The One Skill Writers Need to Avoid Going Crazy

Here’s what we writers tend to do: We work super hard for long periods.

We strive, push, try new things, spend our nights and weekends learning and writing and editing and publishing, take classes, go to conferences, write and write some more, blog, present, do public readings, and on and on.

We do all these things, then every once in a while we step back and look at the results of our work. We often have a lot to be proud of.

But we’re also likely to have some disappointments. Sometimes we can become discouraged, but even if we do, we’re likely to rally and go after it again.

We’re writers. We pick ourselves up and keep going. We know the journey is long, so we pack up and hit the road again.

Somewhere along the way, all this striving and hard work can get old, for lack of a better way to put it.

We look at where we are and where we want to be and observe the gap between those two things. We imagine the additional work and time and effort it’s going to take to continue the journey, and we can start to stagger a bit.

We see ahead of us more trying, striving, and chasing after what we want. But I was reminded of something important recently: Often when we chase things, what we’re chasing moves away from us.

Which of course is exactly what we don’t want.

Does this mean we’re doing something wrong with all that hard work? No. But it does mean that sometimes, we have to know when to let go.

When Writers Get Stuck in the Chasing Mode

There’s a certain amount of hunting and chasing that needs to go on when we first start our writing careers.

This early effort helps us establish ourselves. We can get a good amount of completed work under our belts while creating some sort of platform. Once we have things up and running, we can start to work on expanding our readership and securing a niche that can help us stand out on the market.

It’s at this stage that writers can get stuck in the chasing mode to the point of crazy-making. We chase after all of the following:

• More book reviews.
• More readers on our blogs and websites.
• More followers and influence on social media.
• More email subscribers.
• More opportunities to speak and present.
• More publishing awards.
• More whatever else we believe will help us reach our goals.

You see the crazy-making part here. We go after more and more and more. Regardless of whatever level of success we might have achieved, we’re not satisfied with it, so we keep working.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with continuing to try to improve…unless it leads to an unhealthy cycle of striving and chasing that drives what we want away.

Or that leaves us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.

Writers Need a Mindset Change

On the one hand, we have the desire to become better writers. On the other, we face the risk of discouragement and overwhelm that can come with endless striving and chasing.

What’s the solution?

It’s a simple mindset change. Instead of chasing after what we want, we have to put ourselves in the mental space of allowing and attracting.

In other words, we have to let go.

We continue to do the work. We write, blog, edit, coach, publish, submit, guest post, conduct interviews, whatever it is we do—all of which can attract the readers and success we hope for—but then we let it go and allow the chips to fall where they may.

Another way to put it? We surrender.

“Surrender literally means to stop fighting,” writes Dr. Amy Johnson on Tiny Buddha. “Stop fighting with yourself. Stop fighting the universe and the natural flow of things. Stop resisting and pushing against reality.”

This doesn’t mean we give up on our dreams. On the contrary. By letting go or surrendering, we stand a much better chance of being able to continue to work toward our goals over the long-term in a much healthier, fulfilling way.

“It’s not about inaction,” writes Johnson. “It’s about taking action from that place of surrender energy.”

Think of it as simply releasing the tension in your shoulders and neck. Relax in your identity as a writer and your chosen niche. Do the work but remain unattached to the outcome. Accept where you are and what the future has to hold for you without trying to control every little thing about it.

When we approach our work from this mindset, we tend to open up more. As our muscles relax, our vision expands.

“Letting go is freedom,” writes Lidiya K on Let’s Reach Success, “it’s a state of peace and joy where you can fully experience the present moment. Letting go is one of the best and most important things you can do so that you can be happy.”

3 Ways Writers Benefit from Letting Go

When you let go, you release the stress, worry, and anxiety that can often accompany a writer’s career. Do the work and let go of the outcome. If you can do that, you’ll enjoy the following benefits.

1. You’ll find your work more enjoyable.

When we’re writing, blogging, and all the rest, we can get caught up in constant self-judgment. If our efforts don’t bring us the rewards we hoped for, we can get discouraged and doubt ourselves and the whole experience becomes unpleasant.

When you let go, you are more likely to enjoy the work. Who cares whether you get 100 likes or not? Just write, blog, publish, submit. And let go. Many times, this type of mindset can restore a love of writing that may have gotten lost along the way.

2. You’ll feel better doing it.

When we’re striving and chasing and trying to control everything, we don’t do our bodies or minds any good. We live with a lot of tension and negativity. We may neglect our health and fail to exercise because we’re so busy trying to get what we want from our efforts.

When you surrender and let go, it’s common to feel more relaxed. You accept where you are and allow yourself to be imperfect. This gives you the space you need to take good care of yourself—to eat right, get enough sleep, and maybe go for a walk. It’s no longer life and death to reach your goals, so you may give yourself a night off now and then.

3. You may end up getting closer to your goals.

It’s not guaranteed, but often when we learn how to do the work but let go, we get closer to our goals than ever before.

It makes sense if you think about it. Letting go of the outcome allows you to fully indulge your creativity, which could result in more original work. It allows you to play with the type of marketing techniques you enjoy, which could naturally bring you better results because your joy shines through your efforts. It allows you to take better care of yourself, which can improve your productivity.

“Have you ever noticed that the more we want something,” writes author Ryan Holliday, “the more insistent we are on a certain outcome, the more difficult it can be to achieve it? What we need in life, in the arts, in sports, is to loosen up, to become flexible, to get to a place where there is nothing in our way—including our own obsession with certain outcomes.”

I invite you to try letting go today. Take a deep breath, let it out, and say to yourself, “Everything is okay.” Today, you will go about your writing work as you always do. Continue to write, edit, publish, blog, submit, and whatever else you do to build your career, but then let go of the outcome and relax.

“Follow your heart and let go of the need for specific results,” writes author Rory Mackay. “Results are always unpredictable and changeable. It doesn’t make sense to base your happiness on unpredictable and changeable factors….Instead, do what you love and love what you do. Make the doing an end in itself. Let the universe do its thing (because it’s going to anyway). Quit fretting and enjoy the game of life for what it is.”

Have you adopted a mindset of letting go?