Keep Going: A pep talk for the weary creator
It's so hard to justify late nights, extra weekends off and time away from loved ones. It's hard to get up every morning, actually putting to action the things you just dreamt about. All of these things are difficult but necessary. The life of an entrepreneur is a hard one, but you cannot continue to accept the alternative as a decent replacement. There is so much life to understand, so many places to explore, people to love, ideas to let soar. That's what hurts the most. The fact that you can't instantly spend five hours putting an idea into reality really irritates you. You feel frustrated, angry, mad at myself, mad at yourself job, mad at loved ones. All of this misdirected anger builds up and leaves you nothing but discontentment for an otherwise lovely life. You don't want to be discontent. You don't want to be unhappy or ungrateful. You simply can't let yourself feel satisfied with less than everything you are meant to be. It's a tall order, but it's worth the investment.
The first step is taking action. This seems easy at first. You begin to make things and create a plan and a timeline for production. Everything is going smoothly, in fact you even begin to feel a new routine settling in. Then one day you think you're walking towards your routine when there's a major change at work and you have to work overtime. You miss a day of creation. Then your mother is sick, a second day goes by. All of a sudden you find yourself surrounded by chaos and you look back at your passion to realize you've missed months of intended production.
This is the frustrating part. This is when we are discouraged with ourselves and our situation. At this point it seems so much easier to just give up and move along but something deep down inside of us won't accept that answer. Even if we do give up, we aren't satisfied with that decision for long. The desire to push through remains ignited and we either reevaluate our time and plan of action, or we miss our chance entirely.
Keep going.
You hear it whispered in your ear.
Keep going.
A small voice releases into your heart.
Keep. Going.
Original art, Haley Hoover. 2018. Prints via request.
This is the real deal. The sink or swim, do or die. If you have what it takes to get back up and try again, you're already ahead of the game. So you take a deep breathe and you look around. You realize there's always going to be conflict and you understand that there is always going to be distractions pulling you in a million different directions – increasingly so as you begin to take your work more seriously. That's part of the challenge. It wouldn't be rewarding if it were easy.
You weren't meant for an average life so why would you expect an average fight? The negative resistance from all outward things will build and build until you show up and show the world that you are in it for the long haul. Keep showing up. Every day. Keep fighting for it, even when you think your tired and out of ideas. Keep going. This is your dream. This is your one chance at life, your one chance at freedom and love and fulfillment. Keep going. This is it.
Mindset.
Guard your mind closely. Those negative thoughts slip in so sneakily, you won't notice them until your self-doubt begins to sabotage your goals. Keep a close ear to the ground, always listening for the voice of negativity. At the slightest whisper, you must train yourself to squash all the life out of it. Your mind is your most powerful weapon. Keep your mind on track and you will be on track. We are what we think.
Encouraging company.
It's hard to stay upbeat when you're surrounded by people who doubt you. Admittedly, many of these doubters are those who care about you the most, and that's okay. Your encouraging company will be the tribe you surround yourself with. The other movers and shakers who understand your struggle and want their dream as badly as you want yours. Together you'll encourage one another, pushing each other toward the end goal you have for yourselves. Make this tribe your voice of reason throughout your pursuit.
Focus.
Take some time to let all the distractions melt into the background. You don't need to worry about the life things right now. Now is your time to focus on what makes you happy. Now is all you have anyway. Take advantage of what you have and stop wishing for someday. Light a candle, breathe deeply, sit down and make something awesome.
Decision.
Make up your mind to do it. It isn't enough to want it, you have to decide to do it, too. Until you make up your mind to do it, you won't. Decide to start. Decide to keep going. Decide to finish. Decide every single day until your project is done, then start a new one. The power between your ears is unstoppable. It is so powerful that it might just be the only thing holding you back right now.
Consistency is what takes people from someone who tried to someone who succeeded and finished. If you give up now you'll never know what might have been. You look back and wonder “what if” and “why didn't I”? Choose today to keep with the flow. What do you need to do to pick up where you left off? What do you need to do to make time and make space for what you love most? Whatever it is, keep going.
Haley Hoover
Haley Hoover is an artist and writer with a passion for helping others become their most authentic selves through creativity, travel and spirituality. She’s backpacked in two continents and truly believes in its power to change the world. Her mission is to teach the mindset of backpacking to anyone who wants to live a free and understanding life.