My Pace and My Place

Sometimes, I forget to be amazed.

I was about thirty minutes into a video.

It was a conversation between two writing heavyweights.

Two of my writing heroes and mentors.

Steven Pressfield and Ryan Holiday were recorded having a casual, yet compelling conversation about writing.

The video was titled, Resistance and the Value of Discipline.

Steven's most recent book topic is resistance, and Ryan's is discipline.

I was on a walk with my dogs as I listened to this conversation.

I was enjoying time on a trail in the woods.

I was completely forgetting to be amazed.

What a gift to listen in on these two men I so admire.

I appreciate their work and contribution to the world as writers, and I am grateful to have "discovered" them.

And I am an aspiring writer, practicing a that fuels my spirit and stirs my soul.

As I walked through the woods, surrounded by nature's beauty and wonder, I was simply present.

As I listened to these men talk, soaking up their stories and experiences, I was simply being.

As I played this conversation, forgetting the magnificent technology making it possible, I was simply lost in the moment.

I've been thinking about my mission as a writer.

I feel my greatest joy comes in simply appreciating and participating in the writing process.

I'm gaining love and joy and peace.

A secondary mission comes in sharing.

Reminding others to appreciate and participate in the awe and wonder and splendor of life.

To remember the great gift we have been given in the being-ness and doing-ness of our day-to-day living.

Which brings me to my pace and my place.

I'm aware that I am quite a novice as a writer.

But I've given myself permission to be a novice.

Developing skills in any pursuit takes time and patience.

This new venture is a great lesson.

I am learning to take my time and allow the growth process to unfold.

There is no need to rush forward to some arbitrary future goal.

I am comfortable with my pace as a plodder.

I am comfortable with my place as a novice.

I am inspired by Holiday's success, wisdom, and stoic practices.

I am inspired by Pressfield's success, humility, and continued discipline.

These men are my writing heroes and mentors.

I am grateful for the gift they gave me this week in the gift of this conversation.

I am grateful that I was able to be present.

And I am grateful that I remembered to be amazed.

Screengrab from Ryan and Steven's conversation (minute 12:31)

on Holiday's YouTube channel, The Daily Stoic.