My Writing Journey

For years it’s been my experience – and one I’ve shared with my coaching clients – that the writing you are engaged in reveals your own process. As you know from my last newsletter, I am currently working on a book for the PBS show, The Quest for Success: The Hero’s Journey. My experience with this project has solidified that insight for me. The journey of writing follows the same path as the content of the book: being called to adventure, facing my fears, finding the magician within, becoming a hero to myself, being of service to others, and ultimately attaining success.

The call to write is that inspiration I feel within that I am meant to share my knowledge, experience, and learning. It’s my heart-brain wanting to express itself through the written word. It comes in the form of an inkling, an “aha” moment, or a lesson I learned. Consciousness forms around the message that wants to come forth, and I begin. This is my call to adventure. And what an adventure it is.

In writing about fears, I’ve been facing them all. Whether it’s, “What will people think about what I write?” “Am I an authority on the topic?” “Is the writing good enough?” or “Can I meet deadlines and length requirements?”, I’ve experienced them all the past two months. The good news is that the second piece of advice I give my clients has also held true: When you keep writing, you will be able to face and overcome those fears and grow from them. This has most definitely been the case for me.

Another insight I’ve had validated is that the learning you gain in the process of writing will help you evolve in both your writing and your life. Oh my, has this been happening. As I’ve researched the contributors to the show and book, read their books, and listened to their transcripts, I’ve seen my conversations change, my beliefs shift, and my passions revealed more deeply than ever before. Even if another person never reads the words I write, I have reaped untold wealth from writing them. That is the beauty of writing. It is as healing – sometimes more – to the writer as it is to the reader.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the work it takes to be an author, remember that you are not alone. I’ve been in this business for 25 years, and I’m still experiencing emotions that I thought I had long ago moved past. Being reminded of this fact keeps me humble. It’s scary at times. And only when I am willing to alter my perspective from a view of disaster to one of humor am I able to keep moving steadily forward.

There is still a long way to go on this journey, and I’ll continue to share what I’ve experienced, because my educated guess is that you are having a similar experience – even if you are a seasoned writer, too. We’re all in good company.