I was listening to a radio ad the other week about quitting smoking. It was very compelling. The ad said that all people who quit smoking are people who have tried to quit before, failed, and kept trying until they didn’t fail. They learned each time what didn’t work, until they found what did.
I’m not quitting.
I’m starting.
I love beginnings.
I love the beginnings of each day, I’m a morning person.
I love the intro skill, the back handspring, the toss hands, the hello world program, the basic rule of thirds photograph, the empty notebook before it has been marked.
There is a lot of promise in a beginning. Somewhere along the way I feel like I mess it up. I make a errant mark in the notebook, miss the exposure or composition of the photograph, lose the technique on a harder stunt, each too much junk food by the end of the night.
I keep trying to get started and don’t make very much progress. I give up and live in despair for a couple of days, and then try again.
The problem is, that I’m not sure I’m good at keeping track of my mistakes and avoiding them the next day, the next start.
I’m going back to my “Make Something” manifesto. I’m going to stop ending each night by just watching NCIS episodes. I”m going earn each episode. I’m going to earn each nights sleep. I’m going to earn it by eating better, working on building my projects (van, travel, climbing), and taking care of my body.
I will keep trying to figure it out, and if/when I fail, I’ll figure it out and start again.
Today doesn’t feel like a failure, and I’m excited about carrying this beginning into tomorrow!