I QUIT!!!

April 30, 2012 in Creativity, Dreams, Life, Quick Reads with 31 Comments

Photo by Porto Beseno (Creative Commons)

I QUIT.

 

Seriously, I’m done.

 

I’m not playing the blame game anymore.

 

I’ve tried, and I’ve failed.

 

I can’t blame other writers.

 

I can’t blame the economy.

 

I can’t blame it on the numbers in my bank account.

 

I can’t blame the Republicans, Democrats, Mickey Mouse or anyone else for that matter.

 

To play the blame game is a waste of time.

 

To waste my time is to waste my life.

 

So I quit.

 

What do you need to quit? Please share in the comments. Thanks.

 

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  • FreddieTeague

    I quit doubting my ability to be influential.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      That is absolutely fantastic Freddie. It’s easy to downplay our influence isn’t it?!!!

      • FreddieTeague

        It really is. Especially when your chasing your dreams and seek to invest in lives of people with our “art” as Steve Pressfield states and we haven’t yet established a platform.

  • iamwendydawn

    Great post! I determined a long time ago to quit complaining. What a difference it has made in my life.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Thanks so much Wendy! I LOVE the idea of not complaining anymore. FANTASTIC!! I think that would completely change my attitude for the better. So awesome. Thanks for sharing!!!

  • http://randomlychad.com Chad Jones

    I quit envying those with more successful platforms. If I’m honest, while I may write well (that’s debatable), I’m not sure I’m living a good story, a compelling story.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Love it! Thanks so much for sharing Chad. I think we ALL could live a better story if we are completely honest, so don’t feel like you are remotely alone there.

      • http://randomlychad.com Chad Jones

        Thanks, Jim! Nice chatting with you on Twitter today. :-)

        • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

          Indeed let’s talk again soon. I’ll tell you all about Storyline after the even this weekend.

          • http://randomlychad.com Chad Jones

            Sweet! Absolutely looking forward to it!

  • http://theordainedbarista.com/ Barry Hill

    I love this, Jim. I love the flow, layout and message! Great job.

    What do I need to quit? I need to quit thinking small. I need to quit thinking that I am not good enough and that It will ALWAYS be this way.

    Thanks for asking a good question!

     

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Thanks so much Barry! I really appreciate it. So kind of you to say! Thinking BIG is really hard to do when you listen to the voices in your head isn’t it!!!!

  • Pilar Arsenec

    I quit doubting :)

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      That’s an AWESOME thing to quit! Can you explain a little bit further? Thanks! 

  • Yvette Carol

    Hey Jim…if you’d asked me that question yesterday I would have given you a totally different answer. But as of today, I have come to a momentous decision. I have decided to take my first tentative steps towards believing in myself. For years my joy has been to write. Only…I didn’t back that up with faith. I constantly expected myself to fail and look, it has been a self-fulfilling prophecy. I have failed on a truly epic scale which has spanned the last 30 years of my life.
    I remember when I was talking to my now departed, dear sister in law about a decade ago. She said, if you really truly believe in your book then copy it a thousand times and send it out everywhere. At the time I thought about it and had to choke down the bitter truth, that I didn’t believe the book was worthy of being published!! No wonder I could never make any headway. If you don’t back up your own effort with self belief you’re sunk man. It’s that simple.
    But I had a breakthrough last night. I had the first part of my current WIP critiqued by a professional (to put it frankly, she’s a ball-busting, hard-arse). I received it back more than 2 weeks ago. But I was too scared to open it. Finally last night I did so. She gave me some great tips on changes to make but more importantly, this tough-as-nails critic gave me praise. Real praise. It blew me away. And I got up this morning, and thought, maybe it’s time I began to believe I can do this….So, after that explanation, I am happy to say, that as of today, I QUIT doubting I am a good enough writer!! Thank you for asking :-)  

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      That is amazing Yvette! That is fantastic! I am going to talk with an editor friend tomorrow and honestly, I’m a little scared what she is going to say (just like a kid at school waiting for the teacher to give the paper back full of red ink marks). I am VERY PROUD OF YOU. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take that fear and knock it away with a baseball bat. I’d highly recommend you read the book Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. It’s probably the best book I have ever read that is under 100 pages. I think its like 80 pages in length. Thanks for sharing your story!!!

      • Yvette Carol

        Hey thanks for the encouragement Jim. I really appreciate it. :-)  I hope you survived seeing your editor!!

        • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

          Thanks Yvette. I did survive. The question is now where do I go from the point I am at right now. I need to refocus and try writing from another perspective. It’s always challenging to do this, but I think I am up to the challenge!!

          • Yvette Carol

            Yes you are. You can do it! Look Jim, you don’t have to tell me but what is it you are writing? I’ve been so curious for some time, waiting for you to drop some hints….

            • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

              Haha. No top secret plans here! I am working on a post for an online magazine that I was referring to earlier. I don’t have a book in the works right now. I have some ideas, but nothing is really in the works yet. 

              • Yvette Carol

                Ah right. Yes I’m thinking about submitting some stuff to ezines too at the mo. Am considering the rather radical idea of serializing some of my earlier stuff for children’s mags actually!!

  • http://www.storywrought.wordpress.com/ Elizabeth Hudson

    You’re right. Blame is just displacement. I need to quit running myself down. Not only am I a cruel taskmaster, but I’m unrealistic. I jot down daily to-do lists that would take months to complete and expect to tackle them all. Ridiculous but true. I need to quit being so critical of myself. It’s debilitating.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Thanks for the honesty Lizzie. I know the feeling! The ever-growing to-do list/wish list is a symptom for lack of focus. Not picking on you, like I said I do the same thing! Just changing the list in our minds from “to do” to “look at this list in a week” might shift your perspective and help you out. That’s what I’m doing right now to help keep myself (somewhat) sane :)

  • http://twitter.com/Sophie_Novak Sophie Novak

    To me it seems that you’ve decided not to quit. Oh well, it’s my interpretation :) I need to quit feeling bad about myself (read: guilt) and then everything else with follow. Keep up Jim!

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Sophie, you’re absolutely right. You called my bluff. Well, I’m not playing the blame game anymore. You are doing a fantastic job translating another language.

      I know those inner-struggles well. Know that the voices in your head and even guilt are just things like to keep you down. Unpack them all! Ask forgiveness if you need it from someone else or just forgive them if someone harmed you. It’s SOOOOOO much better for you in the long run. You are doing a great job!!!!!!! Keep up the great work!!!!!

  • http://deuceology.wordpress.com Larry Carter

    The better question is what do I not need to quit. Every time I peel the onion and wuit something, I find something else.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Ahh, the shifting attention problem. I think WE ALL can relate to that.
      But let me encourage you here; you aren’t shifting your attention on your blog. POSTING EVERYDAY IS AMAZING! Seriously give yourself a pat on the back for that. That is something that VERY few bloggers do.

  • http://heathermarsten.wordpress.com/ Heather Marsten

    Procrastinating doing the editing of a tough chapter in my memoir.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Editing is TOUGH for me. Perhaps you could ask a friend who is great at editing to help? I have some contacts if you need help. (NOT ME. Haha)

  • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

    I always enjoy seeing these types of posts to see what people are quitting. Sometimes it’s shocking. Sometimes it’s dull. 

    I need to quit the numbers game. I love following stats and keeping up with what’s going on in relationship to the numbers of my blog.

    • http://unknownjim.com/ Jim Woods

      Joe, I don’t know if my post is shocking or dull, but it’s the truth :)

      I know the numbers game is DEFINITELY a struggle for bloggers. I’ve felt it (and probably will feel it at some point later today if I am honest).