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| bobandrosemary.com |
If I lost anything since the twin deaths of animation writing and marathon running, it was a certain hardy mental attitude. When combined with chasing little dopamine hits on the Internet, the decay has proved devastating. Over the last thirteen years, my unfinished writing projects have multiplied while my weight has ballooned. At one point I went over a year writing folders of prose without completing so much as a short story. During the same period, my weight topped out at 271 lbs with a svelte 48" waist.
Mental toughness was easy to see in exercise. Pain and discomfort are present. To push past them requires effort. I would allow myself to quit after five seconds of such effort. I usually lasted longer. Gradually, I acclimated to stressing myself. Pushing hard on certain workouts became the norm. The payoff was on race days.
In writing, mental toughness exhibits itself every day in a series of little nos. No to checking email, or social media, or watching one short YouTube skateboard fail. No to stopping early or quitting a project to begin a new one or hating everything you've written. Perhaps no is not the word. Perhaps its the phrase "maybe later."
As in exercise, the ability to apply the phrase can be built gradually. "Let me write one more sentence." "I'll first reach the end of the chapter." "This isn't too bad. I'll keep going a little longer."
Sadly the Internet trims your attention span and flushes out new knowledge with newer knowledge or, worse, trivia, ensuring that nothing stays in your head long enough to become wisdom. As I train for a 5k in July, I decided to reacquire mental toughness. If in running, then why not in writing?
Here's a book I used to help prepare me mentally for the 2007 Phoenix Marathon. It's so old, there's not even a Kindle version. But I'm returning to its pages for inspiration and techniques to help me grow as a runner and a writer.
Five seconds here, a maybe later there. It adds up like compound interest.
8 comments:
Boy, can I relate! When I got my first laptop, much fantasizing was done about all the writing that would be accomplished. The stories that would be written. Oh! Oprah would be SO impressed.
Then...social media happened. The great time-waster and brain-defragmenter. Kinda reminds me of the t.v. remote control and how people couldn't just watch one show. Nothing was viewed in full. It was a tossed salad of five minutes of this and that. Now, we go from emailing to youtube and who's saying what on Facebook/ Instagram/ TikTok. Next thing you know, hours have gone by in the space of 'five minutes' and nothing is accomplished. Meanwhile, you're out hours of much needed sleep. For What? A judge Judy binge at two in the morning?
I'm looking forward to expanding my horizons when I have to be without internet access for three months. Oh the joy of actually getting things done, minus the ability to check emails or someone's status or the latest cute kitten/ puppy videos. The brain can finally stretch and get stuff done. JOY!!!!
Much as I will miss communicating with a few friends, distraction free writing might just be something I want to continue with.
It's sellig yourself out short term. For the little satisfactions of likes and shares you pass on doing anything deeper or more meaninful.
Social media can be very destructive.
Preach it, brother!
I believe social media is simultaneously a great achievement of human kind, and its largest downfall.
The more I think of the three months of internet-free time, the more I'm looking forward to it.
Being outside. Sketch writing. Taking walks. Reading. Hopefully hanging out with friends at my local cafe or just writing there. In other words; ACCOMPLISHING things. HARIOUS! I might get more done during my 'sick time' than I do when I'm healthy.
I'll miss getting your emails for a bit but I'll play catch up in August or September.
Yes. It should come wqith a warning label.
I wish you well, Johanna. You'll be in a better place—reality.
Aaahhhh yes. REALITY. It has its hits and misses, but it is what it is. The internet has its place (entertainment and information). However, that place should not be the center of our existence.
Hit, miss and everything in between, I'd rather live it than argue about ....whatever, while the world goes by.
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