“People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. This is bewilderment.”
-Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of 5 Rings
In the void, there is no such thing as good or bad. No one way of doing things is the correct way – or the wrong way. There’s just your way.
But the way of void isn’t easily accomplished. This spirit of
Take the feeling of being in The Zone when you’re writing. Some days, you sit down with a blank screen before you and words just fall right onto the page. They come easily, you’re on a roll and soon, you sit back, satisfied at the great job you’ve done. You might’ve even created a masterpiece – or close.
Creating Barriers for Yourself
But when you start to over-think about your writing, you begin hitting obstacles. You stress over each word, the concept gets muddy and thoughts refuse to flow. Nothing feels right and you may feel self-conscious.
When this happens to me, I step back. It’s always easier to go back into a project after letting it sit for a while than it is to delve into it when you’re stressed and unable to function properly.
I breathe and clear my mind. I begin writing. It doesn’t matter what I write, just as long as my fingers move over the keyboard and I’m getting my thoughts out.
If you’re not sure about how good your work might be, have someone objective read it. I ask James to do so often. I may feel my work missed the point but I can’t see where it derails from the subject. His eyes pick out exactly what I’m trying to say.
Suddenly everything comes into focus. I can rewrite what I’ve done to be more in line with the message I want to convey, or I know what to adjust to make the writing achieve its goals.
Learn All You Can – and Learn Some More
The common thread throughout Musashi’s teachings is that the warrior should study as many other forms of warfare as possible in order to become the best warrior he can.
When we shut ourselves off and believe we’ve learned all there is to learn, we stop growing. We cease to open our minds to new ideas or ways of working.
To attain the way of the warrior, study everything. To attain the way of the writer, fully study other ways of writing.
Pulling It All Together
By combining the other elements of Wind, Water, Fire, and Ground, you learn how to calm your spirit, regain your focus, and channel your energies towards your goals.
When you can do so without thinking of the actions, you’ll find yourself in the true void. In this space, everything is much sharper. You have no doubt in your mind that you can accomplish what others might deem impossible.
No one technique has enough strength to stand on its own. That is like laying down a brick and calling it a house. You need other materials to create a home.
Ground keeps you stable. Water helps you adapt in the face of adversity. Fire puts passion and thought into action. Wind helps you define your own personal style.
I really like this void stuff as I have experienced the same effects lately. The harder I try to write something good, the more blockages appear. But the moment I walk away to read a book or watch telly, the ideas come back and just flow.
As a writer I find that other media is indispensable to help me find inspiration and look at work from a different angle.
Thanks guys for a fab series. I’m kind of sad it’s over but know that you’ll come up with more goodies.
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Planning Your Future Writing Gigs
This was a good piece. I guess what works for me, is to do my writing and editing first thing in the morning. It is pretty quiet at my house at 4 am (probably the only time it is), and since I’ve just had a good break in the way of sleep, I suppose my mind is as calm as it will be all day.
I have also started simple meditation techniques to return focus (I actually started it at work, when I need to write “work stuff”). I find it very helpful in that it enables me to clear my mind of the chaos that is dinner & bedtime in my household!
Even going for a simple walk around the block can put it all back into alignment.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
I get so caught up in my writing,
it takes on a life of its own. In
a way the brick and mortar
become the home. It is hard
for me to go back and replace
something to really make it
a cozy home to live in.
Loved this post. The void really exists in our minds, and every writer can recognize it. As you said, it’s the state of being yourself, where you don’t care about anything. You just move your fingers and your ideas take shape as you write. It’s a wonderful state. I wish I could get hold of it more often.
Mohsin’s last blog post..Link Love: Win $5000 Worth of Prizes, Get a Keyword Research Guide, Know How to Price Your Services
@Monika: Sometimes the best way to accomplish a project is to do nothing – but don’t let that lapse into procrastination! It’s a very fine line, and easy to cross.
Fear not, the well is far from dry, many more series to come.
@Brett: I used to try to find the best time of day to write. Granted, I don’t have half as many distractions as you and James do, but there’s always something. For one week, as an experiment, I tried working regardless of distractions. It did work to a certain extent, but I still find I write best when I can give it my full attention and I don’t have anything else looming over my head.
@Terry: Why do you think it’s difficult to go back and replace things? Look at it this way, all the information is still in your head, all you have to do is tap into it and make it better than it was before.
@Moshin: Welcome to MwP! Getting hold of the Zone takes practice, the more you do it, the more you’ll find it easier to slip into.
@ Harry – you are right, there is always something, even in the early hours of the morning (RSS feeds are a good distraction then!)
So the other thing I’ll do is just try it anyway, sit down for 10 minutes (there’s that great idea of yours again) and if nothing else, I will create the skeleton of the idea – commit that to paper or e-paper.
Other times, I envision myself in my ideal writing environment. For me, it is a little desk and chair, under a sunshade, on a plot of green grass on the edge of the ocean, gazing out to the horizon…
I meditate over that, and my focus comes back.
It also serves as a great motivator for me. All things are created twice, once in the mind, and then in the physical world. The place I envision, I have actually visited. And I believe that if I work hard at this, I will make it my reality.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
@Brett: 10 minutes rocks. It’s at a point where it’s becoming second nature to me now after a month of using that method.
When it comes to making a dream real, Dr. Phil said something interesting yesterday. “We create our tomorrows today” (or something to that effect, can’t recall the exact quote). He was talking to this one couple who had a horrible wedding day and needed to create new memories. While you’re not trying to create new memories here, you are laying down the foundation for what will happen in the future. If you keep visualizing what you want for tomorrow, and do what you can to get one step closer to that today, you will create your own reality.
To me it is the desire to get it right the first time.
)
I don’t. I need to do it over and over. It’s hard to
admit you’re human.
@ Harry,
Thanks for sharing that quote from Dr. Phil – that is pretty inspiring in itself. We *have* to do that, we have to visualize what we want, or we will merely stumble through life.
Visualization is a powerful tool. Athletes use it to envision winning, and it works. Myself, I use a vision board with pictures and words that are important to me, and I look at it each and every day, several times a day.
When someone calls me a dreamer (and that has happened many, many times), I take it as a compliment.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
Great series, Harry. I found them very insightful and inspiring. I’m going to miss the martial art inspired insights, though I know you’ll have more
@Brett – I’m with you. I get SO much accomplished early in the morning. I find when planning out my day the night before it’s best to tackle the hardest projects first as that is when I’m fresh. “Fresh.” Did I just say that? Isn’t that like an 80′s term?
Hey guys – I’m pretty excited over here. My 8+ Ways To Train Yourself To Be Creative has landed on the front page of del.ico.us. Hoorayyyyy!!!
James & Brett – pop out the Quebec liquor I’m on my way!
John Hoff’s last blog post..The Art of Persuasion (Part 1 of 3)
Harry –
I’m convinced that these “Way of writing” posts have lowered my blood pressure. Something about the way you write is just so relaxing. I’m feeling more centered right now – maybe it’s all the Japanese goodness coming through. It’s like verbal akido.
Keep the good stuff coming.
Dave Navarro – Freelance Smackdown!’s last blog post..Freelance Smackdown: Day 7 Update (Now Codeine Free!)
@ Harry/Brett – We create our tomorrows today (or something like that) comes not from looking ahead, but from stopping to focus on the past. So there was a crappy wedding? Move on. What can you do today that will make tomorrow better? So you had a crappy week at work? Get over it. Do something today that makes you look forward to going to work on Monday. Dr. Phil’s theory is to get people to stop focusing on the past to move ahead to the future.
@ Brett – When I rode and jumped, my coach used to tell us to look beyond the jump. First, because that’s where we had to look to see where we were going and second, to place ourselves properly for what lay ahead, but also to subconsciously gear us to thinking beyond the obstacle. There was no obstacle. There was only the next challenge beyond.
@ John – Really? That’s amazing news! We hit Sphinn last week (with this series), which was pretty cool. I have no idea if we’ve ever been on delicious at all… you can be our lead man. Cheers!
@ Dave – yes. You’re right. I think I do feel much more relaxed after reading these posts.
@ James – thanks. I’ve learned a lot from this sit and will always refer people here.
John Hoff’s last blog post..The Art of Persuasion (Part 1 of 3)
@James: That’s what I’m saying. You almost quoted him verbatim on what he said on the show yesterday. It was one of those things that couldn’t get from head to keyboard today. We’re on the same page, bro
@John: I’ll come up with more, believe me.
@Dave: Verbal aikido, I like that. James will tell you I’m just being myself and writing how I speak. Thanks for the compliment.
*whispers to James* I’ve got them hypnotized now, we’re one step closer to world domination, my friend…
Heheh… I didn’t go to University for nothin’, bro.
@ John Hoff – Quebec liquor is ready to go, just say the word…
@ James – true on both points. I don’t believe I really regret any decision I have ever made – why? Because I cannot change that which is in the past. I can, however, do something today to adjust my path towards the future.
And you do have to look beyond what is right in front of you – start with the end in mind. What is the goal? Then work backwards, figure out how to get over or around what is in between you and the goal. But always keep your eyes on the goal, so as not to become distracted by stuff that is really not important.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
@ Harry – “world domination”… kind of like Pinky and The Brain, right?
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
Is it true that the arrow flies the way it is shot,
if the shooter keeps his eyes on the target or not?
–Terry Finley
Only if there is no wind…
Brett Legree’s last blog post..make “one day”, today
The wind is in the mind.
The tarket is what counts.
Yes, the target is what counts. That is very true.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..reflective perception
Unfortunately, the wind must be considered.
Isn’t it interesting that the wind teaches us
how to shoot our arrows?
@Brett:
“Pinky, are you pondering what I’m pondering?”
“I think so, Brain, but then it’d be Snow White and the Seven Samurai… “
I always thought that a better archer taught us to shoot or that we taught ourselves to shoot… but hey, if the wind is handing out lessons, I’ll take one in small business management and ecommerce!
Wet your finger and stick it in the air.
@ Harry,
Somewhere there must be a site with these quotes. I remember this one, I said it the other day at McDonalds…
Pinky, are you pondering what I’m pondering?
I think so, Brain, but if they called them “sad meals” no one would buy them.
–
If the wind is affecting my arrows too much, I switch to a rifle.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..reflective perception
Or a tank or an atomic bomb.
Just GET the target.
Rifle…bow…give me either one, I’m a natural with projectile weapons.
@Brett: Go here: IMDB Look up anything on video and then go to “memorable quotes”. I’m not *that* much of a geek that I can retain full dialog from every movie I’ve ever watched.
@ Terry – now you’re talking.
@ Harry – I never thought to look there for cartoons!
I just had a look there now, and the voice of Pinky was one “Rob Paulsen”. Hmm, any relation to Robert Paulson in Fight Club?
Brett Legree’s last blog post..reflective perception
The target is not human.
It does not care if you hit it or not.
It will never feel it.
This was a great wrap-up to your series! Sorry that it’s taken me so long to get to read it, but better late than never ^_^
RLD: Taekwondo Happiness’s last blog post..Invincibility
@RLD: Thanks, and there’s never any rush. As long as you’re reading, that’s all that matters.