Before I Begin
The three most destructive words in the English language may be – before I begin. Kevin Ashton
It is so interesting how hard it is for some of us to begin. No matter what it is.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman: “To begin, to begin. How to start? I’m hungry. I should get coffee. Coffee would help me think. I should write something first, then I’ll reward myself with coffee. Coffee and a muffin. OK, so I need to establish the themes. Maybe banana-nut. That’s a good muffin.”
This kind of mind chatter is familiar to some of us.
Fail to Begin:
“The only thing we do before we begin is fail to begin. Whatever form our failure takes, be it a banana-nut muffin, a tidier sock drawer, or a bag of new stationery, it is the same thing: a non-beginning, complete with that dead car sound, all click, no ignition.
Having resisted the temptation of others, we must also resist the temptation of ourselves. The best way to begin is the same as the best way to swim in the sea. No tiptoes. No wading. Go under. Get wet and cold from scalp to sole. Splutter up salt, push the hair from your brow, then stroke and stroke again. Feel the chill change. Do not look back or think ahead. Just go.
In the beginning, all that matters is how much clay you throw on the wheel. Go for as many hours as you can. Repeat every day possible until you die. The first beginning will feel wrong. We are not used to being with ourselves uninterrupted. We do not know the way first things look. We have imagined our creations finished but never begun…
Nothing begins good, but everything good begins. Everything can be revised, erased, or rearranged later. The courage of creation is making bad beginnings.”
What do you want to begin?
There may not be a single thing that you really want to do before you die. But I suspect everyone has dreams and visions of something they want to leave behind. Maybe it is a tidy sock drawer and that’s ok, but it might be stories, videos, a song or musical composition or a new contraption of some kind. There are hundreds of things that any of us can learn to do, but there may be one or two important things that we would really like to do but are afraid to start. I wonder what they are? Will you begin?
This past weekend, I was visiting cousins and my 101-year-old aunt in Halifax. What each of them had in common was the fact that they make things – they sew, knit, cook, quilt, write poetry, do house renovations, dance, hike, preserve food, manage house repairs, hook rugs, to name a few of their collective and serious hobbies. They are also caregivers to their spouses and co-exist with the uncertainty of extremely serious illnesses, with a realistic mind and a cheerful heart. Their secret is that they begin things and they also finish them. They consider these activities life savers and stress reducers. And yes, they are enjoyable and satisfying.
To say I came away inspired is an understatement. It reminded me of the book How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery by Kevin Ashton. A book I first learned about in a CBC interview back in 2015 and wrote about here in 2021.
NOTES
1) Here is a link to the CBC interview back in 2015, and still relevant today. Kevin led pioneering work on RFID (radio frequency identification) networks, for which he coined the term “the Internet of Things,” and cofounded the Auto-ID Center at MIT. His writing about innovation and technology has appeared in numerous publications.
2) Simon Sinek, New York Times bestselling author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, writes: “If you consider yourself a curious person, then you will love this book. Ashton shares so many delightful stories of where things come from and how things came to be, I seriously believe that it will make anyone who reads it smarter.”
3) Before I begin my sustainable self-designed “move your body” program, I have a list a mile long that needs doing. Today I got rid of the list, set the days and times of my own program and have worked the “other” things around that. Time is short. It’s almost November, and it will never be convenient or appealing to begin – and I plan to begin.
4) For a change of scene, and even if you aren’t interested in baseball, I have an interesting article from The Atlantic for you to read. – A Truly Awesome Performance. Shohei Ohtani’s extraordinary game might be just what we all needed right now. It offers a ray of hope in a troubled world.
5) The photo here is early morning light today in Vancouver – note what looks like a heart in the centre. Thanks to Rob. The banner photo is on the Kennebecasis River in Hampton, New Brunswick, on Sunday afternoon.
6) Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. With gratitude and best wishes to you all. As always, Trudy
“The first beginning will feel wrong…Nothing begins good, but everything good begins. Everything can be revised, erased, or rearranged later. The courage of creation is making bad beginnings.”
Thank you for this, Trudy. These quotes are really helpful! And the photos are gorgeous.
Thank you Wendy. I love that quote too – especially – “the courage of creation is making bad beginnings.” Lovely to hear from you. All the best, Trudy
Perfect post for the queen of procrastination Trudy. I will, I will, I will get up tomorrow morning, leave my computer off and tackle that book I am writing (sort of writing) (kind of writing) WILL WRITE. Hugs to you dear lady.
I hope you did begin dear Pat and the great thing is each new day comes with new beginnings. How great is that. Best effort and best wishes, Trudy
Thank you, once again, Trudy, for a relevant post. Thank YOU for STARTING and STAYING. I remember when you began your posts and why. Look what that idea brought to birth, for you personally and for all your fortunate readers. Deep appreciation for this gift.
Thank you dear Karen for your generosity. I deeply appreciate your encouraging words and taking the time to read these musings. Sending good wishes across the continent to your lovely island. As always, Trudy
More food for thought – Ashton’s work reminds me of Yoda’s “Do or do not. There is no try.” 🙂
Loved your family stories of those who embody this notion. Great article about Ohtani, thanks. xoxo
I am pleased you read the article and enjoyed it Janice. I surprised myself by reading it and amazed that I enjoyed it too. Many thanks for all your kindnesses and all your poems that so many of us love.
See you soon, Trudy
Just the motivation I need to restart my engine.thanks,my friend.
Ah! that engine of yours always starts again, dear Jean. You are a steward of goodness and always beginning again. Warmly, Trudy
Such a beautiful post, and thank you for sharing The Atlantic story. So inspiring it took my breath away.
Oh Margaret…thank you! And I am glad to hear that you too enjoyed the story. Talk soon. Warmly, Trudy