcome the overwhelming paralysis we can often feel when it comes to making a change in our careers and lives.
What are the next 200 feet of the road ahead revealing about your final destination?
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8 Responses to “What’s out beyond your headlights?”
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I love this. I’d add one thing. Write the first sentence. You can always go back and change it, but at least, to use the driving analogy, you’ve turned on the engine.
Thank you so much for this post Carly! It’s such a good strategy for writing. I can tell you that I’m 94k words into a fictional book and I could have used this advice from the beginning. That being said I’ll use it going forward. I think some nights I stop myself from creating because I tell myself that I don’t want to write myself into a corner.
Maybe if I allow myself to create more often without over thinking things my work will be even better. I definitely look too far down the road. I can always change things if what I write doesn’t work and at the very least I’ll make more progress each night. Thanks again for this post!
As a career coach, I use the analogy of “trusting the road will continue to exist beyond your headlights” to trusting the journey to realize your “right livelihood”. I’ve also been struggling with my own writers block. Your post really speaks to me. Thanks for sharing!
Carly – thanks for the great post and for sharing my post too!
I always use the maxim “start from where you are” to consider any process of change. You’ve got to look at where you find yourself today and plot your course from there. With those headlights, you can see the road ahead. When we set goals for our career or life it is like having a route planned in the car. Yet the smart plan is to stay alert whilst driving – we might see a sign to somewhere even more interesting and head off that way!
Phil
Philip Bolton´s last blog ..Discover 5 ways to have an amazing day
Thanks for your comment Joe! If you haven’t read Bird by Bird, I highly recommend it for any writer (or anyone) looking for some great tips on getting started and doing great things. I think you’ll especially love her chapter called “Shitty First Drafts!” Great reminder that its getting the words the page unedited that serves us because even if you end up with one great sentence, its more than you had before.
And thanks to you too Phil for the inspiration and for getting me thinking. Great point on staying alert and keeping an eye open for the unexpected!
Hi Mona – I love your addition – start the engine with the first sentence! Thanks so much for reading and sharing your comment.
Thanks Dee! What a beautiful addition to this post – to trust that the road will continue beyond your headlights. You bring up a great point – so many of us are paralyzed by the unknown so we stay stuck in the familiar, even if its miserable.
I hope your headlights shine on the right next step and get you past the roadblock or writer’s block soon!
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
Hi Carly,
Wonderful post – I love the Doctorow quote.
Interestingly, I think this idea can also be very helpful for those who have recently been laid off from corporate jobs. I’ve spoken with many of these folks, and often they are afraid to go out on their own because they feel being self employed lacks security. In reality, regardless of whether we are self employed or an employee, we all can only see as far as the headlights go.
Thanks again,
Caryn
Caryn´s last blog ..Yes, you CAN alter your memory