What Not To Do

Friends,

It’s been 5 months since I last wrote you. This disappointments me, but it was necessary. You see, I’ve realized, learning what not to do is a vital step in the process of learning what to do.

This is a concept with many layers, though. The first layer being the language. ‘Making a mistake’ has a very negative connotation — especially with my athletic experiences. ‘Learning what not to do’ is a much lighter substitute, and this upgrade in language allows me to be open-minded.

Telling myself that my hiatus was a mistake lead to discouragement. I felt like I was too far gone to start writing again, yet I still felt the desire. This refurbished language broadened my perspective, and allowed me to see it was just a chapter in the journey of learning what to do. This new lens was the embodiment of persistence — the next layer.

Persistence is a key ingredient in the process of learning what to do. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to get through the essential step of learning what not to do. Without it I would’ve continued to believe the lie that writing wasn’t worth my time. No matter how long it had been, coming back to writing was a powerful display of persistence.

I now know that neglecting my passion for writing is something not to do, but it was an adventure to get to that realization. Any adventure is going to need some persistence, but it is also going to need the acceptance of delayed gratification — the last layer of the process.

Delayed gratification is a practice I’ve lost touch with. Our world has become defined by how seamless and efficient we can operate. This drive to find ease has tainted my reality. There are many times when I find myself feeling behind because I’m in the midst of learning what not to do.

In the grand scheme of things, I am just getting started in my writing endeavor. I am chipping away at that 10,000 hour rule.  By welcoming delayed gratification, I am much more likely to observe my writing with an open-mind and invest time into it, persistently.

Going into the new year, I intend on strengthening my faith in Luke by continuing to learn what not to do. Reframing the language around errors and being authentically persistent, no matter how lost I get, will empower me to see delayed gratification through. In doing so, I will learn what to do, not just in writing, but in all areas of my life.

With Love,

Luke