“And then whenever I stop and think—why did I want to do something?—how did I work out how to do it?—I get a very strong desire just to stop thinking about it.”
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
We worry and ask ourselves “why?” a lot.
As a Christian, of course, I do believe there is an answer to the biggest questions about life and our purpose here. I also know the benefits of taking time to consider these questions in meditation and prayer.
At the same time, however, I know I have fallen into the trap of asking why and justifying the work that I do rather than just sitting down and doing it.
For example, I could create a long list of reasons why I am starting to write fiction. In fact, I did create that list. They are all good reasons. But, to be perfectly honest, now that I’ve actually sat down to write fiction and dealt with the humiliating embarrassment of the work not being very good, the rationalization and reasons don’t help much.
What helps, instead, is not thinking about why I’m doing the work at all and just accepting the fact that I am called to do it.
Just do it, as the old Nike slogan goes, and don’t stop to think about why I want to do it or how I am going to be successful doing it.
The moment I let myself ask “why?” is the moment I open myself up to giving up.
