I’m writing this specifically for the purpose of clicking on “Publish,” something I’ve struggled to do as of late.
I have three drafts of articles waiting for me to finish. Each one I’ve asked myself, Should I give up or push through?
We all find ourselves in this bind from time to time. When we’re faced with a challenge or a project that feels too big to follow through, what do we do? Give up and spend time on other things? Or follow through and ship what we can?
At times I’ve argued giving up is a superpower.
Other times I’ve argued following through is a necessity of life.
But I think we are all asking the wrong question here.
The right question isn’t “Should I give up?” it’s “Am I ready?”
Asking “Am I ready?” gives you something tangible to act on. If the answer is “No” then find ways to learn and sharpen the skills you need to see your work through. If the answer is “Yes” then get to work.
Going back to my writing struggles as an example. Am I ready to show up and write thought-provoking pieces every day? No. Not right now. I know I can, but I’m not ready right now.
So I’ll spend my time elsewhere. Reading, researching, thinking. I can still improve without giving up or pushing through.
Lesson learned: ask yourself better questions.
