Comments on: Hypn07, Day 19: Lord of the Dark Side http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html a virgo's guide to the universe Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:24:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: communicatrix http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31175 communicatrix Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:50:50 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31175 Jean - thanks, and thanks for dropping back to comment, too. That Earnie Larsen quote is a good one. Jean - thanks, and thanks for dropping back to comment, too. That Earnie Larsen quote is a good one.

]]> By: Jean Browman http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31088 Jean Browman Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:39:51 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31088 I just figure that uncomfortable feeling, when I wish I could just sit down and finish the darned thing but am puttering around doing something else, is just part of the process. All we can do is keep a bit of pressure on so we don't give up and not get too upset. At least that works best for me. There's not much point in feeling guilty or pretending we could be doing it faster. Ideas percolating in our subconscious need time. I don't even call it procrastination. In fact, I seldom use the term. Sure, I put things off if I don't want to do them or don't know where to start or partly want to do them but am afraid of what I will have to give up to do it. So what? As we all know, if we have a deadline sooner or later the pain of the pressure will get us moving. I like Colleen's observation that it's a different thing when you don't have to do it or that it’s a long project. Then we can set up artificial deadlines in the form of reporting to other people. Or, my preference, break the task down into parts so small that they’re easy to do and have fun (for the most part) going towards the goal. One of my favorite quotes is by Earnie Larsen: “There are few things more wonderful than knowing where you want to go and being on the path to getting there.” I just figure that uncomfortable feeling, when I wish I could just sit down and finish the darned thing but am puttering around doing something else, is just part of the process. All we can do is keep a bit of pressure on so we don’t give up and not get too upset. At least that works best for me. There’s not much point in feeling guilty or pretending we could be doing it faster. Ideas percolating in our subconscious need time. I don’t even call it procrastination.

In fact, I seldom use the term. Sure, I put things off if I don’t want to do them or don’t know where to start or partly want to do them but am afraid of what I will have to give up to do it. So what? As we all know, if we have a deadline sooner or later the pain of the pressure will get us moving. I like Colleen’s observation that it’s a different thing when you don’t have to do it or that it’s a long project. Then we can set up artificial deadlines in the form of reporting to other people. Or, my preference, break the task down into parts so small that they’re easy to do and have fun (for the most part) going towards the goal. One of my favorite quotes is by Earnie Larsen: “There are few things more wonderful than knowing where you want to go and being on the path to getting there.”

]]> By: Jean Browman http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31019 Jean Browman Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:33:36 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-31019 Colleen, I inserted your comment and hopefully fixed my blog so people can do it in the future. Thanks for the clarification and feedback. The expression “achievements of magnificent fulfillment” was a direct quote of what you wrote in this post (in contrast to measuring our lives with coffee spoons). I was wondering what achievement looked like to you, so I really appreciated you explaining that part. I still don't understand the Resistor, but will read more of your earlier blogs to try to get more of the subpersonalities straight. More tomorrow. This topic gets better and better. Thanks. Colleen,
I inserted your comment and hopefully fixed my blog so people can do it in the future. Thanks for the clarification and feedback. The expression “achievements of magnificent fulfillment” was a direct quote of what you wrote in this post (in contrast to measuring our lives with coffee spoons). I was wondering what achievement looked like to you, so I really appreciated you explaining that part. I still don’t understand the Resistor, but will read more of your earlier blogs to try to get more of the subpersonalities straight. More tomorrow. This topic gets better and better. Thanks.

]]> By: Transforming Stress Into Personal Power » Honoring Resistance http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30910 Transforming Stress Into Personal Power » Honoring Resistance Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:26:46 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30910 [...] to find her subpersonalities and help her to get them to work together as a team. But on Day 19 they created a subpersonality that isn’t interested in cooperating. It’s called [...] [...] to find her subpersonalities and help her to get them to work together as a team. But on Day 19 they created a subpersonality that isn’t interested in cooperating. It’s called [...]

]]> By: communicatrix http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30904 communicatrix Mon, 30 Jul 2007 02:55:28 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30904 Steven - Thank YOU for the words of encouragement. Greg can attest to how schoolgirl-giddy I got seeing your comment. It made the day for both of us! Bon - Thankee. I have a feeling you've seen this one in action. Steven - Thank YOU for the words of encouragement. Greg can attest to how schoolgirl-giddy I got seeing your comment. It made the day for both of us!

Bon - Thankee. I have a feeling you’ve seen this one in action.

]]> By: Bon http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30874 Bon Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:53:07 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30874 Bullseye. Bullseye.

]]> By: Steven Pressfield http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30654 Steven Pressfield Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:20:19 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30654 Colleen, many thanks for the kind words (and the plug) re "War of Art." I like that Resistor-thing that you did. Why didn't I think of it? Keep up the great work and keep communicatrixing ... All my best, SP Colleen, many thanks for the kind words (and the plug) re “War of Art.” I like that Resistor-thing that you did. Why didn’t I think of it? Keep up the great work and keep communicatrixing …

All my best,
SP

]]> By: communicatrix http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30541 communicatrix Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:48:23 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30541 Wendy - You're welcome! There is a relief in discovering you're not the only one of anything, isn't there? Even if the thing itself doesn't change. Jeremy - Interesting notion. Resistance as (sometimes) Procrastination is Pressfield's, but I agree with him. Since he's a writer of books - long form - there's a slightly different set of signposts. I think Pressfield's notion is spot on when working on looong projects or self-initiated (i.e., deadline-free) projects. Not just the novels & screenplays that never get written but the house that never gets cleaned, the trek up the mountain that never gets taken, the exercise program that never gets started. I experience the same type of procrastination as you and dailytri every month with my column for LACasting.com. I'm not alone, either--all of the columnists get the same reminder every month two days before! My process with that has been to write down ideas as I get them, let them "cook", and then, like both of you, the whole 750 words spills out in an hour or less, like Venus on the half shell. But if I had no deadline? Oh, yeah--I'll procrastinate like hell. That's why IRL I use hacks like coaching, writing partners, class, accountability groups, etc. Wendy - You’re welcome! There is a relief in discovering you’re not the only one of anything, isn’t there? Even if the thing itself doesn’t change.

Jeremy - Interesting notion. Resistance as (sometimes) Procrastination is Pressfield’s, but I agree with him. Since he’s a writer of books - long form - there’s a slightly different set of signposts. I think Pressfield’s notion is spot on when working on looong projects or self-initiated (i.e., deadline-free) projects. Not just the novels & screenplays that never get written but the house that never gets cleaned, the trek up the mountain that never gets taken, the exercise program that never gets started.

I experience the same type of procrastination as you and dailytri every month with my column for LACasting.com. I’m not alone, either–all of the columnists get the same reminder every month two days before! My process with that has been to write down ideas as I get them, let them “cook”, and then, like both of you, the whole 750 words spills out in an hour or less, like Venus on the half shell.

But if I had no deadline? Oh, yeah–I’ll procrastinate like hell. That’s why IRL I use hacks like coaching, writing partners, class, accountability groups, etc.

]]> By: dailytri http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30534 dailytri Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:59:50 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30534 I can't wait another minute to agree with Jeremy on the procrastination point. Recently, I'd taken on a freelance assignment at a Minneapolis mag, the deadline was already looming when I took the assignment, but in true fashion I waited a day to let the topic percolate before scheduling interviews. A few more days passed, I did a phoner or two. Then it was July 4. The piece was due on July 9. I woke up on July 9 with the article written in my head only. 1500 words and two hours, later followed by an hour of editorial scrutinization and ta-da. The editor loved the piece. Ideal? No. But quite common in any artist's field, I think. I can’t wait another minute to agree with Jeremy on the procrastination point. Recently, I’d taken on a freelance assignment at a Minneapolis mag, the deadline was already looming when I took the assignment, but in true fashion I waited a day to let the topic percolate before scheduling interviews. A few more days passed, I did a phoner or two. Then it was July 4. The piece was due on July 9. I woke up on July 9 with the article written in my head only. 1500 words and two hours, later followed by an hour of editorial scrutinization and ta-da. The editor loved the piece. Ideal? No. But quite common in any artist’s field, I think.

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30516 Jeremy Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:46:00 +0000 http://www.communicatrix.com/2007/07/hypno-day19.html#comment-30516 Fascinating post in a fascinating series. I just wanted to take issue with the notion (yours or Pressfields? Can't be sure) that procrastination is one shape The Resistor can take. Define it like that and, yeah, it seems that way. But ... Sometimes, what looks like procrastination, even to me when I'm not being particularly insightful, is actually a time of huge fomenting creativity somewhere deep inside my brain, and when it is ready, the "procrastination" stops. Other times, the procrastination is indeed resistance, but because it puts me under pressure, and pressure can cause sparks to fly, it actually enhances creative thought. I think. Fascinating post in a fascinating series. I just wanted to take issue with the notion (yours or Pressfields? Can’t be sure) that procrastination is one shape The Resistor can take. Define it like that and, yeah, it seems that way. But …

Sometimes, what looks like procrastination, even to me when I’m not being particularly insightful, is actually a time of huge fomenting creativity somewhere deep inside my brain, and when it is ready, the “procrastination” stops.

Other times, the procrastination is indeed resistance, but because it puts me under pressure, and pressure can cause sparks to fly, it actually enhances creative thought.

I think.

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