I read an email today that helped me gain some much-needed confidence. I’m subscribed to an email newsletter called “We Own Mondays,” written by Danial Hooper. The messages are short and sweet and to the point. And this week’s message really struck a chord. And it was only 57 words.
“Chip away
If you’re building, then you’re still working. Sometimes, when you’re cutting through a wall, each swing of the axe isn’t as strong as others.
That’s not what matters.
It’s important to swing the axe. To chip away. When you grow tired, to rest. When you’ve rested, to swing again.
Are you willing to swing today?”
I really struggle with getting started. Sometimes it feels like I have so much work ahead of me that I get paralyzed. Just thinking about all the work I have to do makes me feel overwhelmed. And that’s often because I have the final version in my mind. When thinking about my work, I know exactly what it should look like and feel like in its most perfect form. And yet, I see where I am, and it feels too far away so I get discouraged. So instead I’m changing my perspective for this week. I will erase from my mind the image of the final product and focus solely on taking a few good swings.
A “good” swing isn’t one that lands perfectly. When wielding an axe I know firsthand that sometimes you can miss the mark entirely. I can use this knowledge to help me let go and just swing. A good swing isn’t about the impact; it’s about the effort. It’s about showing up, creating tension in my midline, and producing a powerful swing. That much I can control. And I can swing again and again and again.
That’s my goal for this week. Each time I sit down for a work session, my mind will be on taking a swing. How can I take a good swing in the next 25 minutes? And the next 25 min after that? And again after that? It’s focusing on one single moment at a time and giving it my best effort.
I’ve been in a funk these last few days, and it’s been hard to find the motivation to begin. Now I have a tangible goal to aim for and it actually feels within reach.
I can’t always control how I’m feeling, but I can always show up and take a swing.
Keep chipping away.