Sometimes, the thoughts aren’t very big. They’re simpler. Little flickers. They’re like trying to wave to someone across a crowded room, but not quite catching their eye. Just a drop of wanting. The pursuit of more.

It feels good to be seen. To get recognition from people you respect. It’s a very useful feeling, one that builds on itself rather well. And boy, does it get cold out on the streets when you aren’t getting it; that craving for affirmation that you’re on the right path, but to then be told that actually, the harvest didn’t quite meet expectations. Moving with the polarity, you run from the fear and towards the safety.

In true pragmatic fashion, if I can find a way to take a fear and turn it into fuel, I take that bet every time. There are few things more palpable than the taste of failure and unmet expectations. Building off of that, you can take any experience and turn it into a gain. Make it all upside by default.

What we’re talking about here is developing a positive relationship to PRACTICE: the art of iterative learning and application. The focusing and honing of a craft. I appreciate the idea of doctor’s “practicing” medicine, with it being both the application of current skills and the pursuit of something more. I find the dedication to an idea that big very inspirational.

Practice practice practice. Write the words, see what happens, where it leads.

I find myself trying to tie each sentence back to a larger narrative, to a bigger picture. I’m used to trying to make sense of it, to focus and present thoughts in some larger-than-life way. I suppose that’s my pursuit with writing: be an effective communicator and know what I want to say, rather than just arriving there by happenstance.

Without that focus, it all rings a little hollow, like I feel I need that to justify the effort of writing anything at all. My writing style here is just a random chain of related ideas. BUT, the depth is not the point.

The point of these posts are to practice writing and practice presence and idea development. I don’t need a polished output: what I need are reps to strengthen the brain-body connection between the creative spark in my head and action taken. Just gotta show up and work.