I get a few newsletters. One of my favorites is called “Brain Food,” from a fellow by the name of Shane Parrish, who runs an organization called Farnum Street. Its mission is to help us “master the best of what other people have already figured out.”
They have a thoughtful blog all about thinking and using mental models to improve ourselves. It’s quite inspiring.
Today’s newsletter has a thought by Shane I want to pass along. It’s not original, but it’s important, and it’s worthy of regular reminders. Here it is.
“If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll be waiting the rest of your life.
“You’ll never be fully ready for the things that matter. Most of the time, waiting until you’re ready is the fear talking. We’re scared that if we put our heart and soul into something it might fail. How you respond to this fear is often the difference between living a meaningful life and one filled with regret.
“Good opportunities appear suddenly and disappear rather quickly. Beyond a certain point, which most people reading this newsletter have reached, outcomes matter less to life satisfaction than minimizing regrets. While the pain of trying something and failing sucks, it’s over rather quickly. The pain of regret, however, lingers forever.
“You don’t control the outcome. You control your actions. Are you moving toward success or avoiding failure?”
Here’s his website: https://fs.blog/
Shane’s thought precisely describes why I am writing my novels. Yes, I hope very much that this proves to be a financially successful enterprise. That’s certainly my plan. But no matter how that turns out, writing adds considerably to my “living a meaningful life” and avoiding regret.
I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, and I’ve had my failures, and, sure, there have been a few regrets along the way. I’ve also had successes, thankfully, and strive to have more. I love my wife, I love our kids, I love our family and friends. Fortunately, I love my day job. And I love to write – it’s the only way I know to be creative and freely expressive. I am incredibly happy and at peace with myself. And I have a lot of stories to tell.
So, thanks for joining me on this ride. I hope it’s fun.