Issue #031 | October 25, 2020

THE SUNDAY CHECK-IN

This week: letting go to receive, getting into your writing flow, how to start an online store, knowing when to quit, how to fight procrastination + more.

What Are You Willing to Let Go Of?

When I was 11 years old, I started a car washing business.

Sounds grand, but I was just this skinny little kid with an addiction...

Beano Comic Books, cider-flavoured ice lollies, Pic n Mix sweets.

You know, regular kid stuff.

My daily allowance would only stretch so far, so I set up shop.

Every Saturday morning, I'd get up at the crack of dawn.

I'd tool up with a bucket, gloves, some old rags and various cleaning products, then hustle my way around the neighbourhood.

It was a nice little earner.

Easy money during the long hot summers.

And as a streetwise youth who grew up in a tough area, I wasn't phased about knocking on doors and claiming my coins.

My best client drove this massive yellow Cadillac.

It looked like a tank compared to my tiny frame. And of course, that was the one that took the longest to clean, wax and polish.

heres to the crazy ones quote - not fitting in

I didn't mind though. You see, Mr Cadillac always left a good tip. And praised me for my efforts.

To keep my 'nice little earner' going, I needed to say no to other things:

No to watching Saturday morning cartoons.
No to late Friday night (secret) movie club with my siblings. Where we'd sneak out of bed to watch scary movies while mum was asleep.
No to anything (friends, family... my pet hamster) that distracted me from fulfilling my car washing duties.

I didn't realise it back then, but I was training myself in a very powerful principle. One I'd take with me throughout my adult life. That principle is:

Be willing to let go of whatever's getting in the way of you receiving the thing you really want.

As an 11 year old, I was willing to let go of some normal kid stuff.

And my street cred. Because it wasn't cool walking around in soggy trainers, a ripped up t-shirt, and a big 'ole dirty bucket.

As an adult I'm willing to let go of other people's opinions and expectations. So I can grow into the person I want to become.

Sometimes that means disappointing family and friends, when choosing creative work over socialising.

Sometimes that means putting your big girl pants on, letting go of the ego and receiving constructive criticism. No one likes hearing negative feedback, but hearing truths is what shapes you into a better writer, designer, creator... human.

So tell me, what are you willing to let go of (or have let go of) to be the creator you want to become?

P.S. Totally random but, what were your favourite Pic n Mix sweets as a kid? I had a love hate relationship with fizzy cola bottles. I loved them once I got past that sour stage lol.

Oh, and strawberry bon bons.

The proper ones with the pink dusting powder.

Quick Tips & Cool Tools

✨ How to get into your writing flow

When you sit down to write, and the words just flow out of you. Those moments are gold. but then you get the other moments. Where nothing's happening. You're just sitting there looking at a blinking curser.

In this article, Henneke has a few tips to help you stay in the present, develop mastery through feedback, find your focus and have fun.

→ Enchanted Marketing

✨ How to start an online store and make it your full time gig

This is an interview with Joanna Behar, a designer who turned her passion project in to a full time business. Even if a full time business isn't on your radar, it's interesting reading about how she made the leap, and the challenges she faced along the way.

Joanna drops this piece of advice for anyone toying with following in her footsteps:" First of all, if the idea has been in your head for a while—do it. I wish someone had told me to go for it when I started my shop. You need to believe in yourself! Don’t compare yourself to others. Instead, get inspired by them. What is the worst that could happen? You need to be your own cheerleader."

→ Dribbble

✨ How to know when it's time to quit an idea or project

You've been slogging away at your project for a long time, and you've reached a point where you start questioning: Should I keep going? Am I wasting my time? Should I quit? There's no shame in quitting.

This article outlines 4 reasons why it might be the right time to say goodbye to something that's not working.

→ Goins Writer

✨ How to be inspired without ripping off someone else's work

I'll let you into a little secret... I copy people's ideas ALL the time. I just don't rip them off. As this article points out, there's a good way, and a bad way to copy others.

Bad way: blatantly copy - pixel by pixel, word by word.

Good way: learn technique from various sources then add your unique spin, flavor, style.

→ Get FlyWheel

✨ How to disrupt the cycle of procrastination

“Procrastination is not a time management issue; it’s an emotion management issue”

That makes total sense. I know I procrastinate as a way to escape the discomfort of doing a task I find boring or difficult. It's like the emotional energy bank just can't deal in the moment.

This article gives you a simple tool to help break the cycle. It's this one question: “What’s the next [small] action?”

→ Inverse

✨ Free illustrations for commercial and personal use

A cool selection of free graphics to use in your next blog post, book, social media post or some other thing you want to create.

→ Blush Design

Caught on Twitter

Just for Fun!

Tap in your date of birth. Reveal a bunch of stats and events that have occurred during your lifetime.

→ Life Stats