Tk Ths Job N Shove It
When you and I worked on the assembly line at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, we had to worry about our production quotas, our standards of workmanship, and our supervisor’s evaluation of us.
What we didn’t have to worry about was the structure of our day. That structure was defined for us and imposed upon us from outside.
Then one day we quit. Suddenly we were artists. We were entrepreneurs.
We thought it would be easy. We were free! Nothing could stop us!
It turned out to be the hardest thing we’d ever done.
Suddenly, like Dorothy swept up from Kansas or Luke following Obi-wan Kenobi, we had embarked upon our own Hero’s Journey. We had left the Ordinary World and entered the Inverted World, the Extraordinary World.
In this new world, all things became possible. Our life could change. Our future could change. Our prospects could change.
There was only one problem: we ourselves had to change.
We could not survive in the Extraordinary World using the mindset that had worked for us in the Ordinary World.
How exactly did we have to change?
We had to make the mental shift from externally-imposed discipline to self-discipline.
This, in one sentence, is the difference between the worker-for-hire and the entrepreneur.
I’m tempted to say it’s the difference between the Amateur Mindset and the Professional Mindset. But that’s not strictly accurate.
We were not amateurs when we worked at Ford. We were professionals. But we were professionals whose professionalism was imposed upon us from outside by our employer, under penalty of disciplinary action, penalty of fine, penalty of termination.
What exactly, we might then ask, is the Self-Sufficient Mindset—the mindset of the individual who has left the factory or Google or academia and has set herself up as an artist and an entrepreneur on her own? What should we do differently from when we worked on the line?
DO THE WORK
Steve shows you the predictable Resistance points that every writer hits in a work-in-progress and then shows you how to deal with each one of these sticking points. This book shows you how to keep going with your work.
THE AUTHENTIC SWING
A short book about the writing of a first novel: for Steve, The Legend of Bagger Vance. Having failed with three earlier attempts at novels, here's how Steve finally succeeded.
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
Steve shares his "lessons learned" from the trenches of the five different writing careers—advertising, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction, and self-help. This is tradecraft. An MFA in Writing in 197 pages.
TURNING PRO
Amateurs have amateur habits. Pros have pro habits. When we turn pro, we give up the comfortable life but we find our power. Steve answers the question, "How do we overcome Resistance?"
“What exactly, we might then ask, is the Self-Sufficient Mindset—the mindset of the individual who has left the factory or Google or academia and has set herself up as an artist and an entrepreneur on her own? What should we do differently from when we worked on the line?”
We are 100% responsible for what we do (or don’t) in front of whatever life throws at us.
That is definitely the challenge of the creative entrepreneur!
Funny I asked for signs in my life today, and just as I was feeling frustrated from a sense of being lost as I pursue my own personal projects turning pro, I opened my emails and found your new Wednesday post… Coincidence or destiny?
I know the message or hunch today for me is: organize your work, schedule and plan your time as if you were working a job! As you said, it’s even harder when you do for self. Thank you for the reminder Steven!
As you say, slaying the dragon of resistance is a daily task!
Onward! And more power 2 us all on this journey!
its not about life throwing stuff at you. its about your choice. your choice. your responsibility. Youre NOT a victim of anything or anyone. Its about setting your values your priorities so high that nothing can touch or break you.
If it does you simply re-align. Simply re-align. IM NOT perfect. IM NOT where I was designed to be. We are all given a 2nd chance to renew. On the basis of solid groung. I hope you get revelation of this Truth for you.
For me, it’s summed up in one word, no. I learned to protect my time. It’s not always easy to do, especially with family. Just this week, I said “no” to plans that disrespected my time and boundaries. A family member was surprised, but life went on. I met the goals I set for my writing this month. Without that “no” I wouldn’t have. That’s what I do differently from working on the line. I draw a line.
The best compliment I ever got was when a friend told me I was better at saying “no” than anyone she knew.
I was awful at saying, no. Steve and this community made me see that if I didn’t respect myself as a professional and value my time, no one else would either. Thanks to all.
Love this. I would like to hear that about me. No, not yet apparently.
I think it is shifting the mindset from someone else – the boss or whoever – telling me what is important and what I will treat as the priority – to what is my priority. Then I have to believe in the new me. Consistency, focus and believing I’m worth the effort.
Love your weekly words. I have a question/request. Once we have completed our work, self-edited multiple times. Any advice on finding a literary agent? Or is it just a sorting process and keep plugging along with the search. Can you provide advice. I am sure some others are in the same situation. Thanks
For me it has boiled down to one very simple practice that has been encouraged since the beginning of time. Get up before the sun. Get up way way way way way before the sun. I had always been a night owl and when I switched to an early riser everything changed my entire flow is so much more seamless and I feel accomplished by 9 AM. Haven’t gotten up at 4 AM.. It was tough, but I highly highly recommend it.!
Discipline is Destiny…no one more disciplined than you..SP…you practice what you preach…!!!!
Thank you so much dear Steve.
This article recalls the War of Art energy. It is concrete, strong.
We are free to the extent of our self mastery. I am tempted to use the word self-mastery instead of self-discipline, because the second reminds me of procedures while the first reminds me of full self-force. And a force is paradoxically stronger than the procedures, while the procedures are safer and thus stronger when self-force is not strong enough.
So I would name the amateur mindset as automated one, the professional mindset as automated disciplined one, and the creator mindset as disciplined but to the self, a steady force coming from the river of life.
It hurts me to not be able to get there.
But there’s another force, unstoppability. It surrounds the weak who haven’t died.
Great insight.
Acho que precisamos nos livrar do ‘paternalismo’ tão inculcado em nós desde a infância. Quando conseguimos nos tornar ‘pais’ e ‘mães’ de nós mesmos, o que é dificílimo, – pelo menos em parte, e na profissão, funciona como conquistar a maioridade. Aconteceu comigo e minha esposa, na mesma época da juventude. Temos que nos virar sem o ‘guarda chuva’ que o emprego garante.
Ótima cutucada de reflexão, Steve.
Obrigado
I am applying this very concept in raising my 5 year old outside the coercive education system. Thank you for the perfect parallel!
Maioridade.
Maior idade
This is true in any area of one’s life. Using internally imposed ‘guard rails’ means one understands oneself as well as the external environment. Those guard rails can oscillate as needed based on the external situation. This also means one is ultimately responsible for their life. It removes the blame game outside of understanding that you are to blame. I love the Serenity prayer, Viktor Frankl’s admonitions and all of the Stoic rules that basically say figure out what you control and focus on that and what you control is not very much, but is paramount to a better life. The discipline part is basically a prod in the ribs – just do it. Simple but not easy.
Thank you this is exactly what i needed to read.
I grew up with the belief that everyone was like me – guided from the inside, inclined to question preset pathways before stepping onto them, simply unafraid to break new ground if there wasn’t already a trail leading where I meant to go. At 5 I declared myself “An Author.” I always opted for independent study programs and jobs that needed someone to figure out exactly what the job really was. I must have been well into my 20s before I understood this natural, authentic drive for self-determination was not a universal mindset – and probably not even the prevailing or a common mindset. In 1989 I exited my last 9-to-5 paycheck-style job (it was a good one too) – and have never looked back.
This little bio is as much for me this morning as it is for the community as I am deeply questioning where we find ourselves now as a country, and what my place is, my role, my “assignment.” I have just awakened to the reality that I’ve been waiting for someone else to figure out what to do, and to tell me, give me my “assignment.” I’m good at assignments but I’m also good at forging ahead on my own say-so. Now, on this awful morning awakening again to the soul-sucking images of our beautiful White House falling to rubble (such an on-the-nose metaphor no editor in her right mind would let a fiction writer get away with it) this Wednesday messages breaks through the never-ending static and has me asking: “Where is that bright entrepreneur/inventor/creative energy that has characterized my life path for over 6 decades – and how can I harness and amplify it now, in service to this moment of desperate need in my country?”
Thank you, all.
Being your own boss isn’t as easy as it would seem. I have Attention Deficit, so it’s all too easy for me to get sidetracked from writing. Research and taking notes are easy, but morphing all that into a saleable article is a whole other thing!
I’m with you on that one.
So true. Good stuff, as usual. Thank you.
“What exactly, we might then ask, is the Self-Sufficient Mindset—the mindset of the individual who has left the factory or Google or academia and has set herself up as an artist and an entrepreneur on her own? What should we do differently from when we worked on the line?”
This whole post reminded me of comments that David Allen (author of Getting Things Done, and a friend and mentor to me for decades) has made about the difference between a knowledge work/professional job and a “widget-cranking job” – not to trivialize the job that Steven describes in Dearborn, as it went beyond mere widget-cranking.
Widget-cranking jobs are in some ways psychologically healthier – there is no confusion as to what to do every day as you have a new pile of widgets to run through the widget-making machine, and there is no residue or thought of widgets to keep you up at night, as there is with most professional, creative and entrepreneurial work.
One option that the artist or entrepreneur has is to create their own structured world, capturing commitments to themselves and others, and leaving large blocks of white space in their calendars to do the real, creative work that moves the needle in start-ups and artistic endeavours. At the same time, we can convert some of those commitments into widgets to crank, so we get the feeling of satisfaction that comes with daily, tangible evidence of at least some forward progress.
The key is finding that balance in structure vs. freedom, and widgets vs. white space.
Great one, Stretch. Thanks for the reminder.
We must follow our inner guidance no matter what.
The temptation is to quit. The closer I get to putting something out, the stronger it is. It is so hard. What do I do?
Having our minds made up for us is so much easier than actually evaluating the nuance of life and making our own decisions.
Me, Inc.
Steven,
I do admire how you honor all types of professional effort with your thoughts and writing.
With two years into “retirement”, my efforts for creating my own art-making-structure is the hardest “work” I’ve ever done as an artist. It was so much easier and lighter to just take on a an assignment. This season now is different, elusive.
I’ve decided too that art-making is not an individual sport. Not for me. I need people like you to spell out my barriers and goals for creative engagement. I also need understanding about why I procrastinate so often. Stupid resistance. Such a bully. I look forward to your kick in the ass insights every single week. Thanks for this one. Really good.