If I had this, I could do that…
If I had more money I’d be more generous.
If I had a bigger house I’d be more hospitable.
If I had a new camera I’d be better at taking photos.
If I had a new computer I’d write more.
Steven Pressfield writes in his book The War Of Art:
“It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.”
Are you going to be ridiculously generous when you have more money? I think we’re all tempted to increase our own standard of living before we change that standard for anyone else. But if you really want to give, you could start giving now when you don’t think you have enough.
Are you going to be more hospitable when you have a giant home? Or will the bigger and nicer home, the one that you’ve worked very hard for, cause you to not want people messing it up. Start practicing hospitality with what you have now.
I used to think if I had a certain piece of photography gear it would improve my photography. While a new piece of gear might serve as a novelty for a short while and get me out the door to use it, it doesn’t beat the discipline of getting out everyday and shooting and honing your craft.
I honestly had this thought a couple of weeks ago. I need a new computer to write. It was probably a subconscious excuse for being scared to write more. I think we subconsciously put road blocks in our way to productivity, and justify them. So I’m sitting at starbucks with my 15″ miracle computer that is quite worn, but is still kicking, plugged in because the battery doesn’t hold a charge anymore and putting words down on “paper.”
Blah blah blah. Do the stuff. If you do it well, maybe it will open up doors for you to have the stuff you want, and in the meantime you’re doing what you ultimately wanted to do in the first place.
