Weekly Digest: May 1, 2021
Taking chances
“I’m tired of doing X.”
This is what I keep hearing from my friends. And it comes up in my own reflections too. I’ve identified the pattern. Thanks, universe.
I’ve noticed that there is a clear demarcation in my day between the work that gives me energy and the work that devitalizes me.
Unfortunately, it’s always the latter that pays the bills and takes up the most time in my day.
I would be lying if I said I had all the answers. But here is what I’ve realized:
First, contrast creates awareness. Life gives freely, but we don’t always receive what we want (it’s often some shade of grey). And it’s our ability to let go of what we don’t want that allows new things to flow in. Easier said than done, though, because it’s hard to let go of anything that has become familiar, even when we’ve grown tired of it.
Second, the desire for our goals doesn’t make it manifest in our lives. Wanting something badly only creates more of wanting something badly. Like begets like. Intention is the bridge between desire and our goals, so we must create and hold intentions instead.
Third, we need to engage in things we can get lost in. Things we enjoy so much that we don’t even notice the passage of time as we’re doing them.
We know this, and yet we often feel the need to punish ourselves for loving and enjoying something so much. We say, “to be able to do X, I must suffer through Y,” when that is not rooted in any wisdom or philosophy worth perpetuating.
Because when you get lost in the process of something, the outcomes tend to manifest all on their own.
What I know about my situation is that I must take a risk. And I know what to do, but that doesn’t make it any easier to do. It’s the kind of risk that, should things go awry, I will be under some financial pressure. I doubt I will go broke, or that it will be anything I can’t recover from. But I’m a calculated risk taker, and what’s staring back at me now is much less calculated than I would like.
Still, if we want to create the lives we want, and live the lives we wish to create, we must take risks. We can’t keep doing what we’re doing and expect that things are going to get better all on their own.
A couple of years ago, I was talking with a friend in Austin, TX at a hotel bar. I shared with him all that I had gone through to get to the point of being able to embrace the life of a digital nomad. Suffice it to say, it did not come fast or easy, but it was a relief when I finally got there.
What he said next has stuck with me ever since:
“If you kept doing what you were doing, you would have gotten cancer.”
Literal, or metaphorical if we keep doing what we hate doing, we get cancer.
And so, the risk suddenly seems like the better option. Because it’s either stay where you are and die a slow death (literal or metaphorical) or take a chance and create the life you want to live.
With that, here’s what I created for you this week:
David Andrew Wiebe
I publish daily to inspire creatives and creators just like you.
Here are the posts that went live this week:
- #StrategySunday — April 25, 2021
- Progress Update: April 26, 2021
- I’m Acknowledging Myself for What I’ve Accomplished
- You Have More Time Than You Realize
- My Songwriting Process
- Make the Leap
Music Entrepreneur HQ
At Music Entrepreneur HQ, I give modern music makers the tools and mental models they need to create the life they love through music, something I’ve been up to since 2009.
Here are the posts that went live on Music Entrepreneur HQ this week:
The Indie YYC
The Indie YYC is a creative community dedicated to inspiring local artists in pursuit of independent creativity, independent thought, and independent life.
I host a weekly series called Creative Entrepreneur where I share weekly podcast content to help you find new inspirations and pathways to achieve more creative and practical independence.
Here’s what went live this week:
News Break
I publish at least once per week on the topic of self-discovery.
Here’s what I shared on News Break this week:
As always, I appreciate the read, share, and follow.
Community Spotlight
Here’s a shout out to @natefancher. Thanks for engaging!
>> Be sure to follow me on Twitter and join in on the action
Random Things I Dig
Fotomoto is beyond awesome.
Featured Product
You were born to make music. It’s a calling.
But some days you feel like giving it all up.
You see people who are more talented and more prolific. And they have a larger social media following than you.
Why try? The odds seem stacked against you.
You don’t need to quit. You don’t need to give up. You don’t even need to change your approach.
What you need is a mindset makeover.
Read The Renegade Musician and reclaim your uniqueness, creativity, and calling.
Final Thoughts
Thank you for your creativity and generosity. I’m rooting for you.
For more inspiration, be sure to sign up for my email list.
Originally published at https://davidandrewwiebe.com on May 1, 2021.
