I had a glorious 80s movie binge.
Man there’s some great ones.
Although my kids don’t think so 😑
Hey… I can’t help it…
I’m tail-ending Gen X… so my childhood memories are firmly rooted in the 1980s.
So… first up was “Big Trouble In Little China”
Awesome movie. A bit B-gradey. I likee.
I’m glad that Netflix has now got over itself. And is adding some “oldies but goodies”.
So it was fun watching “The Running Man”. With Arnie in his cinematic prime.
Then watched “The Jewel of the Nile”.
Mainly because I couldn’t remember if I’d seen it before.
Do you ever have those feelings?
You start watching it… but the déjà vu is gnawing at you.
Then 5 minutes from the climax you’re like: 🤦♂️
“That’s right! … I’ve seen it 13.5 times before!”
This movie was one of those.
But was still fun watching all the lead-character tension.
I could immediately identify with Kathleen Turner’s character, Joan Wilder.
Not because I dream of writing romance novels 🤮
But she’s a writer… just trying to get her damn book done…
While smacking up against a wall of frustration.
Sometimes I wish I could do with my computer what she did with her typewriter… and hurl it off the side of a yacht!
Ever felt like that?
It might not be writing. But something just blew the frustration gasket?
I bet you have if you’re a freelancer. Seems to come with the territory.
And I’m not implying we just throw in the towel. We can certainly pick up and keep pressing on.
(And the world won’t miss one barnacle-encrusted typewriter).
Now, I don’t come bearing a magic-bullet solution for reducing frustration.
But I’ve been learning through experience…
Dealing with freelancing frustration is simply a matter of putting my head down.
Focusing on the craft. Mastering skills (or at least getting better slowly). And just doing the hard, sweaty and PAINFUL work!
*Ouch!* 🤕
But that’s a good ouch.
Yep…
We don’t naturally like the pain of progress.
Often it’s that mental and emotional pain… the challenge of fighting our own self-sabotage. Our own excuses. Our own fears.
Like today… I had a massive brick-wall moment. And was starting to browse job ads.
What the actual hell, Chris?!?
It happens.
But the more I do this freelancing thing it seems that…
Pain is the path to paradise.
And with 70 million freelancers in the crowd — in the U.S. alone — there’s plenty of us to cheer each other on.
I’m cheering you!
Not wanting to see ANYTHING get in the way of your motivation.
So you can continue to take steps forward… painful ones if needed.
And succeed with your freelancing dreams.
Should the the pain ever completely stop…
Might be you’re just sitting still. Or maybe hamster-wheeling it. 🐹
📼 There was something about VHS,
P.S. Last reminder for early access…
If getting more disciplined with writing practice is something you’re wanting…
Then doing the write-every-day thing with daily email might be up your alley.
It is for me. And is the topic of the ebook I’m releasing this month. I go into why daily email is awesome for ramping up writing skills. And how to get started.
If you want early access when it’s ready… with a nice price too….
Click here to be notified:
https://milham.me/ebook1-early-access
Ready to build your email list? Go here…
EmailForTheWin.com
Chris Milham