Writing is a serious business, but that doesn’t mean you always have to be serious. A great way to write more, and have more fun doing it, is to make a game of it.

This can work in a lot of different ways. One of my favorites is to see how much I can write in a specific amount of time. I’ll set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes, and then go to town. Sometimes I’ll even have a competition with myself to see if I can beat my own record.

This makes total sense, because after all, you are your biggest competitor. As writers, we should always be trying to get better at our craft and improve every aspect of our writing business.

This is all part of a bigger picture of not taking yourself too seriously to begin with. Life is hard enough already without all the pressure we put on ourselves. So don’t be afraid to try new things and make a game out of your writing.

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Over the last few days, we have been talking about developing a growth-oriented mindset. This is a mindset that is not fixed in place, but is instead flexible and ready to grow.

After you have prepared by tilling the soil of your mind, planted by keeping track of your ideas, watered your mind by reading, pruned the dead weight from your schedule, and harvested your creativity by getting your writing done, it’s important to celebrate by enjoying your success.

For some reason, writers have a hard time being content with any amount of success they have. Maybe it’s jealousy or a mentality that says whatever they have achieved, it’s not enough. Maybe it’s an attitude they inherited from their family that they can never be good enough.

Whatever the case, it’s vital to recognize that when you write, you have done something worth celebrating. It doesn’t need to be a giant ego boost. You can celebrate in a way that inspires others and doesn’t put yourself in the spotlight.

When you accomplish something worthwhile, take a moment to stop and recognize the value of what you’ve done. Take pride in your work. Enjoy your success.

If you don’t develop this habit of celebration, you will never be happy with your achievements. How sad would it be to work so hard but never feel satisfied?

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You were born with a gift. You can think of it as a beautiful white pearl. This gift, this pearl, is meant to be shared with the world. As a child, you were excited to share your gift with others. But over the years, as you accumulate disappointments, rejection, and hurts, your pearl becomes dark and encrusted.

With each passing year, a layer is added to your pearl. One day, you notice you’re carrying around a dark lump and wonder how you got it. You’ve forgotten there is a pearl buried deep inside.

Most people either get used to the lump or they simply throw it away. But a select few remember the gift they were given. They understand that their life’s task is to keep breaking through the layers until the pearl is discovered once again. Then, and only then, can they share the beauty of their pearl—their precious gift—with the world.

Your task today, and every day, is to do the work of uncovering your pearl. Some days you will feel cynical or discouraged. Other days you will feel tired and hopeless.

It doesn’t matter. Even on those days, you must work at keeping your gift, your pearl, beautiful and restored. Don’t let it get encrusted, and by all means, don’t ever throw it away.

The world needs your gift.

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None of us ever “arrives” as writers in the sense that we have learned all we can learn, or that we have somehow completed the mission. The mission, your calling, never ends. corinna kopf nudes It is not about how many books you write or any other accomplishments. It is about living as a writer and embracing the creative life. And that’s always a journey worth taking.

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In 2019, Bronnie Ware released a fascinating book called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. After years of doing unfulfilling work, she began to search for a job that gave her meaning. After working with a number of people who were dying, she summarized her reflections into a popular blog post, which was then turned into the book.

One of the regrets she talks about is this: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” In fact, one of the themes that keeps coming up over and over again in the book is the regret of not doing the things you knew were most important.

Truthfully, we all have regrets. We all do stupid things and waste vast amounts of time we wish we had back. It’s important to be aware of this, and yet we also need to forgive ourselves so we can move on. Regret is a powerful obstacle that can prevent us from doing our best work.

Ann Patchett said, “The ability to forgive oneself… is the key to making art, and very possibly the key to finding any semblance of happiness in life.” Have you forgiven yourself for your past mistakes so you can seek a life of freedom and meaning?

You can’t go back and change the past. But you can live with more intentionality and purpose from this day forward.

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