“Poverty is uncomfortable; but nine times out of ten, the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed overboard and compelled to sink or swim.”
James A. Garfield, American President
Sink or swim. If you’re out in the middle of the ocean, those are your only two choices, right? Head for shore, or wait and drown.
Life isn’t much different.
If we see something in our horizon, and we want that something, then it’s not enough to simply wait. Providence is not often so kind. It’s up to us to pump our arms and swim for it. The chances of that special something bobbing beneath our nose before we’re snorting bubbles is, perhaps, only slightly better than the odds of winning the lottery.
I loved my last job. I loved the people I worked with, and enjoyed the surroundings of each of my days. I was good at what I did, and I liked the way that success made me feel.
So why did I leave?
Because I was treading water. Once I asked myself the hard questions, I couldn’t lie about the answers. When I realized I was doing the dog paddle, I knew it was time to get out of Dodge.
My new job is no different. I love the children I teach, and the families they go home to. But there’s a low ceiling above me, and four walls that I can only leave if I’m scurrying from point A to B and back again.
Life is too short for so much restriction.
It’s a new dawn we’re living. Anyone with a reasonable amount of intelligence and good time management can carve a life for themselves that doesn’t have to conform to the standards set by the last several hundred years of the ruling elite. And I’m not talking about those lucky souls endowed with some incredible skill.
I mean anyone who knows how to breathe.
Too many people are perfectly content to simply survive rather than live. Go to work, collect your check, buy the things you need (along with a mountain you don’t), refinance, buy some more, sweat when the economy buckles…
It’s not enough.
If your life isn’t working, then change your behavior. Go on a diet, it doesn’t have to be food. Do without, go hungry. Decide what you want out of life, and then figure out how to get it. I know what I want, and I’ve given myself a year. Every one of you can call me on it if I’m not living as I say by the time my shirt’s sticking to my back next Summer. Scratch that, I doubt I’ll be wearing a shirt much of next Summer.
Just think about it, whatever your situation. If you’re out in the middle of the ocean, and you haven’t started to swim… start.
I promise it’s not too late.
Writer Dad
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Check out the rewrite of this post, “Sink or Swim.“
About Sean Platt
@Jay
I used to be really bad with that too – I never got past the first chapter of anything. Now I play tricks with the editor to keep him quiet.
1) Have multiple projects on the go. I usually have a novel and a short story (and various articles) on the go at one time in different stages, so that I can edit something that I’m NOT in the middle of writing when the editor insists on showing up.
2) Edit the outline. I’ve discovered that if I get itchy to outline what I’ve written in a novel, I satisfy the craving by going back to the outline and making sure that what I’ve written matches the outline. I DON’T edit anything I’ve written, but I will edit forward the outline and I’ll make a FEW SMALL notes on the outline for the stuff I’ve already written.
There are many other tricks that other writers use. http://www.fmwriters.com is a great resource (It’s a free forum) for help on writing. I visit it every day.
Good luck!
Alex
Alex Fayles last blog post..The Blog is Dead! Long Live the Blog!
@Jay
I used to be really bad with that too – I never got past the first chapter of anything. Now I play tricks with the editor to keep him quiet.
1) Have multiple projects on the go. I usually have a novel and a short story (and various articles) on the go at one time in different stages, so that I can edit something that I’m NOT in the middle of writing when the editor insists on showing up.
2) Edit the outline. I’ve discovered that if I get itchy to outline what I’ve written in a novel, I satisfy the craving by going back to the outline and making sure that what I’ve written matches the outline. I DON’T edit anything I’ve written, but I will edit forward the outline and I’ll make a FEW SMALL notes on the outline for the stuff I’ve already written.
There are many other tricks that other writers use. http://www.fmwriters.com is a great resource (It’s a free forum) for help on writing. I visit it every day.
Good luck!
Alex
Alex Fayles last blog post..The Blog is Dead! Long Live the Blog!
T Edwards: Thank you very much. Good luck getting to the far shore.
Nick: Nice to hear from you. Give us a call, we’ll set something up. You should be getting to bed. You’re staying up too late.
Jay: This all comes down to willpower. No book can teach you how to do this, but let me try and give you an example. If you were drawing a bath, you wouldn’t turn the water off every few minutes to let all the ripples settle. You fill the tub first. Think of writing the same way. You have to fill the tup first. If you’re constantly tinkering, you won’t get anywhere. I’m happy with where I am in my novel, and I’m sure that after my next draft, I’ll be a bit closer to thrilled. But I HATED large chunks of my first draft. You’ll get there. C heck out my post, “Your baby’s born in the rough draft, you raise it in the rewrite.” It might help, even if just a little.
Alex: That helps me as well. I never have any less than 7,348 projects going on at any one time. That way, if I say that nothing is inspiring, I know I’m just a liar.
T Edwards: Thank you very much. Good luck getting to the far shore.
Nick: Nice to hear from you. Give us a call, we’ll set something up. You should be getting to bed. You’re staying up too late.
Jay: This all comes down to willpower. No book can teach you how to do this, but let me try and give you an example. If you were drawing a bath, you wouldn’t turn the water off every few minutes to let all the ripples settle. You fill the tub first. Think of writing the same way. You have to fill the tup first. If you’re constantly tinkering, you won’t get anywhere. I’m happy with where I am in my novel, and I’m sure that after my next draft, I’ll be a bit closer to thrilled. But I HATED large chunks of my first draft. You’ll get there. C heck out my post, “Your baby’s born in the rough draft, you raise it in the rewrite.” It might help, even if just a little.
Alex: That helps me as well. I never have any less than 7,348 projects going on at any one time. That way, if I say that nothing is inspiring, I know I’m just a liar.
T Edwards: Thank you very much. Good luck getting to the far shore.
Nick: Nice to hear from you. Give us a call, we’ll set something up. You should be getting to bed. You’re staying up too late.
Jay: This all comes down to willpower. No book can teach you how to do this, but let me try and give you an example. If you were drawing a bath, you wouldn’t turn the water off every few minutes to let all the ripples settle. You fill the tub first. Think of writing the same way. You have to fill the tup first. If you’re constantly tinkering, you won’t get anywhere. I’m happy with where I am in my novel, and I’m sure that after my next draft, I’ll be a bit closer to thrilled. But I HATED large chunks of my first draft. You’ll get there. C heck out my post, “Your baby’s born in the rough draft, you raise it in the rewrite.” It might help, even if just a little.
Alex: That helps me as well. I never have any less than 7,348 projects going on at any one time. That way, if I say that nothing is inspiring, I know I’m just a liar.
@WD
I love the analogy you used re filling the tub. I’ll have to remember that!
@WD
I love the analogy you used re filling the tub. I’ll have to remember that!
@WD
I love the analogy you used re filling the tub. I’ll have to remember that!
Thanks to both Alex and Writer Dad for the tips! I’ll go over to the forum you mentioned, Alex, and take a look! I know that I can write, if I can get past this stage. I’m just really bad at this.
Thanks to both Alex and Writer Dad for the tips! I’ll go over to the forum you mentioned, Alex, and take a look! I know that I can write, if I can get past this stage. I’m just really bad at this.
I think many people are so afraid of being in the “sink or swim” situation – many will never leave shore, they will never get on a boat…
It’s an exciting and terrifying situation to be in. But it’s one of the best for getting you motivated to do something!
I think many people are so afraid of being in the “sink or swim” situation – many will never leave shore, they will never get on a boat…
It’s an exciting and terrifying situation to be in. But it’s one of the best for getting you motivated to do something!
Writer Dad,
What fantastic contributions from your other readers! I particularly like Evelyn’s thought about the lifeboat. (Hope the link works)
I honestly believe that there are plenty of good people in this world who would begin a rescue effort if they saw a swimmer in trouble.
Great stuff here.
Writer Dad,
What fantastic contributions from your other readers! I particularly like Evelyn’s thought about the lifeboat. (Hope the link works)
I honestly believe that there are plenty of good people in this world who would begin a rescue effort if they saw a swimmer in trouble.
Great stuff here.
Writer Dad,
What fantastic contributions from your other readers! I particularly like Evelyn’s thought about the lifeboat. (Hope the link works)
I honestly believe that there are plenty of good people in this world who would begin a rescue effort if they saw a swimmer in trouble.
Great stuff here.
Alex: Thank you. I just came up with it in the moment, but I think it’s apt, and I’ll probably use it as the flint to spark an entirely different post.
Jay: You’re not bad, just beginning. Huge difference.
Chelle: Looking in all directions, seeing nothing but water, and asking yourself what’s next, will allow you to find out who you are.
Dave Fowler: I agree, and thanks for getting it all started on Thursday morning.
Alex: Thank you. I just came up with it in the moment, but I think it’s apt, and I’ll probably use it as the flint to spark an entirely different post.
Jay: You’re not bad, just beginning. Huge difference.
Chelle: Looking in all directions, seeing nothing but water, and asking yourself what’s next, will allow you to find out who you are.
Dave Fowler: I agree, and thanks for getting it all started on Thursday morning.
This is great. It really is. I’m starting law school in the fall for this very reason. My current situation was stagnant and not going well. I could stay there and be miserable, or try something new. I figure it’s far better to try something new.
I like this quote from your post: “If we see something in our horizon, and we want that something, then it’s not enough to simply wait. Providence is not often so kind. It’s up to us to pump our arms and swim for it.”
The only problem with me is… I swim toward something I see in the ocean, and just as I’m about to reach it, a shark jumps out and swallows it. Pretty much every time. Maybe I need to start carrying a harpoon. :-P
Dubes last blog post..A Dark Knight Philosophy
This is great. It really is. I’m starting law school in the fall for this very reason. My current situation was stagnant and not going well. I could stay there and be miserable, or try something new. I figure it’s far better to try something new.
I like this quote from your post: “If we see something in our horizon, and we want that something, then it’s not enough to simply wait. Providence is not often so kind. It’s up to us to pump our arms and swim for it.”
The only problem with me is… I swim toward something I see in the ocean, and just as I’m about to reach it, a shark jumps out and swallows it. Pretty much every time. Maybe I need to start carrying a harpoon. :-P
Dubes last blog post..A Dark Knight Philosophy
Dube: You definitely need to start carrying a harpoon. Sorry it took so long to get back to your comment. I just found it.
Dube: You definitely need to start carrying a harpoon. Sorry it took so long to get back to your comment. I just found it.
Well, the shore is further than I thought. But I jumped ship, nevertheless.
My wife and child are learning to swim with me. Our occasional stress points invite us to sink, but being free of the SSBoredom (really varieties of dead end work) helps us keep our bodies in motions, our hearts a-thumpin, and our sites high.
Stop by Shannon Susanna Smith .com, and visit me too.
I like your stuff, so I subscribed today.
Well, the shore is further than I thought. But I jumped ship, nevertheless.
My wife and child are learning to swim with me. Our occasional stress points invite us to sink, but being free of the SSBoredom (really varieties of dead end work) helps us keep our bodies in motions, our hearts a-thumpin, and our sites high.
Stop by Shannon Susanna Smith .com, and visit me too.
I like your stuff, so I subscribed today.
Steven: I’m glad you liked it, and glad you subscribed. Welcome.
Steven: I’m glad you liked it, and glad you subscribed. Welcome.
You wrote, “The pictures are from the creative commons page on Flickr.” Just because a picture has a Creative Commons license doesn’t mean you don’t have to give the photographer credit. The usual procedure is to credit the photographer with a link to the picture on Flickr and say the picture has a Creative Commons license, linking to the particular license the picture has.
For an example of attribution see http://cheerfulmonk.com/2008/10/13/that-stir-of-might-and-instinct-within-us/
I’m grateful for Flickr and feel strongly that we shouldn’t abuse the system.
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monks last blog post..That Stir of Might and Instinct Within Us
You wrote, “The pictures are from the creative commons page on Flickr.” Just because a picture has a Creative Commons license doesn’t mean you don’t have to give the photographer credit. The usual procedure is to credit the photographer with a link to the picture on Flickr and say the picture has a Creative Commons license, linking to the particular license the picture has.
For an example of attribution see http://cheerfulmonk.com/2008/10/13/that-stir-of-might-and-instinct-within-us/
I’m grateful for Flickr and feel strongly that we shouldn’t abuse the system.
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monks last blog post..That Stir of Might and Instinct Within Us