In the publishing world, there is a sacred wall between Generative Work and Critical Work. You cannot write and edit at the same moment. It’s like trying to drive a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. You’ll just burn out the engine and stay exactly where you are.
Most of us are stuck in park because our “Internal Censor” has become too efficient. We have edited our dreams, our ideas, and even our daily conversations into something “safe” and “polished,” but completely lifeless.
1. The “Ugly” Necessity
Every masterpiece started as a “shabby” first draft. It was full of typos, logical gaps, and embarrassing clichés. But the author had the courage to let it be ugly.
In your life, you need to permit yourself “The Season of the Mess.” Whether you are starting a new business, a new fitness routine, or a new relationship, you have to accept that the first version will be subpar. If you demand perfection on Day One, you are effectively “deleting” the entire project. True growth requires a high tolerance for your own mediocrity.
2. Rewriting the Internal Style Guide
We all have an internal “Style Guide”—a set of rules about what we are allowed to be. “I’m not a creative person,” or “I’m bad with money,” or “I don’t do public speaking.” These aren’t facts; they are Old Copy. They are lines you wrote about yourself years ago that you’ve forgotten to revise.
It’s time for an Identity Audit. Take those self-limiting sentences and treat them like a bad manuscript. Cross them out. Rewrite them in the present tense with a more generous tone. You are the Editor-in-Chief of your own identity; you have the authority to change the narrative whenever the old one stops serving the plot.
3. The Power of “Placeholder” Thinking
When a writer is stuck on a difficult scene, they often write [FIX LATER] and move on to the next chapter. This keeps the momentum alive.
You should use Placeholder Thinking in your life. Don’t know how you’re going to pay for that dream trip? [FINANCES TO BE EDITED LATER]. Not sure if you’re “ready” to lead that project? [CONFIDENCE PENDING]. By moving past the obstacle rather than staring at it, you allow the rest of the “story” to unfold. Often, by the time you reach the end of the chapter, the solution to the placeholder has appeared on its own.
