Coffee With David

Good evening! Let me put away my surveillance cameras, microphones and other gear so I can join you in a cup of coffee. While I am behind on my writing right now, I do have one of my crime dramas in mind, thus the gear.

I am not going to discuss writing so much today as overcoming obstacles. We all have them. They can be the lack of time needed to write or the resources we need to get published. Sometimes it is the lack of knowledge on a subject or lack of knowledge about the market. I haven’t even begun to look at physical obstacles or *gulp* writers block.

I have been dealing with a few obstacles in both my writing life and in my martial art life. If you do not know (see “The Genesis of a Writer and a Martial Artist”, 10/09/2008 in the Fiction Blog) I am a Nidan or second degree Black Belt as well as a writer. The study of martial arts is almost as important to me as the study of fiction writing. A few months ago I had ankle surgery due to a build up of injuries over the years (from martial arts and from other life activities). It has been a long road to recovery with pitfalls and setbacks. I found myself constantly battling depression as I struggled to overcome each stumble. I could have let the stumble put me on the ground and stayed. It is not in me to let it. I may never compete in a tournament due to the injury, but I refused to let these set backs stop me from coming back to karate. Last night, after dealing with one set back for six weeks, I finally returned. I felt rejuvenated when I put on my black gi and belt. I only did the basic workout and did not spar. I am letting my ankle slowly build back up to doing that and taking it day by day.

I am finding that I need to use the same philosophy toward my writing. I am a planner. I like to set my goals and so forth. However, as I have been learning, that is not always the best way to achieve things. (See “A Conversation I Had While in Dallas: What’s the Rush?”, 11/26/2008 ) When I take things slow and steady and achieve a little success along the way, I find myself less stressed and more enthused with what I have rather than feeling the great weight of the world on my shoulders trying to live up to ambitious deadlines. (I am not saying deadlines are not important. I am saying, don’t stop living in the now and enjoy what you have, what you have done, and what you are doing.)

When I find myself overwhelmed with what I am trying to do or I feel that I am failing at what I am doing, I remember a saying that is on a plaque hanging on my wall at home: “Don’t worry if you work hard and your rewards are few. Remember! The mighty oak was once a nut like you!”

There is no one way to overcome an obstacle. The important thing is the decision we make when we are faced with it. Do we try to overcome and risk all to achieve or do we surrender having backed away from a challenge having never tried? I will not say what anyone else should do. For myself, I am just going back to wearing the Black.