I read this book years ago and it was recommended to me by a dear friend who had noticed I was shying away from my talents. Now I’m revisiting my notes in preparation for altMBA, quoting bits that moved me then, and seeing what resonates with me now.
So you are paralyzed with fear, it’s a good sign. It shows you what you have to do.
…
If you didn’t love the project that is terrifying you, you wouldn’t feel anything. The opposite of love isn’t hate; it’s indifference.
As my eyes scan this line, I hope this book is there for the people like me, who signed up for altMBA and as the start of it ticks closer, are getting a little bit terrified of it. I’m preparing by reading (as expected), but also by blogging more, as that has somehow turned a tad scary for me in the recent decades.
Because when we sit down day after day and keep grinding, something mysterious starts to happen. A process is set into motion by which, inevitably and infallibly, heaven comes to our aid. Unseen forces enlist in our cause; serendipity reinforces our purpose.
For me it feels one of the main point of this book is to tell you that nothing worth doing comes without some feeling of fear, without temptation of distractions or feelings of being overwhelmed. Push through the hindrances, and do the work, your work and not some side task, on daily basis!
Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.
Too often people at the brink of creating something shy away from it because doing that work feels selfish. Absurdly, they might feel they don’t deserve to do the work that calls out for them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
You not following your passion and talents is a disservice to the world. Get on with it!