JANUARY 2026 – Hard to find something when you don’t know what it is that you are after. That is why when working on a new project/endeavor it can be extremely helpful to define what your goal is. And then to not over complicate that goal. Dreamers tend to let mission creep get in the way of getting started, because a huge, grand project seems too big to grapple with and it becomes impossible to know where to start.
So break things into smaller goals, figure out your setting, who your characters are, what the central conflict will be. Establishing these things help you simplify some of the questions your creative mind will be asking of you. As knowing the who, what, when, where, and why helps you know the motivation of your characters and create an arc for them.
But this lesson goes beyond creative writing, it is helpful to know what you want in all aspects of your life. Sure, you can wing a lot of things. But knowing what you want is so clarifying, it is glorious. And maybe you just start by a bit of process of elimination and figuring out what you don’t want so you can focus your energy better.
I just think that is all easy to say, but not so easy to achieve in a lot of arenas when there are no easy steps to follow since you are a trailblazer in your own life. Things get real hazy, really quick when you try new things. Making trying new things largely an act of faith. So you have to believe in yourself, believe in the process (trial and error), and be undaunted when things don’t go as planned and inevitable setbacks strike.
Ambition is calling and when channeled correctly it is a powerful force for good in your life. I have a lot of big goals and will continue pursuing them relentlessly, no matter how cloudy the future looks at time.
So keep putting in effort, keep striving, keep shaking things up, you never know where it might take you. And be brave to change course if you find you are headed in the wrong direction. There is a cool future waiting for us if we build it! You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, just put your energy, creativity, and care into everything that you do and in turn that will give it meaning. As caring is what shapes things for the better.
Don’t give up your search when things get tough. Just use that as an opportunity to redefine your parameters. Growth is cumulative and goodness compounds.
~ CS
