Why You Should Not Go Big

They say, "Go big, or go home," and in a game show that might be a good idea. Unless you know you will be happier with the smaller prize, go for the big one when you have the chance, no matter how slim the chance is. But what works for a game show doesn't always work for life in general. Yesterday I was reading about the contrast between Craft and Success, in Rob Bell's book, How To Be Here. Basically, Craft is doing something because you want to and the thought of doing it energizes you and gets you out of bed in the morning. You don't care if it will make you rich or famous. Success on the other hand, drives you to pursue more, even when you already have all you want or need. You tell yourself, "I'll know I've arrived when ____________________." Then, when you achieve whatever it is you would put in that blank, you realize it doesn't feel as satisfying as you had imagined, and you ask, "I worked hard all those years for this?" It's what Solomon called "chasing the wind."

In a similar vein, going big when starting new habits will make them harder to keep. I heard Tim Ferriss explain that it's better to set the bar low at the beginning. Just go to the gym for ten minutes twice a week, for example, just to get in the habit. You want to make getting into the habit easy because you have a better chance of making it stick.

As I pondered these things I realized that writing is my Craft. I do it because I want to do it. I like knowing that I have encouraged someone. Even if I help only one person, I know what I'm doing is worth while. I don't need Success, and I don't need to write long posts, I need consistency. Long or short, I need to write something everyday. I write because it's my Craft and I want to make the habit stick.