Sometimes it feels like I'm hanging from a metal bar. My fingers are cold and tired. I'm high up. I’m on the skyline. The people below me are ants.
Man my fingers are tired.
I could fall at any minute.
Balancing it all — the day job, the family life, the bills, and the passion projects.
Sometimes I feel so tired I just want to lie in bed all day with my head under the covers. In a fabric cocoon.
I have a daily ritual.
When I stick to it, I feel great. It feels like I’m hustling, like I’m in control.
When I fail to stick to it, I start to slip.
I wouldn’t recommend my specific daily ritual to everyone, but I think it’s important to have some sort of clear routine. Something that you can do wherever you are in the world and at whatever time.
1.) 10 Ideas — I’ve talked about this before. I robbed it from James Altucher. Sometimes it’s easy, most times not. To dig into your cranium and scoop out the good stuff. I’d like to say it gets easier everyday, but I’d be lying.
2.) 750 Words — This accounts for 95% of my sanity and 99% of the work I’ve produced over the last four years. It’s where I let my brain play. I can make all the mistakes I want. I can run free, naked, on a nude beach made only for me. I would hate for people to see my writings on there, because you’d all see my nude bits having out — cold, small, and unimpressive.
3.) Read Something — I get through about a book a week. Occasionally two. And sometimes, when I’m listening to audiobooks (if that counts) I get through three. I never used to read this much, but it’s where I find most of my inspiration.
Stephen King says “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
'nuff said.
4.) Kiss My Girlfriend — I should say, kiss your girlfriend. I don’t want people getting ideas.
Sometimes when it all feels like too much, like I might fall and die at any point, I kiss my girlfriend.
I mean seriously kiss. Distraction free, honest, authentic, smooching. Just one of those a day can keep me hanging on.
It reminds me of that Alt-J line. "She makes the sound, the sound she makes, to calm me down."
The daily practice keeps me going, keeps me fresh, keeps me in control, but I do worry, because I know that one day it won’t be enough.
Eventually, I’ll slip.
