I, like many of you, used to worry that if I ever found success as a writer, I would come to the terrible realization that writing wasn’t actually going to be the thing I thought I’d wanted, worked and waited for since I was a kid.
Perhaps it’s a consequence of my secret fascination with self-help books — I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually benefited from any of that advice but I sure get some strange satisfaction out of reading it. But at some point I started to believe that if I one day found myself having what I wanted, I wouldn’t want it anymore.
Fellow writers — aspiring, working, otherwise — I’m so happy to report that getting what you really want is actually so much better than you’ve ever been able to imagine it could be.
Working Toward a Writing Goal Takes Courage and Strength
It’s a common advice nugget these days that a lot of people think they have what it takes to find success in writing, but only a few will actually be able to achieve it. So I won’t dwell too much on that at the moment. It is true, though, that it takes a certain kind of person to decide they want to be a writer … and then actually put in the years of endless work required to become one.
So if you’re certain you want to succeed in writing — whatever that means for you specifically; it’s different for everyone — the moment you actually get there is even more gratifying than you think it will be. You worked to get here. You sacrificed a lot. You did what so many others before you weren’t able to do. You found the courage and strength to do it. It should — it will — feel amazing.
If It’s Really What You Want, the Thrill Will Overwhelm the Fear
Some people think they want to publish a book or write full-time when what they’re really after is the recognition and praise they assume will instantly be associated with their version of success. The way to really know if writing is what you want — if my experience is any indication — is that the thought of succeeding will both terrify and thrill you at the same time.
And when you finally get to your own personal finish line? You’ll still be afraid of what comes next, or whether or not you did this right. But the joy you’ll feel at knowing you’ve reached your goal will overpower that so strongly that while you may recognize the fear under the surface, it won’t stop you. It may even drive you even further forward.
Celebrating Your Wins Isn’t Optional
And there’s no point in getting this far, in feeling that joy and knowing you’ve conquered your fear’s previous power over you, if you aren’t going to allow yourself to celebrate how far you’ve come.
We talk a lot here about celebrating small wins, a practice I believe in wholeheartedly. But these big wins are the most important things to celebrate of all. You did everything you said you were going to do. You’ve gotten what you wanted, or where you want to be. Your journey may not be over, but you’ve still won. And you have to let yourself acknowledge and appreciate that. Because it’s not about just moving on to the next thing. It’s about understanding, deep down in your soul, that you wanted this enough to make it happen. No one else is responsible for that. You did it. You deserve to finally be happy.
Meg Dowell Writes 