Make A Bed, Punch A Shark, Complete Every Task

I wanted to share a few words of encouragement I gleaned from a video someone shared on Facebook. An Admiral and former navy seal was speaking at a commencement. I don’t recall his name, but his words resonated with me as a writer. He made some points that wrapped themselves around the theme of no matter the circumstances complete the task.

He started his speech with the words “Make your bed every morning.  A made bed is a task completed. Then move on to the next task. If you have a terrible day, you can come home to a made bed.” Makes sense. There is something restful and inviting about a made bed. A place of refuge during chaos.

My writing comparison

Write something every day. If you have a day full of disruptions, knowing you wrote something makes the day better. Writing anything is always better than a blank screen. Making your bed is a small task that has become a habit for most of us. Consistency is a key for success as a writer.

Punch the naysayers

The admiral shared another fact from navy seal training. Every man must swim through shark infested water. They describe every type of shark found off the coast of California. Then the instructor encourages them by saying, “No sailor has ever been eaten by a shark. So, remember if a shark gets too close, punch it hard in the snout.” Creepy scary—right? Writers have sharks in the water all round them, too. Naysayers and complainers. “You’ll never get published.” “This is bad writing.” And something a secular horror author said to me. “Anyone with a crayon can write Christian Fiction.” I punched that negative comment right in the snout by working to be my very best at story telling.

Size is not the main thing

Th Admiral also shared his time doing boat drills. There were three teams. He was on the boat with the tall guys. One team was a boat full of “munchkins”. The nickname the others had given to this crew, all under five feet seven inches. Even though they were smaller, they were the best. Every task required on a boat team, they completed better and faster than the other two teams. Being on a small publisher’s team of authors doesn’t make you less important. Doesn’t mean your book is not as good. I have read wonderfully written gems from small publishing houses. Size is not the issue. It’s how well you complete all the task required for publication and marketing.

In summary

Write every day.

Punch the naysayers in the snout (in your imagination.)

Do your best to reach your publishing goals.

Happy writing.