In Praise of the Pickaxe, Pt. 1

Steven Pressfield published a blog post this past Wednesday that struck a chord with me. Not because it’s a particularly new idea (especially if you follow his work, like I do), and not even because I agree with its sentiment wholeheartedly. It just got me thinking.

To paraphrase (with feeling), he wrote that when talking to other writers, especially young writers, if they aren’t generally terrified to write nor disgusted by the new work they have just begun to hash out, then maybe he’s a little suspicious of whether or not they’re on the same planet as him. 

For a moment, I panicked.

“But I actually enjoy writing for my blog! Does that mean I’m some kind of a hack?”

Until I remembered that 1) the enjoyment comes when I’m able to access the flow state (which does not come immediately and can often be elusive and requires you to “set the table” right, so to speak), and 2) the professional works despite all odds.

Because in reality, writing is both a calling and a means to an end.

This duality can create a lot of tension—compelled by one’s Soul to do the work, but cognizant that it’s the end result which captures the most meaning and therefore all the value and fanfare. 

Paradoxically, it’s something I both dread doing and yet feel lousy without. When I go on vacation, I can’t realistically take a break from writing because the absence of this work starts to eat away at my sense of well-being. Journaling is very much included in this statement—never rule out journaling, though there comes a point where it’s not actually work but “upkeep.”

Tonight I’ve been getting myself ready to drive north tomorrow to my parent’s house for the weekend. I’ve been busy since I crossed my own threshold late this afternoon. At about 9:30pm, I looked at the clock. “Making pretty good time,” I thought to myself, because for a moment I had completely forgotten about this. My stomach lurched, just a tiny bit, when I remembered that today is Wednesday, and Wednesday means we write.

Pressfield goes on to say that the more Resistance we feel standing in between us and whatever project we’re aiming to tackle, the greater the transformation will be for our lives, from our very Souls.

This is one of my favorite interpretations on procrastination. I often revisit this philosophy to reframe the fear I feel when I’m staring at my computer, not yet seated in the chair, and all I want to do is absolutely anything else.

Yet when I’m in the thick of getting words down on the page, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Batty, right??

The dread is real, but the payoff is gold.

My parting sentiment for you, dear reader:

Become an expert at wielding a pickaxe and your world won’t help but glimmer.