The Right Direction

Every so often I’ll hear this strange piece of advice: “I don’t think it’s time to worry.” I understand the intention. It’s a way to reassure someone that they needn’t fret about the economy, or their children’s grades, or their book sales, while still acknowledging that of course there are times when the only thing to do is worry. It would be irresponsible to believe otherwise. Just not at this moment. But when the time comes, when things get really bad, well . . . you’ll know what to do.

Mind you, I’ve worried plenty in my life. I’m sneaky about it, however. I have a reputation to uphold. I never say I’m worried about something; I just get very upset for no apparent reason. “What’s the matter?” my wife will ask. “Nothing,” I’ll grumble back. Which is true, but it doesn’t feel that way, since I’ve quietly, stealthily wondered, “What if this happens?” or, “What if this never happens?” I’ve got an imagination. If I ask it a question, it’ll give me an answer, and when I ask it a question like that, the answer is never good.

It was writing that taught me to be careful of the questions I ask myself, that my imagination doesn’t discriminate between helpful ones and unhelpful ones. Writing also taught me how to make a choice. Every sentence I put on the page – every word, really – is a choice I’ve made. My stories are nothing but an accumulation of those choices, those decisions, and the better they were, the better the story.

I’ve never made a good decision from fear. All I do is run away from things I’m afraid of – from failure, from loneliness, from despair. Love, on the other hand, is a movement toward something, which is why it’s the very best frame of mind from which to make any choice. If I move toward what inspires me, amuses me, excites or soothes me, I’m always going in the right direction, and I don’t need to worry about the future, since I know I’m headed somewhere I’ll want to be.

Check out Fearless Writing with Bill Kenower on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt
You can find William at: williamkenower.com