Hey, it works for us. Especially if we sign a name like, oh, Joss Whedon’s to it and then post on Facebook…nah, that’s not the kind of comfort the following article is about. (But maybe it should be?)
The opposite of anxiety
by Seth Godin
I define non-clinical anxiety as, “experiencing failure in advance.” If you’re busy enacting a future that hasn’t happened yet, and amplifying the worst possible outcomes, it’s no wonder it’s difficult to ship that work.
With disappointment, I note that our culture doesn’t have an easily found word for the opposite. For experiencing success in advance. For visualizing the best possible outcomes before they happen.
Will your book get a great testimonial? Write it out. Will your talk move someone in the audience to change and to let you know about it? What did they say? Will this new product gain shelf space at the local market? Take a picture.
Writing yourself fan mail in advance and picturing the change you’ve announced you’re trying to make is an effective way to push yourself to build something that actually generates that action.
I tried writing myself fan letters but had to stop after it escalated into stalking situation. I’m trying hate mail now. It keeps me on my toes.
I’d try that, but I’m already getting enough hate mail from other people. I figure if I can make that many enemies I must be doing something right.
LYMI
LB
Words to live by!