Rule 3: Love what you do

     Maybe this should have been Rule 1. Then again, Rule 2 provides a nice backdrop for this one. In light of writing's (and any other work's) innate difficulty, you should enjoy doing it. Otherwise, what's the point?

     This message has been going around since I don't know when. Maybe the end of the Industrial Revolution. It has become the theme of countless Disney movies, not to mention Disney's competition, and other movies that have nothing to do with Disney. But for some reason, it's treated as an unusual thing. A great thing, yes, but a rare one. And why is this?

     I have been very blessed not to know pressures that swerved me from my final goal. I was pretty young when I first settled firmly on the goal to write. And I mainly kept it to myself. No one was really there to discourage me. Others, I know, haven't received such grace. But why should that sway us from doing that which we love, which we often feel we were born to do? I have a guess. As I've said before, It's hard.

     Nothing is as discouraging as difficulty. Not that I know of. I was discouraged when I wrote Rule 2, as you may have noticed. I imagine the biggest obstacle to folks' doing what they really want to do is difficulty. In my case, I found my aspiration to write back when I didn't know how difficult things would be. That was good, because if I knew then that I would still be rewriting my first book for five + years, I think I would have thrown in the towel and given drawing another chance. I've begun to realize the dangers and difficulties of this trade now, even as I am more in love with it than ever. I think that's the key.

     Disregard all the obstacles, because they mean nothing. If you have been given a heart's desire, then it's your job to pursue it. And if you really love this goal of yours, you'll be willing to endure the difficulties of it. You'll want to do it to the best of your ability, so you'll work at it harder than ever before.

     I'm not saying to be completely drastic, to quit your job and become whatever you want to be. I am saying that you should find what you love, and do it, in whatever way seems best to you. Unless I'm mistaken, there will be difficulty in that somehow.

     I'll admit that this is easy for me to say. I haven't been thrown out into the world to sink or swim yet. What I do know is that things are hard. But that's exactly the point. Sure, our dreams are hard to attain. But that's why we love them: because they're worth it.